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| Glacier Blanc gains mass | 17/03/2009 15:19 |
| For the first time since 2001 the mass balance of the Glacier Blanc in the Ecrins range is positive. It has gained 21cm (water equivalent) in the last year. However the snout remains very thin and is vulnerable to another hot summer such as that of 2003. | |
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| Four killed in avalanche at Valmeinier | 11/03/2009 14:31 |
| Four skiers have been killed by a major avalanche close to the ski resort of Valmeinier early this afternoon. The group was composed of seven high school kids from the Savoie and their guide, they were ski touring above the resort. A total of eight ski tourers have died since the weekend in three incidents. With fresh snow at altitude conditions remain unstable. | |
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| Scarpa launch range of ?Bio? ski boots | 09/03/2009 18:10 |
| Italian specialist boot manufacturer Scarpa have launched a range of ski boots made using the Pebax Rnew plant based plastic. The boots will be available for the start of the 2009-2010 season. Scarpa Tornado Eco | |
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| Three ski tourers killed by avalanche in North Belledonne | 07/03/2009 12:18 |
| Three ski tourers have been killed by an avalanche in the North Belledonne close to Chambery. The skiers were heading for Le Chapotet in the commune of Presle. It is the most serious avalanche accident in France this season. Le Chapotet (archive photo, early May). | |
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| Snowpulse Lifebag important safety notice | 03/03/2009 7:02 |
| If you have bought one of the new Snowpulse Lifebag avalanche security devices there is an important safety notice on the Snowpulse website. Snowpulse reports 1500 deployments, both in training and real avalanche incidents, with a 99.5% success rate. However that means there were still around 7-8 deployment failures. | |
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| Avalanche on the Ventoux | 01/03/2009 6:01 |
| An climber has been injured by an avalanche on the northern slopes of Mont Ventoux close to Avignon yesterday. The area has been experience exceptional snow conditions this winter. The slide was triggered by a ski tourer and hit the climber 200 meters lower down the combe de Fonfiole. | |
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| Sad end for missing guide | 21/02/2009 14:27 |
| A missing trainee high mountain guide has been found dead under an avalanche close to the crête de la Ratelle in the Parpaillon range in the Hautes-Alpes. | |
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| Italy makes avalanche safety gear mandatory | 15/02/2009 5:01 |
| Italy has decided to make avalanche safety gear (avalanche beacon, shovel and probe) mandatory for all winter sports enthusiasts heading out of marked and secured ski runs. The law will also apply to off piste skiers. | |
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| Avalanche beacons and household appliances | 12/02/2009 5:41 |
| Way back in 2001 PisteHors broke the news of a Piste Patroller who had died in an avalanche following a botched rescue operation by colleagues. The rescuers? beacons had apparently been affected by a mobile phone and the debate as to whether or not mobiles can affect digital avalanche beacons has rumbled on and off ever since. | |
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| Fresh snow brings extreme avalanche risk | 12/02/2009 5:21 |
| Fresh snow across France has raised the avalanche risk to Extreme (5/5) in western and central Pyrenees today and brought chaos to many areas. Last weekend tourists were blocked by avalanches in the Southern Alps resorts of Auron and Isola 2000. | |
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