Avalanche

A mass of snow, ice and debris sliding rapidly down a mountainside, triggered naturally or by a skier.

Avalanches are the single biggest objective hazard of off-piste skiing. They range from harmless sluffs to destructive slab avalanches capable of burying a skier in seconds.

Avoiding avalanche terrain when conditions are unstable is the only truly safe strategy; when travelling in avalanche terrain, carrying and knowing how to use a transceiver, shovel and probe is mandatory.