Robert Fletcher, a resort
worker with First Choice in La Daille, died in an avalanche
at the weekend.
The accident happened
on the notorious off-piste run below Bellevarde known as
'La Spatule' - a run that has claimed of several resort
workers in the last few years.
It is not known whether
Robert was skiing on his own or in company, but by the time
he was found he was already dead.
If
you love skiing the off-piste, Natives cannot recommend too highly
that you minimise the risks. Facewest
sell transceivers and the new Avalung,
which can buy you an extra hour in a packed avalanche. The
Facewest site has lots of information about avalanches and is
worth reading up on. A sample follows:
- You
are most at risk just after a snowfall and the more snow
the greater the risk
- Never
ski off piste alone - four is the ideal size of party.
- Only
one person should move at a time
- Do
not ski directly above someone else, you are putting them
in danger
[Update (18
February) - It is understood that the accident occurred at 4pm
and that the avalanche may have been set off by the victim's companion.
Natives can only reiterate that anyone skiing off-piste is dangerous
and anyone intending to take the mountain on should make themselves
of the risks. The Facewest
site covers this in detail.]
