Weather and unprepared skiers blamed for surge in Alpine avalanche deaths
Mar 14th 2026
Unstable snow and changing weather have coincided with risky off-piste activity to produce a sharp rise in avalanche fatalities across the Alps this season, prompting calls for better safety equipment and route planning.
- European Avalanche Warning Services report more than 100 deaths across the mountains this season, the highest in eight years.
- Rescuers say unstable snow and fluctuating temperatures have raised avalanche risk, especially at higher altitudes.
- Most fatal incidents happen off-piste and often at danger level 3 when people underestimate conditions.
- Carrying a transceiver raises survival chances to about 70 percent, while survival falls to about 20 percent without one.
- Large helicopter evacuations and multi-person rescues have been required after recent avalanches and village cut-offs.
- Rescue teams and safety groups say many victims lacked basic safety gear and did not research routes before going off-piste.