Particle.news
Download on the App Store

American Skier Dies Off-Piste at Val Thorens After Rock Impact

Local officials cite wind-scoured snow that has left rocks exposed, urging skiers to remain on marked runs.

Overview

  • The victim, an American man in his fifties, lost control in the Boismint sector while skiing off-piste and struck a rock.
  • Rescuers arrived within about three minutes and a gendarmerie helicopter was deployed, yet a doctor pronounced him dead at the scene.
  • He was skiing with a group under a private instructor and wore a helmet, according to station officials.
  • Val Thorens piste director Benjamin Blanc reports roughly two weeks of strong winds have stripped snow cover, exposing hazardous terrain.
  • The death follows other recent fatalities in Savoie, including a 24-year-old Croatian off-piste at Méribel-Mottaret and separate deadly incidents in La Plagne, Valloire, and Les Karellis.