Avalanche Safety in 2026. What Recent Tragedies Teach Us About Forecasts, Terrain, and Rescue

Educational resource only. This is not a substitute for your local avalanche forecast, resort operations updates, or professional training.

In the final week of 2025, the snowpack delivered a brutal reminder that avalanche risk is real even in places people assume are safe. On December 26, 2025, an in-bounds avalanche occurred at Mammoth Mountain during early morning mitigation work. Ski patroller Cole Murphy later died from his injuries.¹²³ On December 29, 2025, a fatal avalanche in the Pyrenees killed Spanish influencer Jorge García Dihinx and his wife, Natalia Román, prompting broader conversation about how quickly risk perception can drift when conditions look inviting.⁴

These incidents are not content. They are a reason to reset habits and tighten systems, without blame and without armchair judgment. The core message for Avalanche Safety 2026 is simple.

Avalanches do not care if you are experienced or in bounds. The safest move is informed decisions built on forecasts, terrain choices, and a group that is ready to respond.⁵

The myth that gets people hurt

A lot of winter accidents start with one assumption.

It will not happen here.

Here is the reality.

In bounds does not always mean zero avalanche risk. Resorts work hard to reduce hazard through forecasting, closures, and mitigation, but risk never becomes zero.¹³ When terrain is closed, respect it like your life depends on it, because it might.

Sidecountry is not in bounds. The moment you exit a gate or boundary you also exit resort mitigation coverage and you take responsibility for your own decisions, rescue readiness, and terrain management.

What avalanche mitigation means, and why it can still be dangerous

Avalanche mitigation is professional risk reduction work. It can include forecasting, terrain closures, and active control measures intended to reduce hazard in ski areas operating on public lands.¹³

Even when everything is done correctly, the mountains do not switch off. Storm snow can load fast. Wind can build slabs quickly. Weak layers can persist and surprise you days after the last storm. That is why closures matter, and why patience is a real skill, not a vibe.

Your three part system for avalanche safety 2026

If you want a structure that holds up when it is snowing hard and stoke is high, use this loop every day you recreate near avalanche terrain.

Forecast, terrain, group.⁵

1. Forecast

Start with the most current avalanche forecast for your exact zone. Avalanche.org frames it cleanly. Get the forecast, get the gear, get the training.⁵

Where to get it

• Your regional avalanche center bulletin⁶

• Resort operations and snow safety updates when you are riding lifts¹

• Weather and wind reports as supporting context, not as a replacement for a forecast⁶

How to read an avalanche forecast without getting lost
Focus on the parts that actually change decisions.

• The danger rating

• The avalanche problems for the day

• The elevation and aspects where problems exist

• The travel advice and likelihood language

The North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale has five levels from Low to Extreme. It is meant to guide travel decisions, not just describe conditions.⁸ When the danger rises, your terrain choices must get simpler.

2. Terrain

Avalanches are a terrain problem as much as a snow problem. A strong move in 2026 is choosing terrain that matches the day, not your ego.

Slope angle matters
Most slab avalanches occur on steep enough slopes. You do not need to measure every pitch perfectly, but you should know when you are committing to avalanche terrain versus traveling in low angle terrain.

Start zones and runouts matter
You do not have to be on the steep part to get hit. Avoid traveling under obvious start zones during storm cycles or when forecasts describe persistent problems.

Terrain traps turn small slides into big consequences
Gullies, creek beds, cliffs, tight trees, and road cuts can amplify injuries or burial depth. Conservative terrain is not just low angle, it is low consequence.

3. Group

The group is the final filter, and it is where strong skiers and riders still get caught.

Spacing and exposure discipline
Only one person at a time in exposed terrain, especially when danger is elevated. This prevents multiple burials and keeps rescuers available.

Communication that is boring and clear
Agree on the plan before you drop. Agree on regroup points. Agree on no questions asked turnaround triggers.

Decision discipline that survives stoke
If you are not willing to back off when red flags show up, you are not managing risk. You are hoping.

Avalanche red flags that matter right now

If the snowpack is unstable, it often tells you. Your job is to listen and respond early.

Rapid loading from recent snowfall

Big snowfall in a short window adds weight faster than the snowpack can adjust. This is a classic setup for storm slabs and for reactivity on buried weak layers. When you see rapid loading, downgrade objectives immediately.⁶

Wind transport and drifting

Wind is a slab builder. You can have stable snow in sheltered trees and reactive slabs one ridge over. Wind loaded features often show rounded pillows, drifts, and rapidly forming cornices. Treat these as high consequence terrain until the forecast says otherwise.⁶

Recent avalanche activity

Recent avalanches are one of the clearest signs of instability. If slopes are sliding nearby, similar terrain can slide too. This is a turn back signal, not a data point to debate.

Collapsing, whumphing, and cracking

Collapsing and shooting cracks are direct feedback that the slab and the weak layer are talking. When you get these signs, step out of avalanche terrain and simplify the day.

Rapid warming, sun, or rain on snow

Warming can change stability quickly. Wet loose avalanches can push you into terrain traps, and warm storms can stress deeper problems. Treat fast warming as a major instability amplifier.

If you are seeing multiple red flags, the right call is low angle, low consequence terrain. That is how you stack seasons.

Gear that is mandatory, and what people forget

Gear is not a flex. It is part of a system, and the baseline is clear.

Beacon, probe, shovel basics

Avalanche.org is explicit. Always carry a transceiver, probe, and shovel and know how to use them.⁷

That includes sidecountry. That includes snowshoe approaches below steep faces. That includes the day that is mostly mellow but crosses one loaded rollover.

One per group is not a plan
If someone is buried, every extra searcher matters. Each person needs the full kit. The US Forest Service also emphasizes that each person in your party should carry a shovel.¹²

Airbag packs

Avalanche.org recommends considering an inflatable avalanche airbag pack as a risk reduction tool, not a guarantee.⁷ Airbags can reduce the chance of deep burial in some situations, but they do not cancel trauma, trees, cliffs, or terrain traps.

Communications, power, and emergency basics

Phones fail in cold. Batteries die. Screens shatter.

Bring a plan that works when it is dark and windy.

• Fully charged phone with offline maps

• Extra battery that performs in cold

• Simple emergency plan for who calls, who searches, and how you manage the scene

Practice beats purchase

Rescue gear is only as good as your muscle memory under stress. Get trained and keep training.⁵⁹

Rescue reality. What actually works under stress

Avalanche rescues are usually companion rescues. Time matters, and panic ruins efficiency.

The Utah Avalanche Center states that survivability is drastically reduced after a victim has been buried for more than 15 minutes.¹⁰ Research literature on avalanche survival also shows survival probability changes sharply with time buried, reinforcing why fast companion rescue and practice are critical.¹¹

The takeaway is not fear. It is readiness.

Drills you can run in a park

You do not need a big expedition to practice. You need repetition.

Rescue drill checklist

1. Do a beacon function check at the car. Everyone confirms transmit and search.

2. Run a single burial search with one hidden beacon.

3. Practice probing with a deliberate grid, not random stabs.

4. Practice efficient shoveling. Think conveyor, not chaos.

5. Rotate roles. Everyone searches. Everyone probes. Everyone shovels.

6. Add stress slowly. Cold hands, low light, mild time pressure.

If you want structured training, look for an avalanche course taught under recognized curricula. Avalanche.org and NWAC both point people toward formal training paths and continuing education.⁵⁹

What we can learn from recent incidents, respectfully

When storm cycles are aggressive and winds are moving snow, margins get thinner for everyone.

The Mammoth Mountain incident occurred during early morning mitigation work before the mountain opened, which underlines a hard truth. Even professional operations that exist to reduce hazard still involve real exposure.¹²³

The Pyrenees tragedy reinforces another truth. Fitness, confidence, and familiarity do not cancel physics. Risk perception can drift quickly when conditions feel good, especially after storms, especially when the group is eager.⁴

The most useful lesson is humility.

Humility looks like this.

• Read the bulletin even when you think you already know

• Respect closures and operational work zones

• Turn back early when red flags stack up

• Choose terrain that matches the day, not the plan you wanted yesterday

In Avalanche Safety 2026, humility is a skill you can train.

Alpine Extreme go no go checklist

Use this before you leave the car. Ten bullets, no drama.

1. I checked the current avalanche forecast for my exact zone.⁶

2. I can name today’s avalanche problems and where they live.⁶

3. Our objective matches the danger rating and travel advice.⁸

4. We identified terrain traps and avoided routes under start zones.

5. Everyone has a beacon, probe, and shovel, worn and packed correctly.⁷¹²

6. Everyone practiced rescue this season, not just bought gear.⁵⁹

7. We set spacing rules and regroup points before dropping in.

8. We named turnaround triggers like recent avalanches, cracking, collapsing, or rapid loading.⁶

9. We have a communications and power plan that works in cold.

10. If new information contradicts the plan, we adjust immediately.

Glossary, quick and useful

Storm slab
A slab within new storm snow that has not bonded well yet. Often a short-term problem after heavy snowfall.

Wind slab
Denser snow deposited by wind, typically on leeward aspects near ridgelines and terrain features.

Persistent slab
A slab sitting over a buried weak layer that can remain reactive for days or weeks. Often the problem that catches experienced groups.

Wet loose
Loose snow that releases when warming or rain increases water content and cohesion drops, often in steeper sunny terrain.

Conclusion

Avalanche safety in 2026 is not about being fearless. It is about being fluent.

Fluent in reading the avalanche forecast.⁶ Fluent in choosing terrain that matches the day. Fluent in group discipline and rescue readiness.

Start with the Avalanche.org framework, and follow it all season. Get the forecast, get the gear, get the training.⁵⁶⁷ Then keep learning and keep practicing.⁹

Build a winter kit that supports the plan, not the illusion. Packs that fit a real shovel and probe. Gloves that keep dexterity when you are handling a beacon. Layers that keep you functional when you are standing still. Headlamps and essentials that make your emergency plan real.

That is how you stack seasons.

FAQ. Avalanche safety 2026

1. Can avalanches happen in bounds at ski resorts?

Yes. Resorts reduce risk through forecasting, closures, and mitigation work, but risk is not zero. Respect closures and operational zones.¹¹³

2. What is avalanche mitigation and why can it still be dangerous?

Mitigation is professional work intended to reduce hazard through planning, closures, and control measures. It reduces risk but does not eliminate it, especially during storm cycles.¹³

3. How do I read an avalanche forecast?

Start with the danger rating, then identify the avalanche problems, then note the aspects and elevations where those problems exist. Follow the travel advice.⁶⁸

4. How much new snow is too much?

There is no universal number. What matters is rapid loading, wind transport, and whether forecasts report poor bonding or persistent weak layers. Use your local forecast and watch for red flags.⁶

5. What are the top avalanche red flags?

Rapid loading from snowfall, wind drifting, recent avalanches, cracking, collapsing, and rapid warming.⁶

6. What gear is essential for avalanche terrain?

A transceiver, probe, and shovel for every person, plus the training to use them.⁷

7. Should the whole group carry beacon, probe, and shovel?

Yes. One set per group is not realistic for fast companion rescue. Avalanche.org and the US Forest Service both emphasize proper individual carry and readiness.⁷¹²

8. Do avalanche airbags work?

They can reduce deep burial risk in some avalanches, but they do not guarantee survival and do not remove trauma and terrain trap risk.⁷

9. What matters more, gear or training?

Training and practice make gear useful. Avalanche.org and NWAC both emphasize formal training and continuing education.⁵⁹

10. How fast do you need to perform a rescue?

Fast. The Utah Avalanche Center states survivability is drastically reduced after more than 15 minutes of burial, and research supports the importance of rapid companion rescue.¹⁰¹¹

11. Do resort skiers need avalanche education?

If you stay in open in bounds terrain and respect closures, your risk is lower. The moment you enter sidecountry or unmitigated terrain, you need forecast literacy, gear, and training.⁵⁶⁷

12. Does this apply to snowshoers and climbers?

Yes. You can be exposed from below through runouts and terrain traps. If you travel under start zones or cross steep slopes, plan like you are in avalanche terrain.⁶

Sources

1. Mammoth Mountain. Mammoth Mountain Avalanche Incident, December 26, 2025. Operations update. Accessed January 2, 2026. Mammoth Mountain
2. SKI Magazine. Mammoth Ski Patroller Dies in Avalanche Following Massive Snowfall. Published December 29, 2025. Accessed January 2, 2026. SKI
3. People. Ski Patroller, 30, Dies After Getting Caught in Avalanche. Published December 29, 2025. Accessed January 2, 2026. People.com
4. People. Influencer Jorge García Dihinx, 55, and His Wife Die in Avalanche While Skiing. Published December 29, 2025. Accessed January 2, 2026. People.com
5. Avalanche.org. Avalanche Safety Tutorial. Get the Forecast, Get the Gear, Get the Training. Accessed January 2, 2026. Avalanche.org
6. Avalanche.org. Get the Forecast. Avalanche Safety Tutorial. Accessed January 2, 2026. Avalanche.org
7. Avalanche.org. Get the Gear. Avalanche Safety Tutorial. Accessed January 2, 2026. Avalanche.org
8. Avalanche.org. North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale. Accessed January 2, 2026. Avalanche.org
9. Northwest Avalanche Center. Get the Training. Accessed January 2, 2026. Northwest Avalanche Center
10. Utah Avalanche Center. Backcountry Emergencies. Accessed January 2, 2026. Utah Avalanche Center
11. Rauch S, et al. Avalanche Survival Rates in Switzerland, 1981 to 2020. JAMA Network Open. Published 2024. Accessed January 2, 2026. JAMA Network
12. US Forest Service. Avalanches. Know Before You Go. Accessed January 2, 2026. US Forest Service
13. National Avalanche Center and USDA Forest Service. Avalanche Safety Overview. Published June 2025. Accessed January 2, 2026. Avalanche.org