Skier Rescued Alive After Alpine Avalanche Burial
A 39-year-old skier survived more than 36 hours trapped in a French Alps crevasse with two broken legs before rescuers reached him.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Skiing
An avalanche swept a 39-year-old skier into a crevasse in the French Alps on November 8, fracturing his femur and breaking his other lower leg. Rescuers found him alive on November 9 after more than five hours of excavation and evacuated him by helicopter to a hospital in southeastern France.
Why it matters
The rescue highlights the danger of solo backcountry travel in avalanche terrain, where a single slide can trap a person beyond immediate reach. It also shows how a search can be suspended overnight for avalanche risk before resuming at daylight.
The skier was trapped for more than 36 hours at a depth of about 50 feet, and rescuers excavated for over five hours before hearing his voice. Operations involved 22 CRS mountain-rescue officers, six military police rescuers and three helicopters, while the exact medical outcome beyond his evacuation was not detailed.
The players
Pointe Sommeiller
A 10,932-foot peak in the French Alps near the French-Italian border, approximately 100 miles east of Grenoble, that the skier was attempting to summit.
The details
The skier, traveling alone near the French-Italian border, was climbing toward Pointe Sommeiller when his weight triggered a slab avalanche in a steep, snow-filled chute. He discarded his gear and crawled roughly the length of a football field through a sloping passage inside the crevasse searching for an exit before rescuers lowered him about 650 vertical feet down the mountain.
Timeline
November 7, 2026: The skier left Bramans and spent the night at a backcountry hut.
November 8, 2026: An avalanche swept him into the crevasse, and a relative reported him missing late that day.
November 9, 2026: A search was suspended around 2 A.M. for avalanche risk, then rescuers found him alive after a five-hour dig.
Season Trajectory
This rescue follows the pattern of French Alpine mountain-rescue efforts, where CRS units, military police and helicopter crews coordinate multi-hour excavations in avalanche terrain. It underscores how early-season backcountry activity in the Alps continues to generate demanding rescues for the region's specialized teams.
Backcountry skiers should carry avalanche rescue beacons, probes and shovels, and should not travel alone in steep terrain. Check avalanche forecasts before departing and be aware that search operations may pause overnight when avalanche risk remains high.
The takeaway
Traveling with a partner and carrying rescue equipment can make the difference when an avalanche buries someone in remote terrain. Plan routes with current avalanche conditions in mind before heading into steep chutes.
Further reading
For more on alpine conditions and backcountry travel, see the Skiing section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Outside Online.
