History of Avalanche in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 8, 2026

An avalanche is a swift descent of snow down a sloped surface. They occur spontaneously due to causes like heavy snowfall or snowpack instability, or by external triggers like human activity or seismic events. Consisting primarily of snow and air, large avalanches can incorporate and transport ice, rocks, and trees due to their powerful force.

March 1910: Deadly Avalanches in Cascade and Selkirk Mountains

In March 1910, two major avalanches occurred: the Wellington avalanche on March 1 killed 96 people in Washington state, and three days later, the Rogers Pass avalanche killed 62 railroad workers in British Columbia, Canada.

December 1916: Avalanches in the Alps during World War I

In December 1916, approximately 10,000 soldiers from both sides of the Austrian-Italian front died in avalanches during World War I.

1924: Lagotala's Avalanche Modeling for the Winter Olympics

In 1924, Professor Lagotala worked on modeling avalanche behavior in preparation for the Winter Olympics in Chamonix.

1950: Avalanche Fatalities in the United States

From 1950 to 2021, 1,169 people died in avalanches in the United States.

1950: Winter of Terror Begins

In the Northern Hemisphere winter of 1950 to 1951, approximately 649 avalanches were recorded in a three-month period throughout the Alps in Austria, France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany.

1951: Avalanche Fatalities in the United States

From 1950 to 2021, 1,169 people died in avalanches in the United States.

1951: Winter of Terror Continues

In the Northern Hemisphere winter of 1950 to 1951, approximately 649 avalanches were recorded in a three-month period throughout the Alps in Austria, France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany. This series of avalanches killed around 265 people and was termed the Winter of Terror.

1955: Publication of "Ueber die Zerstörungskraft von Lawinen"

In 1955, A. Voellmy's "Ueber die Zerstörungskraft von Lawinen" (On the Destructive Force of Avalanches) was published and popularized Lagotala's avalanche modeling method.

March 1968: Biały Jar Avalanche

On March 20, 1968, the Biały Jar avalanche in Poland swept away 24 people, resulting in 19 fatalities, including Russian, East German, and Polish citizens.

1990: Lenin Peak Avalanche

In 1990, an earthquake triggered a large avalanche on Lenin Peak in Kyrgyzstan, wiping out a mountain climbing camp and killing 43 climbers.

April 1993: European Avalanche Risk Scale Adoption

In April 1993, Europe adopted a standardized avalanche risk scale to replace earlier non-standard national schemes.

1993: Bayburt Üzengili Avalanche

In 1993, the Bayburt Üzengili avalanche in Turkey killed 60 individuals.

1996: Jamieson et al. Study on Avalanche Causes

In a 1996 study, Jamieson et al. found that 83% of avalanches in recreational settings were caused by those involved, while all accidents in residential, industrial, and transportation settings were due to spontaneous natural avalanches.

1999: Galtür Avalanche Disaster Studies

Following the 1999 Galtür avalanche disaster, scientific studies using radar confirmed the hypothesis that a saltation layer forms between the surface and airborne components of an avalanche.

1999: Montroc Avalanche in France

In 1999, a large avalanche in Montroc, France, killed 12 people in their chalets, leading to the mayor's conviction for not evacuating the area.

1999: Wet Snow Avalanche Characteristics Described

In 1999, it was described that wet snow avalanches are low-velocity suspensions of snow and water confined to the track surface, capable of generating powerful destructive forces due to their mass and density, often associated with climatic cycles at the end of winter.