History of Avalanche in Timeline

An avalanche is a fast-moving flow of snow down a slope. They occur spontaneously due to factors like heavy snowfall or a weakened snowpack, or they can be triggered by external forces, including humans, animals, or earthquakes. Avalanches consist mainly of snow and air, but large ones can incorporate ice, rocks, and trees. They pose significant dangers in mountainous regions.

March 1910: Deadly Avalanches in Cascade and Selkirk Mountains

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

December 1916: Avalanches during World War I

In December 1916, approximately 10,000 men from both sides died in avalanches during World War I, part of an estimated 40,000 to 80,000 soldiers who died from avalanches during the mountain campaign in the Alps at the Austrian-Italian front, many of which were caused by artillery fire.

1924: Lagotala models avalanche behaviour

In 1924, Professor Lagotala created a method to model avalanche behavior in preparation for the Winter Olympics in Chamonix.

1950: Avalanche fatalities in the United States

In 1950, Avalanche fatalities in the United States started being recorded and up to 2021, 1,169 people died in avalanches.

1950: Winter of Terror

In the northern hemisphere winter of 1950, 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

In 1951, Avalanche fatalities in the United States continued being recorded and up to 2021, 1,169 people died in avalanches.

1951: Winter of Terror: Fatalities

The series of avalanches in 1951, termed the Winter of Terror, killed around 265 people.

1955: Voellmy publishes work on avalanche force

In 1955, A. Voellmy popularized Lagotala's avalanche model after publishing "Ueber die Zerstoerungskraft von Lawinen" (On the Destructive Force of Avalanches).

March 1968: Biały Jar Avalanche

On March 20, 1968, the avalanche in Biały Jar swept away 24 people, killing 19 including 13 Russians, 4 East Germans, and 2 Polish citizens. 1,100 people took part in the rescue operation.

1990: Lenin Peak Avalanche

In 1990, an earthquake triggered a large avalanche on Lenin Peak (now Kyrgyzstan), wiping out a mountain climbing camp and killing forty-three climbers.

April 1993: Adoption of Avalanche Risk Scale in Europe

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

1993: Bayburt Üzengili Avalanche

In 1993, the Bayburt Üzengili avalanche in Üzengili, Bayburt, 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 residential, industrial, and transportation accidents were due to 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 the airborne components of an avalanche, which can also separate from the bulk of the avalanche.

1999: Wet Snow Avalanches Described

In 1999, McClung described wet snow avalanches as a low velocity suspension of snow and water, confined to the track surface. Their destructive force comes from their large mass and density despite their low speed, and they occur in water-saturated snowpacks at the melting point.

1999: Montroc Avalanche

In 1999, a large avalanche in Montroc, France, involving 300,000 cubic meters of snow sliding at 100 km/h on a 30° slope, killed 12 people in their chalets. The mayor of Chamonix was convicted of second-degree murder but received a suspended sentence.

December 2000: Glory Bowl Avalanche

On December 1, 2000, the Glory Bowl Avalanche occurred on Mt. Glory in Wyoming, United States, when Joel Roof, snowboarding recreationally, triggered the avalanche and was carried nearly 2,000 feet to the base of the mountain and was killed.

2001: Global Avalanche Fatalities

In 2001, it was reported that globally an average of 150 people die each year from avalanches.

January 2003: Tatra Mountains Avalanche

On January 28, 2003, the Tatra Mountains avalanche swept away nine out of a thirteen-member group heading to the summit of Rysy in the Tatra Mountains. The participants of the trip were students from the I Leon Kruczkowski High School in Tychy and individuals associated with the school's sports club.