Why is Avalanche Safety Gear So Expensive? This post was first published in August 2021. The gold standard of avalanche rescue gear is a beacon, a shovel, and a probe—three products you hope you never have to use outside of a beacon park. A standard-issue kit like this will almost always set you back at least a few hundred dollars—$333 is the cheapest one I found on […] Brains Martin Kuprianowicz | April 19, 2025 4 Comments
Man Killed by Avalanche at Val Thorens, France, Resort Entrance A 27-year-old British man has died after being swept away by an avalanche at the entrance of Val Thorens, France, following heavy snow that has closed resorts across the Alps. Val Thorens received over 40″ of snow in the last couple of days. The avalanche struck shortly after 10 a.m. on Thursday, as the man stood by the side of a […] Avalanche AvyBrains | April 18, 2025 0 Comments
Record-Breaking Snow Totals in Switzerland as 89″ Falls in 2 Days A new Swiss snowfall record has been set at the Bortelsee station in the Simplon region of Switzerland, where 89 inches (226 centimeters) of snow fell within just two days, and 97 inches (247 centimeters) accumulated over three days. This unprecedented event, recorded from April 15 to 17, 2025, now stands as the largest amount of snow ever measured in […] SnowBrains | April 18, 2025 0 Comments
Avalanches in Val Thorens, France, Leave One Critically Injured and Force Ski Area Shutdown A series of avalanches swept through Val Thorens ski area in the French Alps today, leaving one person critically injured and forcing the closure of the entire ski area as authorities raised the avalanche risk to its highest level, PisteHors reports. Related: Avalanche Risk at Maximum as Season’s Biggest Snow Storm Shuts Down European Ski Areas Local officials reported that […] Avalanche SnowBrains | April 17, 2025 0 Comments
Avalanche Risk at Maximum as Season’s Biggest Snow Storm Shuts Down European Ski Areas A powerful late-season snowstorm has paralyzed parts of southern Switzerland and northern Italy, closing major transport routes and leaving several mountain communities isolated and without power as authorities warn of ongoing avalanche and flooding risks. Related: Europe Slammed by Spring Snow Surge: Over 6 Feet Possible in the Alps This Week Heavy precipitation overnight into Thursday, April 17, forced the […] SnowBrains | April 17, 2025 0 Comments
Top 4 Ski Resorts on a Pro Skier’s Bucket List Here are the top four ski resorts still on Miles Clark’s personal ski bucket list as a professional freeskier. After exploring over 50+ ski areas across five continents, these ski resorts present unique travel experiences in countries many people don’t even realize they can ski in. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SnowBrains (@snowbrains) 4. La […] Miles Clark | April 16, 2025 0 Comments
Swiss Alps Skiing Accident Claims Life of LEGO Executive Michael Halbye Michael Halbye, vice chairman of LEGO’s parent company Kirkbi and a longtime confidant of Denmark’s royal family, died Saturday after a skiing accident in Switzerland. He was 64. Halbye was skiing in the Verbier region of the Swiss Alps when he lost control and fell off-piste on April 12. Emergency responders airlifted him to a hospital, but he succumbed to […] Industry News SnowBrains | April 16, 2025 0 Comments
Europe Slammed by Spring Snow Surge: Over 6 Feet Possible in the Alps This Week A pair of spring storms will bring fresh snow to much of the Alps this week, with heavier accumulations targeting higher-elevation resorts. Zermatt in Switzerland takes the spotlight by far, while Val Thorens and Chamonix (France) also rack up respectable totals. Lower-elevation spots like Sölden in Austria will see some wet snow or even rain at the base, but higher […] Weather WeatherBrains | April 14, 2025 0 Comments
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