Industry News
A 29-year-old Swiss backcountry skier was killed Sunday morning, May 11, after being swept away by an avalanche while descending a high alpine couloir near the Lagginhorn in the Simplon region of the Valais/Walliser Alps, according to the cantonal police of Valais/Wallis. The fatal incident occurred at approximately 8:15 a.m. on Sunday morning as two backcountry skiers made their way down from the summit of the Lagginhorn, a 4,010-meter (13,156-foot) peak popular with alpine adventurers. The pair had set off early from the Simplon region, a remote and rugged area in southern Switzerland known for its spectacular terrain.
After reaching the Summit of the Lagginhorn, the pair skied down a couloir towards Simplon Dorf. At an altitude of around 3,700 meters (12,139 feet), one of the skiers triggered an avalanche while descending the steep couloir. His partner, unharmed, immediately called for help. A rescue team from the cantonal rescue service, supported by a helicopter from Air Zermatt, arrived swiftly on the scene. However, the skier had not survived. Authorities later identified the victim as a 29-year-old Swiss national. The public prosecutor’s office in Valais has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the avalanche.
Avalanches are a constant threat in the Alps, particularly during the spring months when rising temperatures weaken the snowpack and increase the likelihood of slides. Melt-freeze cycles, intense sun, and recent snowfall can combine to create dangerous conditions even for seasoned backcountry travelers. Experts caution that early-morning starts—before the sun has time to destabilize slopes—are essential during this time of year.
The Lagginhorn is considered one of the more accessible 4,000-meter (13,123-foot) peaks in summer, but winter and spring descents, especially on skis, involve navigating exposed, avalanche-prone terrain. The Simplon region, while less trafficked than neighboring alpine areas like Zermatt or Saas-Fee, draws a devoted contingent of backcountry skiers seeking solitude and challenge. Just 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Simplon Dorf, is Brig, where the Simplon Tunnel starts, which connects Switzerland and Italy beneath the Alps. The Simplon Tunnel was famously where British spy James Bond faces off against Soviet assassin Donovan Grant on the Orient Express in Ian Fleming’s 1957 novel From Russia, with Love.
