This year’s skiing season in Europe has been one of the most fatal. While winter athletes gathered to compete in Milan and Cortina, casual skiers and snowboarders were facing life-or-death situations across the Alps.
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As of February 23, 2026, the total death count is around 100 people. According to the European Avalanche Warning Services, which monitors and documents avalanche activity, including deaths, it has counted at least 99 deaths since the season began in October 2025.
These deaths have occurred at popular ski resorts as well as off-site skiing across France, Italy, Switzerland, and Austria. Another avalanche occurred in Switzerland, throwing a train off the tracks, although no deaths occurred. There have also been avalanche deaths in the Pyrenees, a mountain range that divides Spain and Portugal.
To date, 28 deaths have occurred in France; 25 in Italy; 15 in Austria; 13 in Switzerland; eight in Spain; four in Slovakia; three in Slovenia; one in Andorra; and one in Poland. Last year, European Avalanche Warning Services (EAWS, linked above), reported a total of 70 deaths. Based on average numbers, the greatest spike in deaths has occurred in France.
So, what’s with the rise in deaths?
Why are there so many avalanches in Europe this year?
Avalanches occur when a snowy slope is set loose by a movement called a trigger. The trigger is usually wind, human activity, or animal activity. This year’s catastrophic activity was likely caused by early snow buildup that slides more easily, which was then covered by fresh powder that’s ideal for skiing and snowboarding.
If you’ve been keeping an eye on the weather in Europe for an upcoming trip, you may have noticed that this winter has seen added rainfall across the continent. This added precipitation led to large drifts of fresh snow in the Alps.
In short, tons of fresh snow created plenty of snowpack that wasn’t ‘bonded’, and more easily prone to being triggered by movement and causing an avalanche.
European authorities have also noted the rise of backcountry skiing. More than ever before, skiers have the opportunity to go on backcountry skiing adventures—where there are no slopes, few signs, and little visibility of the terrain below the snow. They tend to choose steep slopes, too, which are even more prone to avalanches.
Others have pointed out that the sharp rise in deaths could also be due to increased activity at ski resorts. Some alpinists believe that more travelers with limited experience are heading to the mountains at the same time, causing crowding. Other organizations operating in the Alps have seen added rescue missions for less-experienced skiers, too.
