Norway’s Troms county recorded three separate avalanches triggered by skiers in a single day, with one person caught but managing to escape unharmed. The incidents occurred Saturday near Holmbukttinden, Smalaktinden in Lavangsdalen, and Rasmustinden in Lakselvdalen, highlighting persistent backcountry risks despite a ‘moderate’ official danger rating.
A Busy Day for Rescue Services
The first police report came just after 11 AM Saturday. Officials stated five skiers had triggered an avalanche near Holmbukttinden. No one was caught in that initial slide. A second alert followed at 1:30 PM for an avalanche on Smalaktinden in Lavangsdalen. Observing ski tracks leading into the avalanche path, police dispatched a helicopter to search for potential victims. The operation was called off by 1:40 PM after Operations Manager Robin Ã…sheim Lindberg confirmed the tracks were old.
The third and most serious report arrived at 2:20 PM from Rasmustinden in Lakselvdalen. Police confirmed one person was caught in this avalanche but managed to get out independently. The fine weather Saturday had drawn many people into the mountains for ski tours, a common scenario when avalanche danger is present.
Experts Warn Against Complacency
The national warning service Varsom had issued a level two, or ‘moderate’, avalanche danger for Troms. Researchers immediately cautioned against underestimating this rating. Audun Hetland, a researcher at the Center for Avalanche Research and Education (CARE), stressed it is never completely safe to travel in avalanche terrain.
He specifically warned against thinking of it as ‘just danger level two’. ‘If you are going into avalanche terrain and the winter snow is layered, you have to make good assessments, completely independent of the danger level,’ Hetland said. He noted most avalanches involving people actually occur during levels two and three, simply because more people are outdoors then.
‘We want people to go out and have fantastic experiences in the mountains, but you must not be fooled by fine conditions,’ he added. Hetland recommended people read the detailed avalanche forecast carefully, make continuous assessments during their trip, and remain vigilant. ‘Be careful and take care of your own and others' safety,’ he said.
Understanding a ‘Moderate’ Risk
Karsten Müller, a researcher and project leader for avalanche warning development at the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), elaborated on the nuances of the level two rating. ‘Danger level two can require different precautions from one day to another,’ Müller explained. ‘That is why it is important to read the avalanche forecast carefully, and not just look at the number of the danger level.’
The avalanche hazard is complex. ‘There is a moderate danger for how likely it is to trigger an avalanche, and how large the avalanche potentially can become,’ Müller said. ‘It is quite stable in many places, but in exposed areas and higher in the terrain there can be danger of avalanches that pose a risk to persons.’ He confirmed it is easier to trigger avalanches higher in the mountains under the current conditions.
The Science of Snowpack Instability
The warnings from Hetland and Müller point to a critical gap in public understanding. A ‘moderate’ rating does not equate to a universal ‘low risk’. It indicates a varied snowpack where stable areas exist alongside specific, dangerous weak layers. These layers, often formed by buried surface hoar or depth hoar, can persist for weeks. They act like a stack of sliding plates, waiting for the right trigger—often the weight of a skier or snowboarder on a steep slope.
The spatial variability is key. One slope can be solid while an adjacent one, with a similar aspect and angle, can collapse due to a subtle difference in wind deposition or solar radiation. This unpredictability is why experts insist on terrain management—avoiding slopes steeper than 30 degrees, sticking to windward ridges, and steering clear of convex rollovers—as the primary safety tool, regardless of the forecast number.
A National Conversation on Preparedness
These incidents in Troms resonate across Norway, a nation where ‘friluftsliv’ or open-air life is central to the culture. They ignite an ongoing debate about education, equipment, and responsibility. While beacon, probe, and shovel are essential, they are last-resort tools. The first line of defense is the knowledge to avoid being caught at all.
Courses offered by the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) and other groups consistently emphasize this point. Yet, as accessible backcountry technology improves and more people seek untouched powder, the exposure to risk widens. Social media can sometimes amplify this, showcasing epic lines without the context of the careful route-finding and stability tests that preceded them.