Guide Farshad Khalili

Although details are sketchy, reports from Iran say that eight mountaineers were killed today on Shimshek Mountain in the Dizin region of the country, with up to four still missing. Scores were covered by the slide, but the rest were rescued. Among the dead is well-known Iranian guide Farshad Khalili of Iranian Mountain Guides, the İRNA news agency reported. It’s hard to comprehend that much loss of life in one slide, but the tragedy is reminiscent of last season’s slide in B.C., which killed eight snowmobilers.

It’s been impossible to ignore the unstable conditions throughout the North American west this season, one of the dodgiest in recent memory (even though the snowpack has settled down in some areas). And yet, despite the terrible loss in Iran, on this side of the Atlantic there’s room for optimism: Although 12 people have died in slides this season, that’s almost half the average. The advisories, brought to you by chronically underfunded avalanche centers, are clearly hitting home. And videos like this one, which show a burial caught on helmet cam, help spread the word that you don’t want to mess around out there.

If you’re curious about accident trends, these charts help tell the story. They’re valid through last season. And let’s see if we can keep 12 at 12 for the rest of the year.

Tagged as: asia, avalanche, mountaineering