We bring together snow and avalanche experts after a winter with over 1,000 events | icgc

We bring together snow and avalanche experts after a winter with over 1,000 events

22/10/2026 07:28

Today at the ICGC, we have brought together specialists from various institutions at the 6th Technical Conference on Snow and Avalanches, to share knowledge on new technologies for risk prediction and prevention in a context of climate change.

Three people, one woman and two men, sit behind a wooden table with name cards in front of them. Behind them, a screen shows a slide with logos of the organizing entities and the wifi information. In the foreground, some attendees are seen from behind.

Institutional welcome at the VI Technical Snow and Avalanche Conference. From left to right: Sarai Sarroca, of the Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya; Carles Guàrdia, of the DG Polítiques de Muntanya; and Joan Palau, of the Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya.

Organized with the Conselh Generau d’Aran, the Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya, Andorra Recerca i Innovació and the Associació per al Coneixement de la Neu i les Allaus, and with the collaboration of FGC Turisme, the conference has focused on artificial intelligence, warning systems and mountain safety.

Artificial intelligence, automatic warning systems and new observation and simulation technologies make it possible to better understand these phenomena and anticipate dangerous situations in a context of changing snow conditions.

The conference comes after an especially active 2025-2026 season: between November 2025 and May 2026, we documented more than a thousand avalanches in the Catalan Pyrenees, a figure above average. Among the phenomena we have studied are the basal slides of Ter-Freser, a type of avalanche in which the entire snowpack slides over the ground due to the presence of liquid water and which is especially difficult to predict.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climate change and new technologies

The work presented included studies on warming as a function of altitude in the Pyrenees and the evolution of avalanche danger in Catalonia, which are key to adapting prevention tools to changing mountain conditions.

Elevated view of the conference hall full of seated attendees, some of them in uniform. At the back, a speaker sits behind a table next to a screen showing a projected slide. A Catalan flag stands on the left.

Santi Manguán, avalanche and snow science technician at the ICGC, presents «Lliscaments basals al Ter-Freser durant la temporada 2025-2026: caracterització i causes d’un episodi insòlit» at the VI Technical Snow and Avalanche Conference.

Another focus of the event was the incorporation of new technologies: artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and predict avalanches, simulation models and automatic warning systems in exposed areas. Experiences on safety at ski resorts and at access points to hydroelectric facilities were also presented, along with applications of satellite positioning to locate victims. All these tools must complement field observations and prediction systems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conference hall with seated audience, seen from behind, facing a table with six speakers. Behind them, a screen displays the round table title and the logos of the organizing entities.

Round table «Avalanche accidents in mountain practice: training, forecasting and awareness», during the VI Technical Snow and Avalanche Conference at the ICGC.

Information and training for safety

During the snow season, we issue the Avalanche Danger Bulletin daily, which reports on the state of the snowpack and the danger level in the Catalan Pyrenees and helps people who practice ski mountaineering, alpinism or winter hiking to plan activities and manage risks. The conference also included a round table on avalanche accidents, with specialists in rescue, prediction, accident analysis and safety training.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The conference also included a poster session featuring 27 works organized into six thematic blocks: mapping and avalanche dynamics, outreach and dissemination, mountain meteorology and climate change, snow and water resources, avalanche forecasting and prevention, planning and safety.

Man seen from behind taking a photo with his phone of an illustrated poster showing snowy mountains, rescuers and an app screen, about the Snowfy system. Another poster is visible beside it.

Poster session of the VI Technical Snow and Avalanche Conference at the ICGC.

 

More information:

• 6th Technical Conference on Snow and Avalanches

• ICGC information on snow and avalanches