In an instant, an avalanche can turn a picture-perfect winter scene into a deadly disaster. Huge sheets of snow and ice can race down a mountain at 50 miles (81 kilometers) per hour or faster. Avalanches can toss cars, snap trees, and crush buildings in their path, sometimes burying an entire village in tightly packed snow. With dramatic images and first-hand survivor storiesplus the latest facts and figuresthis book shows you avalanche disasters up close.