  Monitoring large scale environments is a crucial task for managing remote
alpine environments, especially for hazardous events such as avalanches. One
key information for avalanche risk forecast is imagery of released avalanches.
As these happen in remote and potentially dangerous locations this data is
difficult to obtain. Fixed-wing vehicles, due to their long range and travel
speeds are a promising platform to gather aerial imagery to map avalanche
activities. However, operating such vehicles in mountainous terrain remains a
challenge due to the complex topography, regulations, and uncertain
environment. In this work, we present a system that is capable of safely
navigating and mapping an avalanche using a fixed-wing aerial system and
discuss the challenges arising when executing such a mission. We show in our
field experiments that we can effectively navigate in steep terrain
environments while maximizing the map quality. We expect our work to enable
more autonomous operations of fixed-wing vehicles in alpine environments to
maximize the quality of the data gathered.
