An accurate estimation of the number of casualties from the White Friday avalanches is not available; historical documents suggest at least 2,000 soldier deaths and a few dozen civilians.

[1] Though the occurrence of avalanches in the Dolomites Mountains took place on a Wednesday in 1916, the term "White Friday" was used to coin the disastrous day, and the event is commemorated every year on 13 December, which is also marked by Saint Lucy's Day, a commemorative religious holiday practiced by the majority of Italian Catholics.

The wooden barracks were built in August of the summer of 1916, to house the men of the 1st Battalion of the Imperial Rifle Regiment Nr.III (1.Btl.

The location of the barracks was planned to be well situated to protect it from Italian attack and provide a defense atop the contested Mount Marmolada.

The barracks was placed along rock cliffs to protect it from direct enemy fire and the location was out of high-angle mortar range.

[4] In the eight days before the avalanche, additional heavy snowfall disrupted telephone lines of communication and left each outpost stranded with a lack of supplies.