Thunder | Terror On The Mountain

Several groups of mountaineers were terrorised by the thunderstorms in the Mont Blanc Massif on Saturday evening, resulting in some forced to spend the night amongst the deadly seracs at 4,700 meters!

The first call in was from an Italian lady who’s group encountered problems in the Mont Maudit area, the lady took a fall which resulted in minor injures.  No helicopters could be launched in such bad conditions, luckily for the lady a group of rescuers managed to get to her on foot.  They managed to get her back to the Cosmiques refuge where she spent the night.

Four other Italian climbers from the same group plus two Frenchmen were also trapped by the storm, they were forced to spend the night outside surrounded by deadly crevasses & seracs.  They were rescued by helicopter at 5.30am all in good health.

Two other people descending from Mont Blanc by the Gouter route lost their way in the sector of the rochers de la Tournette.  French rescuers tried giving them GPS co-ordinates to pick up the route, alas the storm was to intense to follow correctly resulting in spending the night at 4,700 meters.  The most tired climber was rescued in the early hours of the morning by Valdostains (Italian rescuers) Leaving the second climber till mid morning.

With more storms on the horizon climbers are advised to seek professional advice before heading onto the mountains.

Office de Haute Montagne

+33(0)4 50 53 22 08

www.chamoniarde.com/