Early yesterday afternoon the PGHM (high mountain police force) received a number of phone calls reporting a rock fall in the Couloir du Goûter, according to Le Dauphiné. Help was sent and the gendarmes quickly arrived at the scene of the accident, close to the Refuge du Goûter. Unfortunately a climber was found to have fallen and the body of a 29 year old Spanish man was recovered. He appeared to have fallen over 500m, but the cause of his accident remains unknown. Whether it was due to the rock fall or another reason such as equipment failure will be investigated by the enquiry.
The Couloir du Goûter is prone to rock falls and caution must be taking when passing through to reach the refuge. This is a popular route, as the refuge is the starting point for the most popular and shortest ascent of Mont Blanc. For more information on how to enjoy the mountains in safety please read our article on Mountain Safety and Awareness.
Unless you are an experienced mountaineer you should always engage the services of a mountain guide before venturing into the high mountain ranges of the Alps. You can find contact details of local experts in our Mountain/Ski Guides listings.
