Large Serac Falls at the Grandes Jorasses in the Last 24 Hours
An exclusion order is in place to prevent climbers from going up there
Overnight a large part of the Grandes Jorasses serac has collapsed. Glaciologists from the Fondation Montagne Sûre had measured around a 70cm movement in part of the glacier in one day, and overnight this seems to have given way.
The volume of the serac fall will be measured in due course, but it's known to have fallen down the Whymper couloir and stopped close to the Rocher du Reposoir. Take a look at the before and after pictures to see how large the searc was before last nights collapse.
Mountaineers and climbers are asked to avoid the area as it is still highly unstable. An exclusion order has been put in place.
Photos and info courtesy of La Chamoniarde.
*update 1st October*
Around 5,000 cubic metres of ice is believed to have fallen from the Grands Jorasses in this recent collapse, with an additional 35,000 cubic metres already believed to have been shed on 20th September. The route to the Boccalatte hut and the trails near the Whymper Couloir remain closed.
