Lucky escape for two alpinists
Two young Savoyardes, 18 & 19 years old, had an exceptionally lucky escape this weekend after being caught in bad weather on Mont Blanc and forced to spend the night at around 4300m in a snow hole.
After a relatively fine forecast for the weekend, the two ski alpinists set out on Saturday and had successfully reached the peak via the Grands Mulets over the course of the weekend before bad weather closed in on them causing them to lose their way in the vicinity of the Dôme du Goûter. After calling one of their parents on their mobile phone around Sunday lunchtime, the PGHM were alerted and began a search for the boys who had not been able to exactly pinpoint their location. During a very small window of fine weather, two PGHM rescue workers were dropped at the Dôme du Goûter refuge where they began their search with the assistance of the guardian, also a mountain guide. However, the extreme weather conditions soon cut short any rescue attempts but the team did manage to leave a trail of marker flags in the area leading back to the refuge.
By this time, the boys had managed to ensconce themselves in a snow hole to shelter from the storm. In a final conversation before their phone battery died, the head of the PGHM was able to advise them to keep the airway to their shelter clear of snow at all times to increase the chance of being spotted should the weather clear, but more importantly to prevent CO2 building up in the hole causing them to suffocate.
The weather was no better the following morning and the rescue helicopter was unable to take off to resume its search. Likewise, the 2 rescue workers that spent the night at the refuge were also unable to continue due to violent winds and zero visibility.
After a traumatic night spent on the mountain, there was a brief break in the storm on Monday afternoon when the boys peeked out of their snowy shelter and saw one of the markers left the day before, about 70m from where they were. Making the most of the lull in the weather, they were able to follow the markers back to the refuge where they then spent the night without as much as a frostbitten finger between them! Whilst greatly shaken, the fortunate pair is due to return to Chamonix later on today either by helicopter if conditions allow, or if not, by foot and the Tramway du Mont Blanc.
**Update** Safely back in Chamonix courtesy of the PGHM (see photo) and reunited with their families.
Photo credit : Le Dauphiné
