Mystery of the missing Vallee Blanche man - the full story!

A group of guides crossing the glacier from the Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner on the 19th June came across a tent which had been buried by the recent heavy snowfalls. After alerting the rescue services, a team left on foot to check out the scene and found an empty tent with personal effects inside, including a digital camera and a return ticket for the Montenvers train.

After checking the photos on the camera, the Gendarmes put a face to the owner. They also learnt that he'd taken the Montenvers train up on the 14th June. He was spotted bivouacing near the refuge de Requin at 2700m on the same evening. The following night, the refuge de Cosmiques guardien saw the mystery man struggling to put his tent up in bad weather on the col du Rognan. After that, there were no further sightings until his tent came uncovered with the return of the fine weather.

With no-one matching the description of the person reported missing and the seriousness of the case, the PGHM launched a campaign to get more information on, what was dubbed, 'the unknown of the Vallee Blanche'.

Sure enough, this Sunday, the PGHM received a telephone call with information...from the missing man himself! Mark, back safe and sound at home in London after his Mont Blanc adventure, explained that he tried to carry on his journey in the bad weather, but had fallen into a crevasse. He managed to get himself out and decided it was then better to head straight back down to the valley, pack his bags and head back to London, leaving his tent and personal belongings at 3400m.

A bizarre turn of events, but at least it's a case closed with a happy ending!