Russian skier dies on Valley Blanche

The man was skiing with his 60 year old father, seemingly unaccompanied by a mountain guide, on Saturday. France 3 reports that the younger man fell into a crevasse and then, when his father tried to descend to get help, he also fell into a crevasse.

Rescue teams recovered the son's body on Sunday afternoon and then later, his father was found wandering on the glacier, having managed to climb his way out. Our thoughts are with their family and friends. 

Guides are not compulsory on the Valley Blanche and experienced skiers and snowboarders often make the descent without them. However, if you are unsure of your knowledge or ability on glacial terrain, you should absolutely hire one of the many mountain guides that work in the valley. They know the VB routes, can lead you in bad conditions and should be able to minimise the risks involved.

The high mountain office have reported that there have been a number of ice falls in the last week as well as deteriorating conditions in the snow. They are advising that descents on the Valley Blanche should be avoided until conditions improve as there is a high risk of crevasse falls as well as very little snow cover on the run out. Current conditions in the high mountain areas can be checked by visiting La Chamoniard on facebook (in French) or by talking to one of the local guides in person. You can also drop into the High Mountain Office at the place de l'eglise near the tourist office in the centre of town.