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Be Very Careful Up there...
08-30-2009, 03:32 PM
Post: #1
Be Very Careful Up there...
There is grave concern in certain mountaineering / climbing circles after it was made known (chamonix.com) on a popular Chamonix News site that at least 11 UIAGM / IFMGA mountain guides have been killed since November, 2008. The news site makes little comment regarding the fate of any clients involved. It is known, that a Japanese client fell to his death in the Augille Rouge, Chamonix, after his Chamonix guide abseiled off leaving his client on the upper stance to come down last. The guide has already been found to be - not at fault. Be very careful up there...
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08-30-2009, 05:50 PM
Post: #2
Re: Be Very Careful Up there...
http://www.chamonix.net/english/news/2009-08-13.htm
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08-30-2009, 06:52 PM
Post: #3
Re: Be Very Careful Up there...
Dangerous place to be is the Chamonix area now. Glad I got away from it a few years ago when the objective dangers in summer alpinism rose dramatically due to some very dry and hot summers. The normal accepted alpine dangers are now exacerbated by loose rock, arrogant local guides and careless, incompetents who have no manners!

Such a far cry from 1983 when the alps were still a magical place for me, we slept in barns, climbed hard, drank harder and the Bossons glacier almost reached the main road!

Happy memories, but in my opinion you now have to travel to South America to find such places. Me, I'm heading Bolivia way next year to rediscover the alpinism that I so used to enjoy in Chamonix.

Spanish Highs Mountain Guides
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08-31-2009, 10:08 AM
Post: #4
Re: Be Very Careful Up there...
It is an interesting question you pose though. Where are the mentions of the clients? What happened to them?

Spanish Highs Mountain Guides
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08-31-2009, 12:45 PM
Post: #5
Re: Be Very Careful Up there...
What happens to the clients? Well apart from those who died in the accidents - at least two were left alone high-up until somebody else rescued them. Certainly one has severe rope-burns in trying to save their guide. The act of the client trying their best to hold the guide during falls is becoming quite frequent...
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08-31-2009, 01:21 PM
Post: #6
Re: Be Very Careful Up there...
It would be interesting to find out details of the accidents and where they occurred! Is there any consolidated source of info on the net?

Spanish Highs Mountain Guides
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08-31-2009, 11:56 PM
Post: #7
Re: Be Very Careful Up there...
No, there is no consolidated source on the net. The full details regarding these accidents can take up to six years to appear.
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