Mont Blanc is dangerous. No doubt about that. Four Italian climbers killed last week on the Aiguille du Midi. And the two young Britons killed the previous weekend in the Gervasutti It ™s difficult to find overall statistics on climbing accidents in the Alps because stats are kept by each country and what ™s included varies widely. But local guides and rescue groups say there are many reasons why so many climbers die on Mont Blanc. Many die because of subjective reasons such as unpreparedness, not bringing the right equipment and clothing, lack of experience, and bad judgment. The others die for objective reasons including avalanches, falling rocks, blizzards, and bad weather. And 58 killed last year and ten other climbers still missing and presumed dead. And the summer month in 2007 when 30 climbers died. I remember standing on the small hill behind the Tete Rousse hut looking at the Gouter face of Mont Blanc, our proposed line of ascent. We were guiding a party of 4 clients and had guided this many times in the past. This particular time was only 2 days after heavy snowfall and the face was seething with activity. Avalanches seemingly were coming down at random every 5 or 10 minutes. As we watched 2 climbers crossed the Grand Couloir. Halfway across they started running as an avalanche came down the chute. They narrowly made it, escaping with their lives. A close call.
I informed my clients that as they could see, the face was too dangerous to attempt in the current conditions. We should turn back and do something else. “Why” came the reply, “they have just gone up” he said pointing to the 2 lucky climbers. Another remarked, “my mate did it last year and said it was just a snow plod”. They were not happy that I was not prepared to play Russian Roulette with their lives!
I came across this interesting article by Stewart Green in the Guide to Climbing at About.com
Mont Blanc, a huge mountain massif straddling the French and Italian border, is simply the most dangerous mountain in the world. Lots of people are killed and injured on it every year, and still they come in hordes to ascend to the roof of Europe. Why? Because the climbing is that good.Some of the reasons are basically the same as those outlined in a 1902 article in the New York Times. The article cited a study of accidents from 1890 to 1901 by the Swiss Alpine Club, which found that 303 alpinists were killed in the Alps in that period. The study noted that the immediate causes of death included not employing a guide; climbing unknown routes from late fall to spring; and œ foolhardy adventurousness, vanity, the spirit of emulation, want of experience, and even absentmindedness ¦. Lastly, œthe writer is inclined to think that many accidents have been brought about by the injudicious use of alcoholic drink, which, taken as a stimulant to counteract the exhaustion brought about by climbing, produces, owing to the rarified air, an unexpected bad effect.Okay, maybe the last reason is not as valid these days, but still lots of people die on Mont Blanc. Over 20,000 people reach its summit each year, mostly via the easier normal routes, which are still deadly. On peak weekends in late July and August, the local rescue services fly at least a dozen missions rescuing climbers or picking up the dead. Still they come, climbing and dying. Mont Blanc ”it ain’t no weenie roast.
We have never understood, when one considers the number of climbing accidents on Mont Blanc itself, why climbers still approach the mountain with a cavalier attitude (2008). Having climbed the mountain many times we find that the 1,800ft Gouter Ridge on the approach to the Gouter hut, as loose and exposed to rock avalanches as it is, is still ascended in the main, by helmetless climbers; these same climbers crossing and eventually recrossing the dangerous Grand Couloir whilst distaining the use of basic, safety equipment.
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