Danger, Crevasse!

Spring signals the start of the high-mountain skiing season and an increase in accidents involving crevasses.

A missing ski mountaineer has been found dead at the bottom of a crevasse on the Glacier du Rognon, a variant of the of the popular Vallée Blanche route. The skier was reported missing on Saturday night by his friend, who’d lost site of him during their tour.

The skier, aged 30, fell 20 meters head first into the crevasse. He was found by rescue workers on Sunday morning.

Kairn.com reports that a 26 year old Czech skier has been rescued after spending an uncomfortable 30 hours in a crevasse on the Glacier de la Girose in the la Grave area.  The skier fell into the crevasse on Friday. Rescue workers had to use cutting gear to get to the skier who is now recovering from hypothermia in Briançon hospital.

Crevasses form in glaciers when the giant ice flows pass over changes in the underlying terrain. Although their approximate locations can be mapped the movement of the ice means their exact locations can vary from season to season. A real danger in winter and the start of the season when snowfalls in the high mountains are lower they can also pose dangers as warming spring weather weakens snow bridges. Last year’s record summer temperatures meant that glaciers started the ski season with poor snow cover.

Posted by davidof on Monday, 29 March, 2004 at 11:23 AM

Thanks for your compassion, my leg still hurts and might need an operation.  I had to quite push through to get down so far.  Thanks also for the movie suggestion, I went there to make a movie this is why I entered this dangerous area.

I try to see it as consuming such literature warns you about dangers.  Gladly I know well to do producers that worked with me before.  Amnesty International Valley Blanche Descent will now turn into if I make a movie: Emergency in the Valley Blanche. (I did the 2003 Highlands Speed Climbing Expedition in honor of Amnesty International, more to follow, wanted to explore the ski sector for this.

I might start writing a script or book, just thought of a cool screenplay up in the last days. The aim is to make people not get into danger and call for help if neccessary. The skiier that went ahead did NOT do that for whatever reasons. I try to pin down a preliminary screenplay version. “Mountain Blessings” - BF

Posted by  on  Saturday, 03 April, 2004  at 07:17 PM

[url=http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28543]http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28543[/url]

This was last year.I did not give up skiing and a surgeon says he will get it nearly to what it was.I came back to Chamonix and had some days of great skiing.I want to get a season pass maybe, but orthopedic surgeons will have the biggest say on it.Don´t know for where yet - I´d like to get totally top.
read at above link about the 2005 BERNHARD FRANZ CHAMOMIX FREERIDE SPEED EXPEDITION FOR GOD AND AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL.Thanks.

Bernhard Franz

Posted by  on  Monday, 18 April, 2005  at 09:46 PM
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