The PGHM (Peloton de gendarmerie de haute montagne) have recovered 100 bodies in the mountains of the Haute-Savoie since the 1st of January. 56 of the deaths are directly related to mountain sports. As many as died on the department’s roads. The figures have been climbing since 2006. Obviously the Mont Blanc range features prominently in the figures with 23 deaths.

The GMSP based in Annecy (specialist units of the fire brigade) counted 22 walking fatalities along with 200 rescue operations for mountain bikers, principally in the region’s ski resorts which open their lift served runs between June and September. The PGHM and GMSP have mounted 1300 rescue operations this year, 900 on the Mont Blanc alone.

Three factors seem to play a role:

i. Very good walking and climbing weather this summer meant that more people were on the mountain and statistically tehre were more deaths.
ii. walkers are taking more extreme routes which border on climbing without necessarily having the right gear or experience - however this is compensated by fewer climbers at high altitudes. Rescue workers have criticised the marking of some extreme trails such as the Dent d’Oche or the Pointe Percée
iii. resort based mountain biking is booming

Global warming may also be making some routes more dangerous due to ice and rock fall. Courmayer has banned the path to the Boccalatte refuge as well as the climbing routes below the Whymper ice fall and Grandes Jorasses this summer.

The typical accident victim is a middle aged man, walking along, who probably hasn’t left precise route details.