Chamonix, February 5 - A mountain guide has lost his life in an avalanche in the Chamonix Valley, marking the third such tragedy in the area in just over a week. The victim, identified as Christophe Bressand, a 59-year-old experienced professional and teacher at the Jeanne d’Arc College in Chamonix, was on a solo ski touring trip when he was caught in the slide.
Rescue teams from the Chamonix High Mountain Gendarmerie (PGHM) were alerted on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 4, by the guide’s family, who were concerned after not heard from him. A large-scale search operation was immediately launched, involving both ground teams and a helicopter. A specialized unit from Grenoble was also called in to locate the victim’s mobile phone, which was ringing unanswered.
Around midnight, the guide’s body was found at over 1,400 meters altitude in the NW facing Griaz torrent sector of Les Houches. His Avalanche transceiver helped rescuers pinpoint his location beneath a large snow slide caused by a recent avalanche, the full extent of which could not be assessed due to the darkness.
Despite an avalanche risk rating of 2 out of 5 according to the day’s forecast, this tragedy adds to a series of fatal accidents in the Northern Alps. In the past ten days, eight people have lost their lives in avalanches in the region.
The avalanche bulletin indicated that the snowpack was stabilizing, with only a few lingering instabilities at higher altitudes. While wind slabs were rare and mostly found near ridges, some areas posed increased dangers, especially on steep sun-exposed slopes where wet snow slides remained a possibility.
This series of tragedies serves as a stark reminder of the constant vigilance required in the mountains, even for seasoned professionals. Authorities are urging winter sports enthusiasts to exercise extreme caution and stay updated on weather and snow conditions before heading into high-altitude terrain.