A 68 year old female skier from Barcelona in Spain has been killed by an avalanche on Sunday in the Néouvielle range in the Hautes Pyrenees department. The slide was apparently caused by warming weather conditions.
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News has reached us that Serre Chevalier based climber and extreme skier Jean-Noël Urban has died climbing on Gasherbrum I in Pakistan. The accident occured on the 18th of June at 5am. Jean-Noël was descending from Camp 2 to Base Camp when a snow bridge gave way.
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As we have continually noted in our snow report conditions are still very unstable above 3000 meters with around half a meter of fresh snow since Sunday. An avalanche may have been responsible for the death of a high mountain guide, Patrick Monzat, late yesterday afternoon. The first death on the normal route of Mont Blanc for the summer season.
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The Chamonix High Mountain Police based in Chamonix have been celebrating their 50th anniversary this weekend. The Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne (PGHM) or more simply ?le PG? was born out of tragedy. In 1956 two young climbers, Jean Vincendon and François Henry, were stranded on Mont Blanc in terrible conditions in full view of skiers and the world media opposite on the Brevent. Poorly equipped with unclear chains of command the rescue services consisting of guides and the army (EHM) proved powerless to help. The men were left to an agonising fate in atrocious conditions. The era of none-professional mountain rescue was over.
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I was apprehensive when Bruno called. I knew him from Grenoble ski touring circles and wondered if I would be up to the mark. I needn?t have worried. Passionate about the mountains he was relaxed and friendly. Our destination was la Grande Chible and maybe the Pointe d?Emy. 1500 meters of ski touring so early in the season was asking a lot of me but I was pleased to be out in the mountains in pleasant company. For Bruno this would be a walk in the park.
Adieu Bruno (DBO)
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Accordng to the High Mountain Police (PGHM) based at Pierrefitte Nestalas in the Hautes-Pyrénées two walkers have fallen to their deaths this afternoon in the cirque de Gavarnie. The two victims, aged in their late 50s where at the échelle des Sarradets. According to capitain Bertrand Couret, spokesman for the PGHM ?it is likely that they were taken by a snow purge? there is a lot of snow above 2000 meters and the conditions are like winter with a high risk of avalanche?.
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