To evacuate a climber in distress, mountain gendarmes were winched down the north face of the Aiguille du Midi. Due to cloud cover, the gendarmerie's EC 145 helicopter was unable to return for them. They therefore climbed the entire route and then descended by cable car.
The day was drawing to a close on Saturday, May 9th, when a climber reported being technically stuck on the ascent of the Chéré Couloir on the Aiguille du Midi. The Chamonix High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon (PGHM) dispatched a team of two rescuers who boarded the PGHM helicopter.
The two PGHM personnel were successfully dropped off on the north face. The route is a classic climb between the Frendo Spur and the Tournier Spur, a demanding ascent with over 1,000 meters of elevation gain.
As the minutes ticked by, clouds gathered over the mountain range. Between 8:15 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., the Choucas helicopter made numerous attempts to rescue the two rescuers and the stranded climber, without success.
The helicopter returned to its base in Chamonix, and the rescuers took the lead, guiding the rope team up pitches of 65 to 75 degrees.
The three men then climbed the Chéré couloir, reaching the Midi-Plan ridge. They ascended the ridge in the dark to reach the Aiguille du Midi, eventually arriving in the couloirs of the tourist site.
The PGHM (High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon) then requested that the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc activate the cable car to bring the rescuers down. The operation concluded around midnight.
Le Dauphiné
