Industry News
On Monday, February 5, 2024, a ski tourer slipped and fell down a rock face in the Van d’en Haut region, in the Swiss canton of Valais. The 39-year-old man from Basel was killed in the process.
The ski tourer had set out on Sunday, February 4 from Les Marécottes and had skinned over the Col de la Golette to the Dents du Midi hut. According to the press release by the cantonal police he spent the night at the Dents du Midi hut and set out the next day in the direction of Van d’en-Haut. Shortly after the so-called “Fontaine à Moïse”, the ski tourer slipped in an icy passage for unexplained reasons and then fell several meters over a rock face.
Search and rescue were notified and the man was found, seriously injured, and medically cared for on-site before he was flown by Air-Glaciers helicopter to Sion hospital. Unfortunately, the ski tourer succumbed to his injuries in the evening. The public prosecutor’s office, in cooperation with the cantonal police, has initiated an investigation to determine the circumstances of the accident.
Over the last few days, an increase in temperature has caused above-freezing conditions at higher altitudes. Clear, cold nights have created tricky conditions on slopes as well as in the backcountry. In the mountains, depending on the time of day and the orientation of the slope, the snow can be very hard or icy, and snow sports enthusiasts should exercise extreme caution. In recent weeks, numerous accidents have occurred because people have lost control of their skis and suffered serious injuries or have even died.
The cantonal police would like to remind ski tourers:
- Check your equipment (skis, helmet, LVS, shovel, probe, etc., and especially crampons for ski touring).
- Always have a charged mobile phone with you and to have an external charger with you.
- Where possible, use an experienced local mountain guide who knows the prevalent conditions.
- Don’t overestimate yourself. Customize your excursions to the conditions and be careful.
- Do not hesitate to refrain from a too steep or icy passage if you are not sure of your abilities.
