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Climber missing on Mont Blanc found in London Pub

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
A British climber, given up for dead by the rescue services in Mont Blanc after a huge search operation has been spotted safe and well in a London boozer. The man's tent, gear and expensive digital camera were found by climbers at 3400 meters on the col du Rognon last Thursday partially buried by snow but despite a huge operation no trace was found of the occupant.


A bivouak on Mont Blanc

It seems the man, known only as Mark, had left his tent for a pee, fell down a crevasse and on climbing out got lost in the bad weather, eventually staggering down to Chamonix where he decided to get the next flight home, abandonning his gear on the mountain and vowing never to return to the Alps.


Man enjoying a pint

Spotted in London on Monday by amazed friends who had heard of his dissapearance the climber has contacted the PGHM in Chamonix to let them know he was safe and sound.

We don't know whether he will be getting his holiday snaps back.


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 1-07-08 14:50; edited 3 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Fookin' hell.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I wonder if he'll get a large bill for from the rescue services.
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snowaddict wrote:
I wonder if he'll get a large bill for from the rescue services.


I wonder why he didn't tell someone about all his gear on the mountain? Maybe he was worried he'd be charged with littering?
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davidof, is that Monday as in yesterday?

Quote:

I wonder why he didn't tell someone about all his gear on the mountain?


In terms of sparking a rescue that's pretty much the only thing he's done wrong although going for a pee, falling down a crevasse and then losing the tent isn't the smartest move.

snowaddict, well they didn't rescue him did they.
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How many folk leave their tent for a pee carrying their wallet and passport?
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yoda wrote:
How many folk leave their tent for a pee carrying their wallet and passport?


Apparently most of his stuff was in a hotel in Chamonix. He checked out and left last Thursday.

Monday as in 30th June.

What I can't understand, if the PGHM contacted his family with the news why didn't they know he was home?
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Sounds like something out of a Harp lager advert. "Time for a sharp exit".
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davidof wrote:

What I can't understand, if the PGHM contacted his family with the news why didn't they know he was home?


daft question... because he was "down the pub"!
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davidof, Very Happy A selfish tosser. Littering the mountain like that was bound to result in a search......and indeed the need for someone else to tidy all his crap up.
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Swirly wrote:
snowaddict, well they didn't rescue him did they.



Correct. Instead they used up valuable resources on a wild goose chase, potentially putting the rescuers lives at risk and those of any other people who did genuinely need the help of mountain rescue.
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Maybe he wanted wife/partner to collect on the life insurance but lost his bottle. Anyway, clearly a selfish, idiotic, K N O B.

Must say though, I would enjoy being at the back of the church during my own memorial service. You know, Reggie Perrin style.
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MAybe a stupid point but ... If they knew his name, why did they not check local hotels to see if he was/had been staying there?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
PGHM SOPs now include a London pub crawl as routine practice for missing persons.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
DebbiDoesSnow wrote:
MAybe a stupid point but ... If they knew his name, why did they not check local hotels to see if he was/had been staying there?

Because no one in their right mind would simply check out of their hotel and flew home, without at least alerting the mountain rescue NOT to look for him?

BTW, why was he climbing alone?
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abc wrote:
BTW, why was he climbing alone?

Maybe he had read this.
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Sounds totally farcical (and I have to admit I stifled a laugh when I read this)!

I dunno what the drill is in the Alps but when climbing in Scotland it's the done thing (although some noobs ignore it) to leave route and other information with mountain rescue before setting off then letting them know you're back safely when down. Strikes me that a lot of hassle and potential danger to rescuers could have been avoided if something like this had been done.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I saw someone who looked like Mallory in the pub the other day. Perhaps it was Mallory.
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abc, what's wrong with climbing alone?

snowaddict, that wasn't my point, do people get charged when the rescue team get called out and the people involved make it down anyway? Maybe he thought the tent had blown away: the weather must have been bad if he couldn't see it after going for a pee.

roga, what happens if you leave route info with the MRT, walk in for a few hours and find the route out of condition, another party on it or unapproachable due to avvy danger? Walk out again or do another route that's safe but not the one you logged? I don't know many people that would choose the former.
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What would be cool is if the guy himself comes on here and posts his version of events. It has happened before on snowheads and there are sometimes logical reasons for events. However abandoning a tent and gear on Mont Blanc and clearing off home seems odd.

The local paper has some info on the story now

Missing climber

Seems it was guides that found his campsite but the PGHM only had a photo to go on until Sunday when they got the guy's name and made contact with friend's of his. SZK can probably give us an amusing version involving overtight climbing boots etc.


Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Wed 2-07-08 10:10; edited 2 times in total
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davidof, My thoughts were similar to those of Swirly, that he thought that if he couldn't find his tent then nobody else would either.
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Quote:

abc, what's wrong with climbing alone?

He wouldn't have one to belay him when actually climbing, or to pull him out when he does fall into a crevasse.
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After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
abc wrote:
Quote:

abc, what's wrong with climbing alone?

He wouldn't have one to belay him when actually climbing, or to pull him out when he does fall into a crevasse.


Ah this is a personal choice & responsibility question like helmets wink

As a general principle is climbing without a partner a bad thing? Yes

Is it in any way recommended for a novice? No

Do experienceed people do it? Yes, on occasion being aware of the pertinent risks.

Is it wrong?

Same analysis for off-piste skiing.


In reference to the subject - it seems an odd state of affairs that an experienced climber would abandon significant kit without as a courtesy/standard protocol informing the PGNM or even a local guides' office that he wasn't a "missing".
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abc, I think fatbob sums it up nicely. He could solo/self belay quite easily if experienced. Crevasses are another issue although a lot of risk management can come into it: avoiding glaciers where possible, only travelling when snow is at its firmest etc. There was a vogue period for soloing hard routes in the late 70's/early 80's I think that tendency still exists among some climbers although it's less reported now, not my bag but I wouldn't want to deprive anyone of the choice to do it.
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I bet he drinks Carling Black Label wink
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I'm aware there're solo climbers. But usually those are pretty experienced climbers. Not the sort that would fall into a crevasse and not able to get back to their tent!
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That is really ridiculous. How totally and utter bazaar.
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Perhaps his thought process was affected after a tumble down a crevasse Puzzled , I know people involved in car accidents can often act quite irrationally.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Sounds a bit irresponsible and you can't condone putting the rescue services in peril - even if that is what they are expected to do. However if he is confident enough to go to the high Alps on his own, camp on the col de Rognon presumably with a view to knocking off one of the myriad high peaks round about or to a summer traverse of the Haute Route, then falling into a crevasse is a somewhat traumatic experience - coming out at a different place from where he went in - and then having no idea which way his camp is, nor whether he is likely to fall in another one on the way down, during the night, in unsuitable gear, with a headtorch. I think I can see why you would then get on the bus for the airport and leave it all behind.

Solo-ing is still pretty common here and I do quite a lot myself. Climbing is an inherently dangerous sport, arguably more so than skiing, and this guy was very lucky...
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Mouth, bizarre. Laughing
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Swirly wrote:
roga, what happens if you leave route info with the MRT, walk in for a few hours and find the route out of condition, another party on it or unapproachable due to avvy danger? Walk out again or do another route that's safe but not the one you logged? I don't know many people that would choose the former.

You can leave details of alternative routes and the idea is you give them a rough idea of when you plan to be back, if you're not back hours after you' planned to be they'll start to wonder where you are etc. These days it's made far easier of course because people have mobile phones but I think most seasoned climbers still leave details of where they're going with MRT or with someone who is not going up the mountain, that way this person can alert the team in an emergency.

In the case of this bloke he really should have contacted someone to say he'd left all his kit on the mountain so they didn't think someone was lost. With the information available it seems like a clear case of stupidity and irresponsibility on his part but as with all things there may another side to the story...
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Quote:

I think I can see why you would then get on the bus for the airport and leave it all behind.

Powderhound, I think that's where I have trouble with.

I can accept he was exhausted and decided to leave the mountain. I just have trouble with the "get on the bus for the airport and leave it all behind" part.

When you solo, climbing or any other risky journey in the mountains or high sea, you must have multiple resources, plus physical & MENTAL reserve to deal with whatever unexpected conditions. So, leaving the mountain till another day is one thing, scared shitless and boarding a bus for home is very much another.

Maybe he shouldn't have been soloing in the first place?
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
abc, I think I'm with you. I am empathic not sympathetic (if I've got them the right way round!).
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abc wrote:
Maybe he shouldn't have been soloing in the first place?


maybe that's what he is thinking as he stares at the bottom of his pint glass
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Update in the Daily Mail yesterday

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1032732/Briton-missing-Mont-Blanc-calls-French-police-say-Sorry-I-got-home-safely-10-days-ago.html
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