1.
The Mountaability Issues
facing the Mont Blanc
mountain range
Situation review
August 8, 2016

2.
A unique location
‐ Straddles three borders
‐ Surrounded by three major cities:
12 million people
‐ Easily accessible

3.
Switzerland
Italy
France

4.
From a small
French village
to an
international
tourist
destination
3 centuries
Chamonix

5.
The cradle of European mountaineering
Paccard and
Balmat
First ascent of
the Mont Blanc
1786

6.
A mountaineering history book
Riccardo Cassin
Walker Spur
Grand Jorasse
1938

7.
A theatre for mountaineering media coverage
1966 1982

8.
A laboratory for mountaineering innovation

9.
A microcosm where we can
encounter all the SSC issues
- Climate change and visitor numbers
- Promotion of new behaviours
- Preservation of high mountains for
the enjoyment of future generations

10.
Climate change
Annual average temperature

11.
1916
2001
Glacier melt
- Traditional routes
inaccessible in
summer.
- Inaccessible first
pitches

12.
Increasing Rockslide

13.
Vanishing routes !
2005 2011

14.
Visitor numbers
• 5 million visitors each year in
the Chamonix valley
• 32 mountain refuges
• 2 big cable cars on the French
and the Italian side

15.
Aiguille du Midi
12,500 feet
500,000 visitors each year

16.
Skyway Monte Bianco
11,500 feet
500,000 visitors each year

17.
Tête Rousse refuge
Goûter refuge

18.
Goûter refuge
The aiguille du Goûter
12 700 feet
Accidentology
Tête Rousse refuge
couloir traverse
The ridge

19.
Victim nationality

20.
Safety solutions

21.
Pollution and waste
‐ Aerial flyover
‐ Waste

22.
Pollution and waste
‐ Aerial flyover
‐ Waste

23.
Bivouacking

24.
Ecofriendly refuge

25.
A paradox
Sustainability versus economic growth

26.
Thank you for your attention