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British Skier Falls 5,000ft to Death in French Alps

ibtimes ^ | May 19, 2013 6:07 PM GMT | Timur Moon

Posted on by BenLurkin

The man, who has yet to be named, fell to his death on the Mont Blanc range after being stranded on a glacial ridge close to the Aiguille du Midi mountain.

He had been out with another skier when they were caught in a storm as they descended the challenging Vallee Blanche, 12,460ft (3,800 metres) above the resort of Chamonix.

The two were left trapped on the peak when their cable car broke down, and with bad weather closing in, high winds and blizzards forced them to abandon their intended descent.

The man's companion managed to get to the lift station, guided by a member of staff, but the second lost his footing and fell 1,500 metres down the north face of the cliff at around 9pm.



(Excerpt) Read more at ibtimes.co.uk ...

TOPICS:

Outdoors

KEYWORDS:

5000feet

alps

skier





To: BenLurkin

It’s only the last 100 feet that kills you..



by 2 posted onby ken5050 (Due to all the WH scandals, MSNBC is changing its slogan from "Lean Forward" to "BOHICA")

To: BenLurkin; Slings and Arrows; Revolting cat!

5,000 feet. Is that some kind of a record?



To: ken5050

But the view was incredible.



To: ken5050

If he was an optimist, people on the slopes would have heard him saying (as he went down past them) “So far so good..so far so good...”



by 5 posted onby BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)

To: BenLurkin

That’s sad. However, it’s very hard to figure out from the article what happened.



by 6 posted onby Tax-chick (They will hate it, but I don't care.)

To: Tax-chick

"Thats sad. However, its very hard to figure out from the article what happened." Actually its very easy... What happened was: Gravity...



by 7 posted onby Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)

To: Mad Dawgg

Excellent big-picture summary.



by 8 posted onby Tax-chick (They will hate it, but I don't care.)

To: Tax-chick

Near as I can tell, they were not on a marked ski slopes but preparing to attempt some very challenging runs from a peak, when the weather closed in. The decedent lost his footing as they were coming back down.



by 9 posted onby BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)

To: BenLurkin

I was confused by the mention of cable cars and staff members, which either were or weren’t involved in the late gentleman’s sudden descent.



by 10 posted onby Tax-chick (They will hate it, but I don't care.)

To: a fool in paradise

These days..one almost expects that would have found the time to film the fall, and post it on YouTube, before he impacted..



by 11 posted onby ken5050 (Due to all the WH scandals, MSNBC is changing its slogan from "Lean Forward" to "BOHICA")

To: Tax-chick

p> It is confusingly written. Particularly the reference to a broken cable car. Makes it sound like that was the only reason they were walking down. But considering the totality of the information provided, apparently his friend got back to the upper terminus of the cable lift, but they both had to go a long distance to get there because they had ventured so far off the designated ski slope.



by 12 posted onby BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)

To: BenLurkin

Step 1: Step 2: Why did he forget step 2?



by 13 posted onby KarlInOhio (Choose one: the yellow and black flag of the Tea Party or the white flag of the Republican Party.)

To: BenLurkin

It seems, then, that he fell from “the top,” as it were?



by 14 posted onby Tax-chick (They will hate it, but I don't care.)

To: Tax-chick

Or close to it.



by 15 posted onby BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)

To: BenLurkin

Thanks for your help. It is somewhat clearer now.



by 16 posted onby Tax-chick (They will hate it, but I don't care.)

To: a fool in paradise

5000 feet....that’s a long time to think things over.



To: KarlInOhio

Step 2 doesn’t work so well in an alpine storm.



To: wbill

Quite probably he bounced much of the way. Even on Mt. Blanc I suspect a 5000 foot freefall is unlikely.



To: BenLurkin

I’m guessing he did not fall 5,000 ft, but rather bounced and tumbled 5,000 ft.



by 20 posted onby SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)

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