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Mont Blanc

10 Missing on Mont Blanc du Tacul in Deadly Month for Climbers

August 24, 2008 at 1:41 PM | 0 Comments

It's been another tragic weekend in the mountaineering world, as ten climbers have gone missing in France's Mont Blanc range following a major avalanche. A large block of ice triggered Sunday's 3:00 a.m. slide on Mont Blanc du Tacul, one of the peaks along the route to the 4,810-meter summit of Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in the Alps. Eight injured climbers were taken to a nearby hospital. Efforts to rescue the missing climbers were launched early Sunday morning, but had to be temporarily suspended in the afternoon due to warm weather, which increases the likelihood of further slides.

The Mont Blanc tragedy comes just three weeks after a similar incident on Pakistan's K-2, in which eleven climbers perished in an ice avalanche. In both cases, it looks like bad luck rather than climber error was the main factor, but either way we'd only attempt it with a world-class guide, the best equipment available, and about ten more years of climbing experience.

[Photo: AP]

Related Stories:
· 10 Climbers Missing After Mont Blanc Avalanche [AP/USA Today]
· Mountain Climbing Coverage [Jaunted]

Mont Blanc

The World's Highest Bathroom

July 24, 2007 at 9:07 AM | 0 Comments

This year is full of firsts for big mountains. We've already had cell phone coverage reach Mount Everest, so now Himalayan trekkers can phone home with the news of their big achievement (or of course ring for rescue if they haven't made it).

Now authorities in France have installed the world's highest toilet, on Mont Blanc. The decision to install two toilets at a height of 4,260 meters was made after they noticed the peak was "full of yellow and brown spots in summer". The toilets will be emptied regularly by helicopter so Mont Blanc's annual 30,000 visitors will be more comfortable at the end of their climb.

Related Stories:
· Europe's Highest Toilet [Ananova]
· Where Cell Phones Now Dare To Tread [Jaunted]

[Photo: Kalense Kid]