The Mountaability Issues facing the Mont Blanc 

mountain range

Situation reviewAugust 8, 2016

A unique location

‐ Straddles three borders‐ Surrounded by three major cities:12 million people‐ Easily accessible

Switzerland

Italy

France

From a small French village

to an international tourist destination

3 centuries

Chamonix

The cradle of European mountaineering

Paccard and BalmatFirst ascent of the Mont Blanc1786

A mountaineering history book

Riccardo CassinWalker Spur Grand Jorasse1938

A theatre for mountaineering media coverage

1966 1982

A laboratory for mountaineering innovation

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

Climate change

Annual average temperature

1916

2001

Glacier melt

- Traditional routes inaccessible in summer.

- Inaccessible first pitches

Increasing Rockslide

Vanishing routes !

2005 2011

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

Aiguille du Midi12,500 feet

500,000 visitors each year

Skyway Monte Bianco11,500 feet

500,000 visitors each year

Tête Rousse refuge

Goûter refuge

Goûter refuge

The aiguille du Goûter 12 700 feet

Accidentology

Tête Rousse refuge

couloir traverse

The ridge

Victim nationality

Safety solutions

Pollution and waste

‐ Aerial flyover‐ Waste

Pollution and waste

‐ Aerial flyover‐ Waste

Bivouacking

Ecofriendly refuge

A paradox

Sustainability versus economic growth

Thank you for your attention