J'ai eu un slovène qui m'a dit qu'il ne s'agissait pas de deux allemands mais de deux slovènes et en plus qu'il connaissait, mais il confondait avec un sauvetage le même mois, mais une année plus tôt au pilier Bonatti. Les deux slovènes (yougoslaves à l'époque !) étaient bloqués au-dessus des dalles vertes (à la hauteur de l'arête des Flammes de pierre. Comme en 1966, c'était le tour de l'EMHM et comme en 1966, ils ont envoyés un 'paquet' de mecs (une quarantaine) qui ont équipé la voie normale de cordes fixes, établit un camp près des flammes de pierre, mais sans résultat au bout de 5 jours et 7 pour les deux slovènes. Le patron de l'EMHM a demandé de l'aide à la Compagnie des guides de Chamonix qui a envoyé deux cordées (Marcel Burnet et Edmond Maresca, Gérard Devouassoux et Christian Mollier - que l'on retrouvera l'année suivante avec Pollet-Villard). Déposés en hélicoptère près de la Charpoua ils arrivent à l'arête des Flammes de pierre à la nuit. Ils empruntent la traversée Mottet-Weber qui amène aux dalles vertes, très près des deux slovènes. A 23h30, ils remettent les deux slovènes aux militaires et se retrouvent à la Charpoua à 01h30, après que Christian Mollier ait failli se ramasser grave (ils allaient un peu trop vite !). En tout 7 heures pour ce sauvetage. Une vraie prouesse. Si les slovènes avaient eu connaissance de cette traversée Mottet-Weber, ils s'en serait sorti par eux-mêmes, mais ce n'était pas le cas. C'est (enfin c'était vu la disparition totale de la voie) la seule échappée possible du pilier. Une autre histoire, un autre petit épisode, comme le dirait mon ami Gilles Bodin, mais pas mal tout de même.
Quoi qu'ont été les polémiques de Desmaison avec la compagnie, ces guides étaient des 'tous bons' !
Amitiés
Same in English: a climber from Slovenia told me that it was two Slovenian climbers and not two Germans and he knew them (Tine Mihelic et Boris Gruden). He was confusing with another rescue which occurred the same month but the previous year (1965) on the Bonatti pillar. The two Sloveanian climbers (Yopugoslavians then) were blocked by a storm above the green slabs (at the level of the Flammes de Pierre ridge). As in 1966 the EMHM was in charge of the rescue, they sent a 'load' of guys (around 40) and equipped with fixed ropes the 'Normal route' and established a 'camp' below the Flammes de Pierre ridge, with no result after 5 days and 7 for the Slovenian climbers. The EHMH commanding officer in charge asked help to the Compagnie des guides de Chamonix who sent two parties: Marcel Burnet and Edmond Maresca, Gérard Devouassoux and Christian Mollier, - the later two will be in the 3rd rescue party in 1966 with Pollet-Villard - Dropped by helicopter near the Charpoua refuge, they reached the Flammes de Pierre ridge at the beginning of the night. They took the Mottet-Weber traverse which leads to below the green slabs, near the two Slovenian climbers. At 23H30 they left the two Slovenians to the Army rescuers and reached the Charpoua at 01H30, after a near deadly fall of Christian Mollier (they were going down a bit too fast!). In all, 7 hours for their rescue. A true feat! If the Slovenians had known about the Mottet-Weber traverse, they would have got out of the route by themselves, but they did not. Another 'small episode' as my friend, Gilles Bodin would say, but not so bad. Whatever the controversies with Desmaison, those guides were among the best.
Another important piece of history from you - a story like this shouldn't be allowed to disappear - great that you have brought it back on SP.
best wishes, Mark
I believed that I owed that to my friend Gilles Bodin. So many errors have been told or written about this recue that I wanted to reestablish the proper facts before memories fade away. The Press like so often made headlines with the two figures they selected as more "bankable" for making their front pages, forgetting the others. Some journalists understood well the role of the individual rescuers and their respective motivation such as Gérard Géry who forced René to share some of the Paris-Match money with Gary Hemming, Gilles, Lothar, François, Mick and Gerhrad, but they were a minority and their articles did not make necessarily the front lines.
The finest alpinists are always those who climb with the best ethics, with what the English name: "the spirit of mountaineering" which the Alpine Club launched in 2006 with the Piolets d'or and not necessarily those who search fame (and money) at all costs!
This is the Alpine Club statement for this initiative (not a prize) to acknowledge and thanks persons who:
‘In the true Spirit of Mountaineering have shown unselfish devotion to help a fellow climber endangered in mountains, and in doing this have sacrificed their own objective or put their personal safety at risk'.
hansw - Apr 15, 2012 12:48 pm - Voted 10/10
Very good!Indeed an important piece of mountaineering history. Thanks for posting.
/Hans
macintosh - Apr 16, 2012 1:19 pm - Voted 10/10
Excellent travail !Comme d'habitude, Eric, comme d'habitude ! J'ai hâte de te retrouver et faire la causette !!!
ericvola - Apr 16, 2012 2:08 pm - Hasn't voted
Excellent travailJ'ai eu un slovène qui m'a dit qu'il ne s'agissait pas de deux allemands mais de deux slovènes et en plus qu'il connaissait, mais il confondait avec un sauvetage le même mois, mais une année plus tôt au pilier Bonatti. Les deux slovènes (yougoslaves à l'époque !) étaient bloqués au-dessus des dalles vertes (à la hauteur de l'arête des Flammes de pierre. Comme en 1966, c'était le tour de l'EMHM et comme en 1966, ils ont envoyés un 'paquet' de mecs (une quarantaine) qui ont équipé la voie normale de cordes fixes, établit un camp près des flammes de pierre, mais sans résultat au bout de 5 jours et 7 pour les deux slovènes. Le patron de l'EMHM a demandé de l'aide à la Compagnie des guides de Chamonix qui a envoyé deux cordées (Marcel Burnet et Edmond Maresca, Gérard Devouassoux et Christian Mollier - que l'on retrouvera l'année suivante avec Pollet-Villard). Déposés en hélicoptère près de la Charpoua ils arrivent à l'arête des Flammes de pierre à la nuit. Ils empruntent la traversée Mottet-Weber qui amène aux dalles vertes, très près des deux slovènes. A 23h30, ils remettent les deux slovènes aux militaires et se retrouvent à la Charpoua à 01h30, après que Christian Mollier ait failli se ramasser grave (ils allaient un peu trop vite !). En tout 7 heures pour ce sauvetage. Une vraie prouesse. Si les slovènes avaient eu connaissance de cette traversée Mottet-Weber, ils s'en serait sorti par eux-mêmes, mais ce n'était pas le cas. C'est (enfin c'était vu la disparition totale de la voie) la seule échappée possible du pilier. Une autre histoire, un autre petit épisode, comme le dirait mon ami Gilles Bodin, mais pas mal tout de même.
Quoi qu'ont été les polémiques de Desmaison avec la compagnie, ces guides étaient des 'tous bons' !
Amitiés
Same in English: a climber from Slovenia told me that it was two Slovenian climbers and not two Germans and he knew them (Tine Mihelic et Boris Gruden). He was confusing with another rescue which occurred the same month but the previous year (1965) on the Bonatti pillar. The two Sloveanian climbers (Yopugoslavians then) were blocked by a storm above the green slabs (at the level of the Flammes de Pierre ridge). As in 1966 the EMHM was in charge of the rescue, they sent a 'load' of guys (around 40) and equipped with fixed ropes the 'Normal route' and established a 'camp' below the Flammes de Pierre ridge, with no result after 5 days and 7 for the Slovenian climbers. The EHMH commanding officer in charge asked help to the Compagnie des guides de Chamonix who sent two parties: Marcel Burnet and Edmond Maresca, Gérard Devouassoux and Christian Mollier, - the later two will be in the 3rd rescue party in 1966 with Pollet-Villard - Dropped by helicopter near the Charpoua refuge, they reached the Flammes de Pierre ridge at the beginning of the night. They took the Mottet-Weber traverse which leads to below the green slabs, near the two Slovenian climbers. At 23H30 they left the two Slovenians to the Army rescuers and reached the Charpoua at 01H30, after a near deadly fall of Christian Mollier (they were going down a bit too fast!). In all, 7 hours for their rescue. A true feat! If the Slovenians had known about the Mottet-Weber traverse, they would have got out of the route by themselves, but they did not. Another 'small episode' as my friend, Gilles Bodin would say, but not so bad. Whatever the controversies with Desmaison, those guides were among the best.
markhallam - Apr 27, 2012 3:47 pm - Voted 10/10
Bravo Eric!Another important piece of history from you - a story like this shouldn't be allowed to disappear - great that you have brought it back on SP.
best wishes, Mark
ericvola - Apr 27, 2012 6:50 pm - Hasn't voted
Bravo EricThank you Mark.
I believed that I owed that to my friend Gilles Bodin. So many errors have been told or written about this recue that I wanted to reestablish the proper facts before memories fade away. The Press like so often made headlines with the two figures they selected as more "bankable" for making their front pages, forgetting the others. Some journalists understood well the role of the individual rescuers and their respective motivation such as Gérard Géry who forced René to share some of the Paris-Match money with Gary Hemming, Gilles, Lothar, François, Mick and Gerhrad, but they were a minority and their articles did not make necessarily the front lines.
The finest alpinists are always those who climb with the best ethics, with what the English name: "the spirit of mountaineering" which the Alpine Club launched in 2006 with the Piolets d'or and not necessarily those who search fame (and money) at all costs!
This is the Alpine Club statement for this initiative (not a prize) to acknowledge and thanks persons who:
‘In the true Spirit of Mountaineering have shown unselfish devotion to help a fellow climber endangered in mountains, and in doing this have sacrificed their own objective or put their personal safety at risk'.
This is what Gary Hemming and his team did.