On Wednesday, three innocent skiers from the U.S., two boys and a girl had taken the mid-day lift at the Aiguille du Midi without fully mastering the challenge of a downhill off-piste glacial as the Vallee Blanche. Moreover by bad weather. They will not return to Chamonix before 23h20 and, again, with the help of mountain rescue (PGHM). In fact, around 20:00h pm, a friend came to prevent PGHM (Peloton de Gendarmerie mountain) of his missing friends. He had not seen them return. The helicopter of the PGHM started the rescue next to the Salle à Manger. They went up 600m to check the crevasses of the Geant Glacier, not very far from the refuge du Requin. Using their head torches, the PGHM will help the 3 skiers to reach the end of the Mer de Glace, where the cable car from EDF water abstraction, will bring them safe back to the Chamonix valley. This is a new method to do the night rescues in the Valley Blanche. "They were very lucky. Because they had no real experience at all" says a rescuer of PGHM. Le Dauphiné
