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British skier survives 50ft fall down crevasse in Swiss Alps
Added: (Thu Apr 14 2005)
This is the dramatic story of events that took place when three British skiers set off from Chamonix with their French Mountain Guide.
They were tackling the notorious ‘Haute Route’ – an arduous 6-8 day ski touring route between Chamonix and Zermatt. The Haute Route is perhaps the most famous ski journey of all, the classic traverse of the western Alps. For many people the Haute Route is the ultimate ski tour available.
Our small team had planned to complete the Haute Route in only 6 days, a trip that
would take us over glaciers, borders, ravines and all types of ungroomed snow.
On day 5, several hours after the team had left the Dix Hut and were climbing a steep glacier on the Pigne d’Arrolla (3796m), a massive snow bridge covering a crevasse gave way and Alex Cormack instantly dropped 50ft down a crevasse before landing on a ledge and was buried alive.
‘It was the worst experience of my life’ reported Alex. He fell instantly as the snow bridge collapsed and was buried by tonnes of snow. Alex’s head was on his knees, left arm behind his back, ski and poles never to be seen again. ‘It was like being packed in concrete. I knew from my recent avalanche training that I had about 10 minutes to live before suffocating’. Fortunately, Alex was able to punch the snow around his face to create a small air pocket. However, he knew that the snow in the air pocket would melt and then re-freeze like cement very quickly diminishing his chances of survival.
‘It was pitch dark and I had snow in my ears preventing me from hearing. I thought this was the end and began to reflect on what I had achieved during my life. I began wondering what my epitaph would read, perhaps something like ‘died doing something he really enjoyed’. Alex became determined to survive this nightmare and began violently trying to loosen his limbs. ‘I knew that speed and aggression might save me, something I had learned whilst training with the SAS in Borneo. It was exhausting work and I had to rest every 20 seconds. My thoughts started flashing around considering what had become of the others.
Suddenly to Alex’s amazement a small opening appeared in the snow at the end of his right hand. He now had an air passage to breath through. This was fantastic news as he knew that he could hopefully remain alive long enough until the rescuers appeared.
He then pushed his ski glove to poke out into the shaft of the crevasse hoping that the rescuers above would notice it. ‘I could see light at the end of the air passage and began shouting as loud as possible. I still had no idea what had become of the others above but knew that someone would have marked my rough location’.
After 40 minutes he suddenly caught sight of some crampons dangling at the end of the air passage. ‘It was the best sight of my life and I was now confident of being rescued as I was no longer alone’.
It then took the guide 20 minutes of careful excavation to release Alex from the heavily packed snow. There was still a constant danger of the crevasse walls toppling down or falling yet further into the abyss. Four guides who had constructed a belay system above then hoisted him up to the surface. Finally he was out of the crevasse. A large cheer could be heard from those who had been waiting on the surface. For those above it had been an agonizing wait and just as emotional as it had been for Alex alone in the crevasse. It was a further 30 mins before a Swiss Air Glaciers helicopter hoisted Alex and a paramedic off the glacier and flew them dangling hundreds of feet above the alpine summits to the hospital roof in Sion.
In response to his dramatic alpine ordeal, Alex Cormack established Ultimate Gap Year to provide students and career gappers with essential safety advice and knowledge before they embark on a gap year.
Ultimate Gap Year runs one-day safety courses in London as well as delivering training at schools and colleges throughout the UK. These courses cover everything from snake-bites to kidnap.
Further details at www.ultimategapyear.co.uk
info@ultimategapyear.co.uk
Tel: 020 7386 910