the essential
Two women died this Wednesday after a fall in the Pyrenees. They were hiking on Cagire, a mountain very popular for its majestic scenery, near Toulouse.
Two women died during a hike on Cagire, in Haute-Garonne. The Saint-Gaudens public prosecutor's office requested autopsies to determine the exact causes of these two deaths. La Dépêche du Midi returns in several points to the circumstances of the tragedy.
What happened?
The two falls occurred on the ridge between Cagire and Escalette. On duty for the New Year week, the CRS Pyrénées was alerted this Wednesday, January 1 in the morning, around 8:30 a.m. It was a matter of rescuing three hikers who had left very early to admire the sunrise over Cagire. “The three thirty-year-olds, from the Toulouse region, were well equipped and the investigation will determine what could have happened,” notes Major Abadie.
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INFO LA DEPECHE. Two women die while hiking on a peak in the Pyrenees in Haute-Garonne
The hiker slipped nearly 300 meters, an unfortunately fatal fall.” The second accident took place a few hours later, in the same area, early in the afternoon. “We were alerted this time around 2:50 p.m.,” continues Major Abadie. The helicopter took off with two CRS and a SAMU doctor on board. The victim slipped while setting foot on a ridge, again falling 300 meters . She had no chance.”
Was the terrain easily passable?
Already last week, the Luchon high mountain gendarmerie platoon had to intervene twice in the same area. Already, calls for extreme caution had been launched. “The current conditions are very difficult,” insists Major Sébastien Abadie, head of the CRS Pyrénées mountain section. “There is no longer any powder in the mountains. Following the mild spell, the snow has hardened on all slopes. The snow cover is higher in altitude.
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“The snow is hard, it’s very dangerous…” Mountain accidents are increasing in the Pyrenees
Hikers therefore embark on accessible routes, without necessarily being well equipped. And as they progress, they find themselves on hard snow slopes, which can represent a risk. Winter hiking is reserved for experienced and well-equipped people. Trail crampons with chains or other forestry crampons are not considered sufficient. In these conditions, the CRS strongly recommends against snowshoe walks.
What recommendations before leaving?
“The shape of the snowshoe is designed for walking in powder snow, but this is no longer the case,” explains Major Abadie. “With current conditions, you have to be equipped with ice crampons, or you have to practice in the resort, on snowy slopes. Concerning ski touring, here too you must be equipped with crampons and an ice axe, whether on the north or south slopes. You really have to be careful. The CRS indicate that a decree is being drafted by the mayor of Boutx, in order to temporarily prohibit access to the Escalette massif, which is particularly dangerous at the moment.
If you want to go hiking and be sure of the conditions, don't hesitate to ask. The PGHM gendarmes as well as the CRS answer your questions at 05.61.89.31.31
A death also on the Spanish side
Last weekend was very hectic for the Catalan firefighters. The mountain specialists (GRAE and SEM) had to intervene twice, in the same place, within 24 hours.
First on Saturday, a hiker died after falling 100 meters. Aged 52, he was in the company of a group of five people when, for unexplained reasons, he made this fatal fall while he was at 2700 m at Besiberri Sud (3023 m), on the Spanish Pyrenees side. .
The next day, at the same place and almost at the same time (10:50 a.m.), the firefighters were alerted to two men stranded by snow who had to spend the night in the mountains. This time, the rescue went perfectly.
