The Chamonix PGHM rescue base sits in a fortress of five-metre-high earth bank walls, designed to help reduce the noise of the helicopter as it takes off and lands – which happens a lot.
Inside these mud mounds is one of the busiest rescue services in the world. In the summer, it’s a rare day for the helicopter not to be flying at least a handful of times. The expertise here is second to none, and over the years they have dealt with nearly every conceivable consequence of our collective misfortune.
In the past, mountaineering, climbing, walking and skiing accidents made up the bulk of their rescues. But paragliding accidents have become a frequent call-out for the PGHM. The sport has grown rapidly over the past decade, and the Chamonix sky is often dotted with gliders. Yet if you look at overall participation numbers compared to other mountain sports, paragliding still makes up a very small proportion. So, it doesn’t take a stats boffin to work out that what we are doing in the sky can have serious consequences.
The reality is that...
