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Hello everybody, this is my first message on this forum. I'd prefer somewhat better circumstances, but that's the life.

I was injured in the avalanche on July 12th on Mont Maudit. I was rescued by pghm helicopter, sent to Sallanche hospital and now I am at the beginning of a long recovery period. The day before the avalanche I pitched my tent on Valle Blanche, near Cosmique hut, more precisely near the bottom of the descending ridge from the cable car. If anybody has any information about it, I will be really greatful? It was Ferrino Lightent, red colour, some climbing gear inside, including a rope, quickdraws, nuts, also a sleeping bag, primus, some food... The tent was anchored with five ice screws and an ice tool in a shallow snow hole.

I know this is a long shot, but that's all I can hope for my gear. I was not able to recover it after the accident because of my injuries, and pghm crews said they will do it. Which they didn't. Guardian of the Cosmique hut cannot see the tent and doesn't know anything about it. It is maybe blown away. I would really appriciate any information anybody has about it.

If I was local, I'd go look for it. I'm on the other side of the world, however.

Good luck with recovery... I hope your gear finds its way home and you can put it to good use again soon.

Milosh --- try posting on UKClimbing (http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/). There are a few more Chamonix climbers on that site. Good luck with your recovery.

I'm sorry to not know, I walked by that place to the Cosmique Hut coming down from Mont Blanc du Tacul around August 22nd...Good luck!

I posted it on UKClimbing, thanks for advice, winfley.
Ben, I am not local. But it's not the distance to Chamonix, it's not that far from me. Unfortunately, I am still wearing a corset over my body, until two of my fractured vertebraes heal. Even when I get rid of it (barely can wait) I will certainly not be able to climb before winter, not even a simple approach to the glacier, without major risk to my spine. And if my tent is still up there, it will not survive until next summer.
Anyway, thank you all for nice wishes!

Best of luck on finding it. Medical bills are bad enough, let a lone replacing gear.

Good luck on the recovery. Bum deal on the avalanche, but you dont need me to tell you that.

kylenicolls wrote:Best of luck on finding it. Medical bills are bad enough, let a lone replacing gear.

Good luck on the recovery. Bum deal on the avalanche, but you dont need me to tell you that.

I doubt the OP has to deal with medical bills. It doesn't sound like he's American.

Good news!

Following advice from wfinley I posted this on UKClimbing forum Lost & Found. A day after I posted it, a guy named Harry Bloxham and his friend found my tent with all the kit inside. They found it while they were returning from Cosmique. The tent was still anchored on the glacier, almost completely buried under the snow, with only the top of it sticking out. The tent is broken under the weight of snow, but the rest of gear is fine. They took everything down to the gendarmes.

I want to thanks wfinley for giving me advice about posting on UKClimbing. It turns out to be a great advice! Also, thank you all for nice wishes about my recovery. I hope I will be able to put some more use in my gear next season.

Great news, glad one of these stories had a happy ending. Good luck with your recovery.

Quite the story. Congrats on getting your gear back and kudos to the people who recovered it and actually brought it down and turned it in. It restores my faith in people (somewhat).

Awesome!