Belgian Climber Chloe Graftiaux Dies After Mont Blanc Fall

Belgian rock climber and alpinist Chloe Graftiaux died last Saturday after an 1,800-foot (600-meter) fall on l'Aiguille Noire de Peuterey (Black Granite Needle) on Mont Blanc. The 23-year-old Graftiaux, winner of the 2010 Vail World Cup Bouldering event at the Teva Games in June, fell while descending the impressive black granite fin.

Climbing unroped on fairly easy terrain, Graftiaux grabbed a block which pulled out, knocking her down the peak. Chloe and her partner were just starting the ultra-classic route Aiguilles de Peuterey Integral. The 15,000-foot-long, 120-pitch route on the Italian side of Mont Blanc offers lots of moderate rock climbing up to 5.8 and some mixed terrain. It's usually done in two to four days.

Besides being an impressive boulderer, Chloe climbed lots of long routes, including Astroman, Free Rider, and The Nose in Yosemite Valley, limestone routes at the Verdon Gorge in France, ski descents in the Alps, and many of the classic alpine routes in the Mont Blanc area, including the Central Freney Pillar. She was preparing to pass the rigorous test to become a certified International Mountain Guide.

Rest in peace Chloe. We'll miss your infectious grin and graceful climbing...both of which you exhibited so well at the Teva Games at Vail, Colorado this summer.

Photographs above: (Top) Chloe Graftiaux cranking the roof crack Separate Reality in Yosemite Valley. (Bottom) The Aiguilles de Peuterey offer a classic long rock for alpinists on the Italian side of Mont Blanc. Photographs courtesy ChloeGraftiaux.com and Idefix.