Civil guards discovered the lifeless body on Sunday of a 49-year-old climber from Valencia who perished after an accident while attempting Monte Perdido, the iconic peak in the Pyrenees near Huesca. The tragedy, which unfolded on Saturday afternoon, marks what is believed to be the first mountaineering fatality in Aragon for the year 2023. Authorities did not locate the victim until Sunday morning, waiting through hours of adverse weather and high winds that prevented any immediate search or rescue beyond the shelter of the terrain itself.
The incident was first reported around 5 p.m. last Saturday. The climber had descended from his refuge at Góriz when a guide from the expedition reported a fall in the area surrounding Monte Perdido. This remote region sits within Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, a popular but demanding destination for mountaineers and hikers who respect its unpredictable weather conditions. The call came from one of his fellow climbers, who was unaware at the time of the full extent of the injuries or the danger he faced.
Rescue teams, including GREIM units stationed in Boltaña, a physician from the aerial unit in Huesca, and a doctor from 061, swiftly mobilized to reach the scene and pursue a recovery. Yet the extreme wind that day severely hampered efforts, and the helicopter could not reach the shelter. The operation was delayed by the weather and distance, leaving the rescue personnel stranded about three hours away from the shelter before they could change plans and proceed on foot toward the crash site.
Officials from the Benemérita explained that the conditions were exceptionally challenging after the climber had taken shelter in a bunker. They reported that the night would be spent there while the rescue teams awaited a more favorable window to bring in air support, which would determine the next steps for a potential extraction.
By Sunday, the weather remained hostile. The Air Unit helicopters could not approach the area, forcing GREIM specialists from Boltaña to begin a foot ascent. After several hours of trekking through rugged terrain, they located the climber and confirmed injuries that were incompatible with life. With no chance of medical intervention restoring life on site, authorities had to acknowledge the loss, while the team continued to maintain a hold on the location until a safer window for evacuation could be secured.
Evacuation eventually occurred by helicopter, and the climber was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Huesca for further confirmation and processing. The departure reached the hospital around 2 p.m., and staff there carried out postmortem procedures in line with standard protocol for high-altitude trauma cases.
deadly slide
The fatal accident occurred at a sector known as La Espupidera, a crucial stretch near the final approach to Monte Perdido. This corridor has long been noted by climbing and rescue communities as a hazard zone, recording multiple rescues and fatalities over the years within the Aragon Pyrenees. The terrain is notorious for changes in snow, wind, and ice that can rapidly convert a routine ascent into a life-threatening scenario. In this location, more than fifty climber fatalities have been documented as seasons shift and snow freezes, creating a trap where movement becomes perilous.
The gorge-like passage features a pronounced slope that guides climbers toward the summit. There is a leftward exit that, under certain conditions, can lead a climber to lose footing and slide downward into a deep crevasse or abyss. Experts describe this as a risk that can materialize in seconds, transforming a steady climb into a dangerous free slide. Because the area often presents a glaze of frozen snow, it earns a reputation as the place where ice and rock meet fate, a zone that locals vividly refer to as the place that seems to spit its victims into the void.