REPORTAGE
When hiking, beginner mistakes can sometimes have serious consequences. If high mountain gendarmes are there to help hikers, they warn against the lack of preparation of amateurs.
Bad weather, lack of knowledge of trails, bad equipment ... To avoid these pitfalls, Lieutenant-Colonel Stéphane Bozon, commander of the high mountain gendarmerie platoon in Chamonix, recalls some safety instructions. "There are a lot of hikers who go astray, who do not know how to use the orientation materials such as the map, the compass and now the GPS, so we have a lot of people who are technically stuck because they have left a path and they are not able to return on this path without our help, "he explains.
Notify a loved one of his itinerary
Since May, the high mountain gendarmerie platoon of Chamonix has intervened a hundred times to rescue hikers. Yet when questioned, they say they are aware of the risks. A few weeks from the Ultra-Trail of Mont Blanc, Mathieu recognizes that some hikers lower their vigilance. To do like the star of the trail, Killian Jornet, they sometimes go hiking without providing enough equipment. "Do not try to compare yourself to him," warns Mathieu. "He's an athlete so he knows his limits, when he goes to the mountains, he has light shoes, shorts and a T-shirt, everyone can not do that."
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Among other reflexes to acquire: do not forget to plan to drink and food, although it seems obvious. Finally, before going on a hike, it is strongly advised to always inform a loved one of his itinerary and the expected return time.