Top Ice Climber Stéphane Husson Dies After Fall

The elite ice climber and French guide Stéphane Husson, 47, recently died after a fall in Beaufort, France.

On June 20, he was guiding a group young climbers for the French Alpine Club of Albertville. At one point, he was roped together with a 16-year-old climber on top of a cliff when the both fell.

Husson was taken to a hospital in Grenoble in critical condition and died the next day. The 16-year-old, whose identity has not been made public, passed away at the climbing area. There is an investigation into the accident.

Husson was a top ice climbing competitor and made podium in the 2001 and 2002 Ice Climbing World Championships. In Canada, he won the sixth Festiglace du Québec in 2003.

In 1992, he and Arnaud Petit made the first ascent of Delicatessen, a 120-metre 5.13d in Corsica.

Husson helped create the first tower for ice climbing in Champagny-en-Vanoise, France, where the Ice World Cup takes place every year now.

“It was he who started climbing competition ice in France,” said his friend Damion Souvy in a La Savoie article.

“It is with him that was born the first team in France. He liked to discover climbing, to train the next generation.”

Canadian ice climber Will Gadd remembers Husson in the post below. Gadd, who never shies away from weighing in on a climbing accident, said that, “His accident also shakes me up because, yet again, he was a damn careful climber operating in what should have been reasonable environment. Yes, Stephane often did dangerous, eye-twisting things in his own climbing, but he did them consciously, with intent and understanding. Had he died on a ridiculously thin pillar I would lament his death, but understand it.

“But a guiding accident with kids? No way. He was so damn smooth, and careful with other people. I’ve known about his death for a few days, but honestly couldn’t face it because it directly impacts my own way of life. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I will honour Stephane when tempted to be less vigilant in the mountains and other high-consequence environments in my own life.”

Stephane Husson dominating the “Elephant Balls” at the Kirov, Russia, Ice world Cup in 2002. Stephane recently died while guiding students in France. At the time of his death he had greatly exceeded the amount of living most ever get done. He was a really beautiful human, and I admired the hell out of his superb climbing, open arms to life, and his tough survival through some dark dances along the ragged edges of life. Those who burn life in massive bonfires sometimes also burn themselves, but Stephane danced above the flames with laughter. One of the few French phrases I remember came from some absolutely silly adventure produced from Stephane’s mind and enacted by a big group of us, “Amuser des mecs!” It was a rallying cry to have fun, make the guys laugh, and stop being so damn serious. I’ve thought of it often over the years, and I wish I’d seen Stephane more. Peace to his friends and family, and also the same for the young man he was roped with. His accident also shakes me up because, yet again, he was a damn careful climber operating in what should have been reasonable environment. Yes, Stephane often did dangerous, eye-twisting things in his own climbing, but he did them consciously, with intent and understanding. Had he died on a ridiculously thin pillar I would lament his death, but understand it. But a guiding accident with kids? No way. He was so damn smooth, and careful with other people. I’ve known about his death for a few days, but honestly couldn’t face it because it directly impacts my own way of life. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I will honour Stephane when tempted to be less vigilant in the mountains and other high-consequence environments in my own life. I’m also going to Instagram three recent changes I’ve made in my own climbing in the last few years to help improve the odds. And those Elephant Balls sure were fun to climb, I still remember swinging around on them with the laughter and stoke that was there on the World Cup in the early years where we were inventing our gear, the sport and ourselves every time we went out. I’ll hear Stephane’s laughter for the rest of own my life.

A post shared by Will Gadd (@realwillgadd) on Jun 29, 2018 at 10:36am PDT