The towering 4,808-metre peak of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe, draws thousands of climbers each summer. While many reach the summit, not all make it back. Among the latest victims is 33-year-old Dimitris Kantas from Greece, who tragically lost his life while descending the infamous Grand Couloir — chillingly nicknamed the “Death Corridor” — on the Goûter Route, the most popular path to the summit.
The Deadly Reputation of the Grand Couloir
Located on what is considered the “easiest” route up Mont Blanc, the Grand Couloir is anything but forgiving. Spanning around 100 metres, this steep gully is one of the most active rockfall zones in the Alps. It’s a place where even a few minutes of passage can prove fatal — a high-stakes game of chance shaped by loose rocks and melting ice.
The couloir has earned its grim nickname due to its deadly history. More than 100 climbers have died there over the past 20 years, many of them amateur mountaineers lured by the Goûter Route’s deceptive simplicity. Even experienced climbers have fallen victim to the corridor’s unpredictable dangers.
Climate Change Making It Worse
Climate change is worsening conditions. As temperatures rise, the ice that holds the rocks in place melts, causing increasingly frequent rockfalls — often every 20 to 30 minutes on warm summer days. In 2022, French authorities briefly closed the route due to what they called “unmanageable risk,” and local mountain guides described the couloir as a “crack in hell.”
Climbers are advised to cross it between 4:00 and 6:30 a.m., when the cold temporarily stabilizes the terrain, and only under the guidance of certified mountain professionals. Even then, helmets and climbing gear offer only minimal protection against falling rocks that can reach speeds of 150 km/h.
A Tragic Fall
Dimitris Kantas was found dead on Monday, August 4, after falling on the upper part of the couloir. According to French rescue teams, he was descending alone, without ropes, and carrying a heavy backpack — factors that may have contributed to his fall. The precise cause is unclear, but a combination of fatigue, equipment weight, and momentary loss of focus is likely.
This summer has already seen several deadly accidents in the same area, including the recent death of a 24-year-old American woman.
Mourning a Life Lost Too Soon
Kantas was a respected member of the community in Patras, Greece — a physicist by profession, a former basketball player, and a dedicated mountaineer. The local climbing club, of which he was a member, paid tribute to his passion for nature and exploration, stating: “Dimitris was a vibrant and beloved person, passionate about the mountains, freedom, and discovery. We will always remember him with respect and admiration.”
