Chamonix legend and one of the world’s most admired extreme skiers Christophe Henry has died along with his Chilean guide Juan Señoret while skiing down the slopes of the Chilean volcano Puntiagudo. Henry was 38, and Señoret was 36.
The photographer who was with them, Mathurin Vauthier, was uninjured and was the first to reach the two after after the fall, and attempted to provide first aid, reports German winter sports site Downdays.
According to a witness, the two skiers fell from the volcano’s 2439m summit down the line they were planning to ski.
"Another skier with knowledge of the incident told us that Henry and Señoret were skiing together on a steep, exposed line on the north face of Puntiagudo when they fell to their deaths in a no-fall zone," says Downdays.
The cause of the fatal accident remains unclear, though some local sources have suggested there may have been an avalanche. Local rescuers recovered the bodies at about 1,700m.
Henry was was one of the pioneers of modern extreme skiing, renowned for his high speed descents. He made his name hurtling down the steepest slopes of the Mont Blanc massif before exploring the other mountains across the world.
"You don’t ski with Tof. You try, and fail, to keep up with him," Swedish freeskier Jacob Wester once said of him. A documentary, Born in Chamonix, celebrated his style of skiing.
Henry and Señoret had long been friends and fellow adventurers. In September 2019 they completed the breathtaking first ski descent of the complex Colmillo Del Diablo in Chile.
Christophe Henry is survived by his son, Jules. Advnture sends deepest condolences to the friends and family of Christophe Henry and Juan Señoret.
