French freerider Juliette Willmann dies in Argentine Patagonia avalanche at 29
French freeride skier Juliette Willmann died after being buried by a 400-metre snow slab on Cerro Crestón near El Chaltén, while her husband survived with injuries.
Avalanche on Cerro Crestón
French freeride skier Juliette Willmann died at age 29 on Tuesday following an avalanche on Cerro Crestón in Argentine Patagonia. Willmann was ski touring with her husband, 30-year-old Chamonix mountain guide Pierre-Idris Mehdi, in the mountains near El Chaltén in Santa Cruz province. The couple was at an elevation of roughly 3,100 metres near the Huemul Glacier, north of Mount Fitz Roy and four hours on foot from the Lago del Desierto access road. A slab avalanche broke above them shortly after midday, carrying both skiers 400 metres down the slope. Willmann was buried under 1.5 metres of snow, while Mehdi remained conscious and managed to trigger an emergency alert.
Rescue operation and recovery
Other skiers in the area reached the site first, uncovering Mehdi and finding Willmann without vital signs beneath the snow. To accelerate the evacuation before institutional rescue units reached the remote location, the skiers assisted Mehdi in beginning the descent. Rescuers from the High Mountain Specialised Group and the El Chaltén Relief Commission arrived on scene shortly before 17:00 local time, confirming Willmann had died from the impact of the snow slab. A multi-agency operation involving the National Gendarmerie, National Parks Administration, Civil Defence, the Provincial Agrarian Council, and health personnel transported her body to El Chaltén by Tuesday night.
- A slab avalanche sweeps Juliette Willmann and Pierre-Idris Mehdi 400 metres down Cerro Crestón.
- Nearby skiers uncover Mehdi and assist him down the slope to accelerate medical evacuation.
- The High Mountain Specialised Group and El Chaltén Relief Commission reach the site and confirm Willmann's death.
- Rescuers conclude the operation and transport Willmann's body to El Chaltén.
Competitive career and background
Willmann came from a skiing family, as the daughter of former French women's alpine ski team coach Philippe Willmann and sister of former national team member Alison Willmann. After competing in alpine ski racing, she transitioned to freeride at age 19 through the Freeride World Qualifier series. She won the Freeride World Qualifier title in 2018 and competed on the Freeride World Tour circuit until 2022. Following her competitive career, Willmann documented high-mountain expeditions and ski mountaineering journeys across international ranges.
South American expedition
The couple had been travelling across Patagonia in a camper van to explore remote peaks, having departed for the expedition in mid-August. On Monday, the day before the fatal avalanche, Willmann posted her final update from the region to her social media channels.
We feel so lucky to be here, in the mountains of Patagonia, exploring this incredible place. This trip to South America never ceases to amaze us.
Mehdi was admitted to a regional medical centre, where medical staff confirmed his injuries were not life-threatening. Olivier Greber, president of the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix, confirmed the death and spoke on Mehdi's recovery.
Pierre-Idris Mehdi is visibly not doing too badly, but he is deeply affected. I believe they were newlyweds. He has been a guide here for two years and is one of the sharp young guides in the valley. I believe he left in mid-August for this trip.
Mehdi remains under medical observation in Santa Cruz province as local authorities conclude administrative formalities.
