In reply to craigloon:
My heart sank when I read the title of this thread.
I had the pleasure of being guided by Remy up the Gran Paradiso on my first trip to the Alps in 2006. An inspiring guy. Super fit, motivated and also a brilliant tutor. I will always remember the constant struggle to keep up with him on the hut approach, despite a heavy cold he was still miles ahead of the rest of us in his flip flops. On summit day as we all puffed and panted in the cold high mountain air he would allow us an occasional break where he would have a quick cigarette and reassure us that "it was just a walk!"
Before leaving for the summit we waited in the hut for clouds to lift and there was the odd grumble of thunder. "Young man, when you climb in the Alps you should never climb into the cloud because once you are in cloud you can't see what the weather is doing and where it is moving to". A useful lesson that has saved me from trouble on a few subsequent trips to the Alps.
As we headed back to Les Houches down the switchback road a clapped out car came flying past us on a blind corner. It was Remy, waving out the window with one had and beeping the horn with the other as he sped off to spend the evening with his children before the next week guiding. A man who lived his life at 100 miles per hour.
A sad loss. My thoughts are with his family and particularly his children who he was clearly very proud of.
Iain
