The comment of this French police officer was brutal, intemperate and callous.

There has also been no sudden increase in "amateur", i.e. non-guided parties in the MB massif, the tradition of unguided climbing is as old as mountaineering in the area. Virtually nobody on the ordinary route on Mont Blanc carries a tent or a spade and that includes guided parties. Similarly, any party, can suffer a mishap, possibly fatal, but that is because Alpinism is dangerous and always has been. Chamonix forecasts also frequently bear little relation to the actual weather experienced, especially 3 day old forecasts.

This is a tragedy and should be seen as such, without a rush to cruel judgement with the benefit of 20-20 hindsight.

Simon Kemper, London,

This is tragic. Such gifted intelligent people living life to the full but why did they not take notice of the forecast conditions? Perhaps the folly of youth. i hope their families can make some sense of it.

JC, London , UK

At least the Europeans still believe in individual responsibility - in the UK the families would probably be convinced by some health and safety lawyer to sue someone for failing to ensure the safety of the climbers.

tony , birmingham, uk

I'm lucky enough to live in the Chamonix valley and I see this sort of behaviour all the time.

Even the non technical route to the summit has the dangerous rock falls area, the mountain doesn't care who's an expert, if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time...

I hardly think the summit of Mont Blanc is worth the risk anyway, you can enjoy almost the same view for the Aiguille du Midi top cable car station.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy the vally safely:

http://www.chamonixwalks.com

My sympathies to their friends and family.

adrian, Chamonix, France

We are all deeply sadened by the loss of those very
bright and talented people. May their families find
comfort in their hour of loss.

Garth Rex, Glendale Heights, USA

Phillip Addyman, the French Authorities were not harsh - it is a statement of fact. I was in Chamonix over the weekend and early this week and bailed on a simple climb as the conditions were clearly dangerous both in terms of weather and snow stability. Spare a thought for the guys who attempted the rescue in horrific conditions - maybe their lives are worth something as well?

paul Jones, London, UK

The tent and shovel comment is cobblers. I guarantee that in the Alps, in the summer, less than 5% of climbers (including guides) carry either a tent or a shovel unless they are specifically intending to bivvy at altitude. Speed is safety in the Alps - you don't move quickly with 2kgs of tent which you'd be lucky to be able to pitch in a storm anyway.

A group shelter would be a reasonable precaution, but I'd be very careful about drawing conclusions on 'what went wrong' when many of the facts are not yet clear; the only quote I have seen so far is the rather melodramatic and (therefore) newsworthy one from the policeman, who may well have his own agenda.

Quotes from the guardian of the hut would be interesting, or professional guides in the hut at the same time. Also, other climbers successfully summited on that day (without tents or shovels) having made their own judgement calls.

Great climbers with years of experience die in the Alps due to bad luck or bad weather also.

Mike, Brighton, UK

This is a terrible tragedy. Yes, the issue of a tent is a red herring, but adequate clothing and carrying a shovel are not.
Climbing mountains is always about risk assessment, and should never be about ego or bravado. Making the decision to retreat is arguably harder and braver than pushing to the summit.
My sincere condolences to all the families and friends involved.

Summit Bob, New York, USA

I went to school with Mark and knew him well for almost 10 years. He was a tremendously intelligent, funny and warm individual. It is pretty easy for those who didn't know Mark to judge him on the events of the last 48 hours. For those of us who had the pleasure of his company and friendship over a period of time, our verdict is quite different.

James Pennock, Windsor,

I don't think the lack of tent is an issue here. The mountain huts are designed and positioned to enable people to climb the mountain without one. The vast majority of climbers summit Mont Blanc using the huts and not carrying tents. This is safe in good conditions. Here lies the problem. Clearly these conditions were unsafe so the group made a tragic failure of judgement. I carry a tent as it feels more in touch with the mountains than using the huts. It makes my kit almost prohibitively heavy - possibly dangerously so. Even those carrying tents tend to leave them at 3800m on their summit day and attempt the summit travelling light. I've failed to summit 5 times and may never make it to the top. Somewhere between my over-cautious approach and this tragic group lies the middle ground in which most mountaineers operate. Having seen far too many wildly unfit climbers being dragged up by cash focused guides, I know that guides are not the panacea. Slowly building up experience is best.

Martin, London, UK

Thank you Neil. This is a tragic time - it is no time for blame. The only ones who truly know what happened out there are those who have so tragically lost their lives.
Please respond only with compassion and sympathy for those who have lost.

S Anderson, New Zealand,

I am Mark's coursin. The French authorities have been rather harsh in their professional appraisal of the situation, but the family can do without clever, unsympathic comments from individuals. It serves no purpose. It is not a time for sanctimoniousness and oneupmanship. Please respect the immediate family.

Philip Addyman, North Yorkshire,

Intelligence and Common sense don't always go hand in glove.Perhaps their innate determination and self belief which has served them well in academic studies was,in this instance, when not tempered with basic mountainerring skills and good sense,their nemesis.
We all make bad judgment calls and they,sadly,have paid more dearly than most.

C.Carter, Ripon,

Of course a lack of preparation is a sad truth in this tragedy but with every report noting a "brutal" change of weather or "freakish" drop in temperature it maybe a case of over zealousness rather than stupidity. We must remember this is a personal loss not just a news report; there are 4 grieving families no doubt being asked to comment so flippancy like yours Mr Milner should be left at the door; i hope it feels good to score points from others loss'.

Neil, Southampton,

I once climbed alone to top of Mt Rainier in Washington State, US. Taking digital photos all the while. My only special equipment were mountain climber shades, snowshoes and lots of water in 2 CamelBaks. I passed other teams of climbers who said little to me, most just encouraged me. Leaping crevasses that should have been crossed only with ropes. On the way down I tumbled more than 350m but somehow avoided injury. The rangers just scolded me when they should have fined me $. Since that day I have taught others never to do likewise.

Tom Williams, Virginia Beach, Virginia USA

I admire their spirit. They were unlucky, and I am very sympathetic, especially to family members who might be reading. These people clearly loved pushing the limits, and it's just a pity that in this case they pushed too far.

This label of "stupidity" is acceptable in that it is intended to prevent more deaths by prompting visitors to do better risk management before and during such attempts on the mountain. But I for one admire the spirit of these people and will think of them that way rather than negatively.

What I don't accept is the argument that putting mountain rescuers at risk should be high in the consideration of climbers. Mountain rescue are a cost neccessary to reap the huge benefit of tourism. People on these teams are volunteers who, unlike these 4 people, know exactly how to minimise risks to their own lives and accept the remaining risk as volunteers.

Niall Kell, Dublin,

Appears intelligence occurs in inverse proportion to common sense. Nature does not make allowances for niceness or good character.

Linda, Albany, NY , US

Helen, Beds.

It was more cruel and unhelpful to the rescuers who risked their own lives to try and help these people. The world is in its present state because people don't consider what effect their actions have on others, not because of any lack of sympathy.

Simon, London, UK

>Here in New Zealand, incidents like this are common with tourists or visiting 'mountaineers'

Remember that one of the climbers was a New Zealander also.

>There you go, survival of the fittest. Or in this case...

Be kinder to the dead, they've already paid for their mistakes more than most do. And being this dismissive forgets that the rescuers would have pushed the limits to get as close as they did. Better to focus on what can be learnt from where they went wrong - for example, besides a tent & shovel what clothing were they missing? Were they actually aware of the forecast?

Adrian, Auckland, New Zealand

God rest their souls and our thoughts to their families and friends.

Julie, Sydney,

For many of us, the mistakes we make don't cost our lives and we get second chances. Sadly the mistakes of these four people proved fatal. My hope is that lessons will be learnt and other fatalities prevented because of what has happened. My prayers go out to the families and friends of those who died.

Karen, Wellington, New Zealand

C’est magnifique, mais ce n’est pas la guerre. I don’t know what might be the inverse of that well-known quote, but I reckon it applies here.

Henry Percy, London, UK

no wonder the world in in its present state when anyone can see a picture of bright young people like these and say they have no sympathy for their deaths. It must be very nice to be on such comfortable high moral ground as the commentator from London but it is cruel and unhelpful to the 4 families suffering the shock of the loss of members of their family. Yes, lessons must be learnt - but how tragic that this is the way!

Helen, Beds, England

It is very sad that too often these cases happen in this sport which no doubt is the most fascinating of all. The mountain demands respect and cannot be changelled without the correct preparation and being sure about the weather forecast.
I am anyhow sympathetic to these victims

Roberto Castellano
Honorary Guide of Courmayeur-Mont Blanc

Roberto Castellano, Salsomaggiore, Italy

I lost a dear friend 26 years ago in an avelanche on Mont Blanc, and he was an experienced climber. It happens to the best, but to go up so ill eqipped is downright stupid, so although I am sorry I am not sympathetic.

Odette Nelson, London,

Unbelievable that people so intelligent should act so foolishly, with little regard for the well being of themselves or the rescuers who tried to reach them.
To ignore warnings of bad weather and leave the safety of a hut defies every basic rule of mountain craft, and beggars belief.
Here in New Zealand, incidents like this are common with tourists or visiting 'mountaineers' often dying or needing massive rescue attempts to assist their extraction from danger.
Unfortunate that they have paid for their disregard of natures fikleness with their lives, and more unfortunate that the simple lessons of survival, be prepared...still refuse to be learned.

Steve, ChCh, NZ

There you go, survival of the fittest. Or in this case...

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Kanagawa