The day white snow turned black

In 1999 I was on a business trip with my company in Italy, and as most of my colleagues were keen skiers, on their free time, they went skiing in the mountains. As we were on the Italian side of Mont Blanc (Courmayeur), I took the opportunity of taking a cable car up to the top. It was a cold clear day with very little wind and a very blue sky and as I waited for the cable car I noticed there was only 1 other person and a couple.

I remember looking in awe around me at the panoramic view as the cable car slowly made its way up the mountain and even remember humming the song" if my friends could see me now". Suddenly there was a rumbling sound becoming louder and louder and the clear blue sky became darker and darker. The cable car stopped and we were suspended on the side of the mountain. How could a perfect day suddenly change so quickly and for what reason? A million thoughts went round in my mind. The couple and the other lady and myself sharing the cable car exchanged frightened glances, and no one dared to speak. As I spoke French I got up the courage to walk to the beginning of the car which appeared suspended into space and learned that there had been an avalanche. My first thoughts were of my colleagues skiing unsuspectedly on the mountain.

After what seemed to be an interminable wait, the power was restored and the cable car made its way slowly down the mountain slope. As soon as we stopped, my first impulse was to race out of the car and back to the hotel reception to enquire about my colleagues but as the cable car entrance was on a hill, I had to navigate it due to the fact that it was covered with the blackest snow you can imagine, and also the deepest, due to the fact that the avalanche had reached the place where we were.

I looked down the slope to see lots of TV cameras, and activity. I also noticed the numerous cars which were parked near the entrance completely submerged in snow and at that moment wondered whether their occupants would ever return to claim them.

With heavy feet I made it back to the hotel and was very relieved to hear that all my skiing colleagues had been skiing in another place as they had been warned about bad snow conditions, and it seems that I was the one who had not been informed of what could have been and what in fact happened!!!

That evening we all celebrated the fact that we were back safe and sound with a nice Italian Asti Spumenti and the next day returned to work with heavy heads but with much lighter spirits!!!