The High Mountain Military Group (French: Groupe Militaire de Haute Montagne, GMHM) is composed of ten men. It represents. It constitutes the leading team for mountaineering and long-distance expeditions of the French Army.[1]
| High Mountain Military Group | |
|---|---|
| Groupe Militaire de Haute Montagne | |
 Logo of the website of the GMHM. | |
| Active | 1976–present |
| Country |  France |
| Branch | .svg){kind=small} French Army |
| Type | Mountain and Cold-weather warfare experts. |
| Role | international prestige, formation, experimentation |
| Size | 10 |
| Part of | 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade, High Mountain Military School |
| Garrison/HQ | Chamonix |
| Nickname(s) | Le Groupe |
| Colors | White, red and blue |
| Website | https://www.gmhm.fr/ |
The mission of the group is responsible for research and experimentation in controlling extreme physical and climatic conditions. It also participates in training of the mountain units and represent the french mountain units abroad.[2]
They collaborate with various brands to make better equipment for the army.[3][4]
History
edit
The French Armed Forces are pioneer in the domain of exploration and adventure, especially in mountain area. The captain Clerc of the 159th battalion of alpine infantry, in Briançon introduced the practice of skiing in the army in 1902 by creating the first french ski school. Later, in 1932, the High Mountain Military School[5] was founded in Chamonix, it was the first national school to provide mountaineering education.[6]
In the 1970s, the general Laurens, commander of the new 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade decided to create a small military unit of mountaineering experts capable of competing with the bests in order to realize great mountaineering missions on mountain ranges around the world. He gave this mission to the captain Jean Claude Marmier.[6]
The selection of the first men to join the unit took place in September 1976, its number of members is fixed to ten.[6]
1976-1981 : training in the Alps
editDuring the period, the group traveled the Alps to perfect the basic skills of a mountaineer. Nothing was, left to chance as versatile and efficient mountaineers where needed.[6]
1981-1986 : first distant expeditions
editThe group already performed an expedition in Greenland in 1978[7] but the period of exploration outside of the Alps really started in 1981 with the ascension of the Tibetan side of the Everest, this expedition failed although they reached 8400 m. The following years, they accomplish many successes, in the Baffin Island, the Thalay Sagar, in Alaska, on the Kamet and on the south face of the Gyachung Kang.[6]
1986-1993 : experimentation of the third dimension
editIn 1986, Jean Claude Marmier leaves the command of the Group to take the command of the High Mountain Group and later of the presidency French Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing. He is replaced by the captain Alain Estève who was one of the first members of the group. With his lead, the GMHM experiments paragliding, hang gliding and free fall. In 1984, the group realized its first eight-thousander with the ascension of the Lhotse. In 1992, they broke the world speed record for the ascend of the Aconcagua.[6]
1993-1999 : The three poles challenge
edit
In 1993, after ascending the Everest, Alain Estève decided to continue with the exploration of the North and South poles.[8] In 1996, they reached the North Pole after 970 kilometres (600 mi) in complete autonomy and the South Pole has been reached and the Three Poles Challenge completed in 1999 after a raid of 1,350 kilometres (840 mi) without th commandant Estève who was victim of a fatal fall in Norway in 1997.[6]
2000-2004 : the return to the mountains
editIn 2001, they opened a way in the Baffin island on a peak named after Alain Estève. They achieved the 2nd ascension of the Mont Ross in the Kerguelen Islands, 25 yearsafter the first ascension by the French Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing.[6]
In 2002, the Group made several openings in the massif of Garhwal in India (Arwa Tower, Arwa Spire, Arwa Crest) and the Minya Konka in China. In 2003, an accident causes the death of captain Choudens and lieutenant Renard on the Shishapangma.[6]
2005-2010 : The seven continents challenge
editThe new objective of the group is to represent the seven kind of modern alpinism all around the world. As a part of this project, they went to Mali in January 2005 to open seven ways of free climbing on the Hand of Fatima and the Mount Hombori, then in Chilean Patagonia the group opened a mixed climbing way on the Hombro-Norte.[9]
2011 : Sur le fil de Darwin
edit
In October 2011, six members of the group became the firsts to cross the 180 kilometres (110 mi) of the Cordillera Darwin and in 29 days.[10][11][12]
2012 : Kamet
editSix month after returning from the Cordillera Darwin, they returned to the Kamet with 4 alpinists. The group had already opened a way there with Jean-Claude Marmier. The new way, « Spicy game », is a success and the subject of a Piolets d'Or.[13][6]
2013-2014 : Shishapangma
editIn 2013 The groups returns to the Shishapangma, scene of a disaster that shook the group ten years earlier. That year, bad weather and differences in motivation within the team force the group to retreat. The next spring they return to this mountain and ascend successfully the south face of the Kamet.[14]
2015 : Annapurna
editIn 2015, the group decided to ascend the Annapurna, but after a long and intense training, bad weather blocks them from ascending.[6]
References
edit- ^ "GROUPE MILITAIRE DE HAUTE MONTAGNE". alpinemag.fr (in French). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "Groupe militaire de haute-montagne". reserviste-montagne.com (in French). Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Innovations". gmhm.fr (in French). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "Groupe Militaire de Haute Montagne (High Mountain Military Group)". millet.com. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "École militaire de haute montagne". Ministère des Armées (in French). 6 September 2019. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "30 ans d'expéditions". gmhm.fr (in French). 23 April 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "L'aventure polaire du Groupe Militaire de Haute Montagne". Transpol'air (in French). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "Le Groupe militaire de haute montagne (GMHM)". Inflexion (in French). 2006. pp. 27–31. ISBN 9782110061386.
- ^ "Alpinisme: les 7 défis du "commando des cimes"". La Dépêche (in French). 31 December 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Filleux, Patrick (9 October 2011). "Exploit du GMHM au Chili: "Nous avons toujours été sur le fil de Darwin"". L'Express (in French). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Henry, Samuel (5 October 2011). "Darwin Cordillera: French mountaineers become first to cross Chilean range in historic climb". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "A travers la cordillère de Darwin". revue-boutsdumonde.com (in French). Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Le Groupe Militaire de Haute Montagne (GMHM) remporte un Piolet d'or pour l'ascension du Kamet !". www.garmin.com (in French). 31 May 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Grassaud, Franck (16 March 2014). "Himalaya. Le Shishapangma gravi par la face Sud par le Groupe Militaire de Haute Montagne de Chamonix". France 3 Régions (in French). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
