The Wild Hunt of the High Peaks

The Wild Hunt rides throughout European folklore, but in the Alps it takes on characteristics unique to the vertical world. Here the Hunt doesn't merely ride across the sky but plunges down couloirs, races across glaciers, and corners its prey against unclimbable faces.

The Gathering of the Lost

The Alpine Wild Hunt serves a specific purpose: gathering the souls of those who die in the mountains. Bodies may be recovered or remain hidden in crevasses, but the souls must be collected lest they become: - False summit registers that lead climbers astray - Phantom rappel anchors that fail under weight - Voices calling for help from impossible locations - Lights on peaks where no human camps

The Hunt rides strongest after avalanches or climbing accidents, led by the Roi des Aiguilles (King of the Needles), sometimes identified with failed first ascensionists who know every route that leads to death.

Protection from the Hunt

Mountain dwellers developed specific protections: - Church bells rung during storms confuse the Hunt's direction - Iron pitons blessed on Saint Bernard's day repel Hunt members - Refusing to climb on certain days (varying by valley) when the Hunt has priority - Never pursuing summit attempts when the Hunt's horns sound (mistaken for wind)

Modern alpinists might scoff, but mountain rescue teams report patterns: certain days see inexplicable clusters of accidents, experienced climbers make rookie mistakes, and the mountains seem actively hostile. The old-timers nod knowingly—the Hunt rides, and wise climbers stay low.