“You don’t ski with Tof. You try and fail, to keep up with him.” Known in the ski community for choosing the steepest slopes, the legend didn’t start his career as a skier. After several highs and lows, he established himself as the “fastest skier in Chamonix.”

On October 11, 2023, the skiing world received the most tragic news of the year, the passing away of Christophe ‘Tof’ Henry, the greatest Chamonix skiing legend. The 38-year-old was on a mission to adorn his crown with another adventurous glory but didn’t make it till the end. Unfortunately, alongside the Chilean IFMGA mountain guide Juan Senoret, he met an unfortunate fate.

Skiing legend Christophe ‘Tof’ Henry dies in Chile

On Wednesday at the Volcán Puntiagudo in the Chilean Andes, death consumed Henry and his guide, Juan Senoret. They were found on the upper flanks of the 2493-meter volcano in Chile’s Los Lagos region. However, the photographer, Mathurin Vauthier, who tagged along could save his life as he was able to descend the mountain on his own.

Though not many angles have come forward, investigations are still underway. On the north side of the volcano, another member of the group fell off the cliff. Primary reports say, “the two skiers fell from the summit down the line they were planning to ski.” They also added, “Henry and Señoret were skiing together on a steep, exposed line on the north face of Puntiagudo when they fell to their deaths in a no-fall zone.”

According to initial reports, the two were skiing down the mountain’s north face on Wednesday morning when they were hit by an avalanche. Both Señoret and Henry were absolute reference points for mountaineering and extreme skiing, and the news of their deaths has shaken the mountaineering community to its roots. Chamonix, the highest summit in the Alps, at the base of Mont Blanc, is best known for ski sports. However, with Tof gracing the slopes, Chamonix had someone to take pride in. Until the pride didn’t wake up anymore.

Henry and Señoret knew each other well, and they bonded for their mutual love for Patagonia and its wild and authentic mountains. In September 2019 they completed the first ski descent of the breathtakingly beautiful and complex Colmillo Del Diablo; their Psyco Colmillo, described at the time by Henry as “really technical”, stands as a testament to their immense vision and skill.

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Henry Tof began his athletic career as a racer and later transitioned to steep skiing. In 2018, he showcased his skills by successfully ascending and skiing down the North Face of Aiguille de Triolet. Big Mountain skiing had become his forte over the years, and the news of such a tragic accident didn’t sit right with many.

Ski world outpours grief

Christophe Henry, a remarkably gifted freerider hailing from Chamonix, embodied the essence of his sport as a true “star.” He etched his indelible mark on the most challenging slopes of the Mont Blanc massif, constantly pushing the boundaries of what was achievable with his lightning-fast descents, only to venture forth and conquer peaks on a global scale. The ever-changing snow conditions and the slope angles require fine techniques to ski through them. But at times, one misstep, and that’s it.

One of his fellow skiers had penned a heartfelt note as a eulogy to the former legend. He wrote, “I will remember Tof as a very special and great character with a very big heart and probably the fastest steep skier I’ve ever met… with wide and big skis and no jump turns. He hated jump turns steep skiing …” Never willing to betray the mountains for a single minute, Tof once said, “Because I love it! I have to be in the mountains all the time! And I like being scared and pushing myself.”

As more angles unfold through further investigation, the world stands together to serenade Tof’s life victory. He had already etched his name in history and gave people enough reason to get inspired.

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