Former Beaulieu and St George’s student Sarah Ball was climbing at around 6,000 feet on the frozen Acheronte waterfall near Cogne when the tragedy happened on Saturday 21 January.
The 33-year-old – a highly experienced and qualified mountaineer – was climbing with Peter Hussey (46) in a party of six from the Mountaineering Club of Great Britain when the pair, who were roped together, fell.
Both died on the mountainside.
Sheila Le Ruane, a relative living in Rue de la Haule, said: ‘Sarah was an intrepid sportswoman, a leader, whose courage and sense of adventure was an inspiration to others.
She will be missed and remembered by her family and friends for her exuberance and love of life.’ Miss Ball grew up in the Island.
Her parents, Christine and Alan, owned the Sylvania Hotel at Bel Royal but returned to England in 1983.
Miss Ball also moved to the UK and later followed her love of the outdoors and was living in Cumbria and working as an instructor at Brathay, an outward bound activity centre, when she died.
