Twenty-five years ago, on December 30, 2000, a violent snowstorm known as 'torb' caught a group of hikers on the Balandrau peak in Girona, resulting in the death of nine people. A friend of three of the victims, who by chance did not accompany them that day, has kept alive the call for a mountain volunteer register to improve rescue protocols.

This witness, now retired, remembered his friends – three of whom died in the incident – by toasting them in a small mountain winery. Most of the bodies were located in early January, but one remained buried under the snow for two months, being found almost three months later thanks to the mobilization of volunteers, firefighters, and hikers.

Since then, he has been a strong advocate for the creation of a body of volunteer mountain guides to assist in rescue operations. Although he does not question the effectiveness of emergency services, he believes that a volunteer team could speed up searches and alleviate the suffering of families.

The film Balandrau, vent salvatge, by Fernando Trullols, reconstructs the tragedy and has been praised for its fidelity to the events. The film focuses on another group of hikers, and the witness appears briefly, shaking hands with the actor playing the fire chief. The actors interviewed the victims' relatives to bring authenticity to their characters.

Despite his efforts and letters sent to various authorities, the creation of this volunteer body has not materialized. Sources from the Interior department argue that, under current guidelines, the proposal is "totally discarded" for safety reasons, allowing access to search areas only to authorized personnel. Nevertheless, the memory of the tragedy and the demand for improvements in high mountain rescues remain relevant.