Mixed weather meant we had to take it day by day

 

Strange light on the Bossons glacier

Peter Little and I have been climbing together for over 30 years. In that time we have seen every sort of weather. This year was no different. The weather forecast changed every day which made planning a challenge, nevertheless we made the most of it. This is what we did over six days of climbing together.

On our first day we did a climb which did not even exist when Peter and I first started climbing together.

La Via Cordia , high above the middle station of La  Flegere.    It is a ideal first day climb which finishes at the top of the L'Index chairlift.  Plus because the weather was so unpredictable it is a good choice because there are plenty of escape opportunities. Thankfully, the weather held, and we were able to complete the route albeit in rather thick mist.

Final section of La Via Cordia

On our second day we awoke to rain. It was intermittent rain but still rain.  We headed back up this time to try the via ferratta les Evettes.

Final bridge.

On our third day, we again headed up La Flegere and attempt the multi pitch rock climb Athena on the Grand Floria cliff.  All was good and the weather was fine until it was not fine.  The rain came in and we were forced to escape and scuttle off  back to the valley floor.  We identified a gap in the weather, by studying the predictive weather radar.  This allowed us to sneak in the excellent Via Ferratta in Le Buet and stay dry.

The forth day we climbed the Bel Ouseaux which is a strange name for a mountain.  This is high above the Lac du Emossom.  We were accompained not by a guide dog but by a Guide's dog, our Golden Retriever Milo.

Peter & Milo just below the summit

looking towards Aiguille Verde

Post walk ice bath

The fifth day it chucked it down.  We made a futile attempt to out run the rain by visiting some beautiful crags in remote valleys in Switzerland, yet each time we thought we had a chance to start climbing, it started raining again.

Lunch in Switzerland

On our final day all was good.  We drove through the Mt Blanc Tunnel, rode the Skyway cable car and emereged on to the glacier with wonderful views.  Mind you it was cold with a biting wind. 

Thought I'd seen it all: Man drags rolly suitcase across the glacier

Mont Blanc from the summit of Aiguille Marbree

 Everywhere was plastered in a coating of fresh snow which made the scene even more beautiful.  It was also surprisingly quiet as we headed over to climb the Aiguille Marbree.  This would be our second ascent of the mountain.  Peter reliably informing me that our first ascent together was on 1st July 1997!

Never regret getting up early -especially when it comes to alpine climbing.

 Harvey took a job in London that actually ended up being in Paris.  Once he got over the intial shock it turned out to be a good thing.  What's more it's only three hours from Paris to Annecy on the TGV.  Then an hour to Chamonix.

This meant he could easily get his first taste of what alpine climbing is all about over a long weekend.

Our first day was spent on the Mer de Glace, which—despite its steady retreat—remains one of the finest places to learn essential mountaineering skills like using an ice axe and crampons for the first time. These fundamentals are not optional; without solid instruction from the outset, your mountaineering career could be cut short—or worse, built on shaky ground. Good crampon technique isn’t just useful—it’s mission critical.

On our second day we made the traverse of the Aiguille Crochue in the Aiguille Rouge.  This is a wonderful rocky ridge  traverse in a spectacular situation.  

Harvey on Aiguille du Crochue with Mt Blanc in the background

The weather was beautiful, but it was extremely hot and the walk back, after the climb was brutal.  I think I might have even got mild heat stroke.

On our third day we had an early start and we left the Chamonix valley at 5.30hrs so that we could meet our reservation on the Skyway cable car through the tunnel in Courmayeur.  

Although such an early start was not really needed, it was because the only reservation I could get was at that time.  Mind you once you finally step out onto the pristine glacier in the early morning light, you never ever regret getting up early.  We climbed the Aiguille Marbree and then continued along its south ridge. 

Harvey on the summit of the Aiguille Marbree.

 At the end we were meant to rappel from the ridge and down a gulley onto tthe glacier, yet there were parties of incompetents infront of us being slow and dangerous.  The prospect of them kickicking rocks on our heads, made me decide to reverse the ridge and climb down the way we had ascended. This worked well.

Back drop of Dent du Gent

It was then back across the glacier to the lift station.  The early start meant we were back just after mid day, which was a good thing because it was already getting uncomfortably hot.

Training the next generation

 I spent the last six days working on the highly rewarding Jonathan Conville Mountaineering Trust courses.  The details of the courses can be found here .https://www.jcmt.org.uk

The family of Jonathan Conville established the Trust after he died on the Matterhorn in the winter of 1979, aged 27.  

The core aim of the trust is to give young people between the ages of 18 to 30 years the foundation skills to start climbing in the alps independantly of professional Mountain Guides.

The courses are 3 days long. They are all based at Les Choselet campsite in Argentiere.  [This was the favourite place of Jonathan Conville.]

Me and my fellow Guides were Neil Johnson, Caroline Ogden,Casper McKeever, and Dave Ruskin.  We started by checking all  the participants gear and then we showed them what we carried in our rucksacks and what they might consider carrying in theirs .  Or rather what they might think of not carrying.

After which we went to Chamonix and rode the cable car to the top of Le Brevent where there is still a lot of snow, for some basic training plus lots of good rock ridges to introduce the concept of short roping.

The second day we climbed the south ridge of Les Glieres high above La Flegere, where we saw no one else.

South ridge of Les Glieres

On the final day we drove through the Mt Blanc tunnel and traversed the Aiguille du Toule by its mini north face which was in perfect condition.

North Face of Aiguille du Toule

moving towards the summit of Aiguille du Toule with the mighty Verte in the background.