A mix of big mountains and rock climbing

John Young joined me for his annual summer Alpine climbing fix. There was no plan other than to maintain maximum flexibility and go where the conditions and weather were good at the time. Yet on our first day together this back-fired as no sooner had we got off the Index chair lift at La Flegere it started to bucket it down. Not a great start. Nevertheless we did manage to salvage the day by rock climbing in St Gervais where it remained dry and we able to do some very enjoyable rock climbing which ultimately proved to be a very good preparation for what was to follow. The forecast suggested that the weather would gradually improve so we hatched a plan to go and explore the Zinal Valley and booked ourselves into the Moiry Hut. Although the weather was due to improve it was not doing that when we arrived at the road head. It was raining hard and thumping off the windscreen. We sat in the car waiting for it to stop,it was like sitting inside a drum. Yet it did stop [sort of] raining and then we headed up to the hut between bursts of rain.

The hut didn't provide the best nights sleep either of us have ever had. It is of a modern "eco" design which as far as I could ascertain meant it tries to store all the heat within. In other-words you cant open the windows and so you basically suffocate and stew in your bed. Morning couldn't come soon enough. Any way, the plan for us was the traverse of the Aiguilles de la Lé.

The guide book describes the route as a "minor classic"

A minor classic it may be but it seemed like a very big undertaking to us. A fabulous route where despite it being the height of the alpine climbing season , we saw no one. Aesthetics are everything . It was an exceptional day. Then it was back to Chamonix for some rock climbing close to the Brevent . We choose the very good 10 pitch route "Hotel Calafornia." [I'm not sure what the back story is to why the route has such a name.]

By the Friday the weather forecast was looking unsettled and so we decided to venture further afield for the day in an attempt to climb in better weather. We climbed the Arete Marion high above the Col des Aravis. We made the journey in a 39 year old MG Midget which didn't have a fully functioning roof.

The route was fantastic yet we were very lucky to finish the route before the heavens opened and we were subjected to a classic summer drenching on the way back down. We arrived at the col where we left the car soaked but contented. The no roof on the car issue meant it was important to drive home at speed so that he rain [in theory] passed over our heads. After a couple of days rest , we headed back to Switzerland , in fact back up the Zinal Valley but this time up to the Tracuit Hut. Our intention was to climb the Bishorn 4153 meters. The walk to the Tracuit Hut was knocked off in 3.15 minutes, which we were happy with because we had been expecting it to take upwards of 4 hours. This was another "eco" hut however this time the architect and clearly thought that it would be good if the occupants could at least breath. They had considerately designed it with opening windows. It was a pre-dawn start and there was no moon. Finding the route across the dry glacier was difficult because there was no track to follow. [Or at least no track I could find.] Once we got to the glacier snow , we stumbled across the track and progress was a lot more straight forward.

It was then back down the same way. At first the soft snow helped the descent, then the hard glacier ice took its toll on our knees , but this was nothing to the path below the hut . Its gradient was designed to torture the knees. It was steeply sloped but with no steps. This meant that our toes were constantly being rammed into the front of our boots. It was so tedious that the descent took exactly as long as yesterdays ascent. 3 hours 15 minutes. Highly unusual for a path which is meant to be simple. Not surprisingly after 2550 vertical meters of descent on a path which had been sculptured by a bunch of idiots the beer at least was well received. We decided we needed a "rest day" [well to rest the knees anyway] We elected to climb the iconic Frisson Roche route on the East face of Le Brevent. The route was named after Frison Roche the writer who's most famous book Premier Cordée is a classic of French Mountain Literature. He was also a Chamonix Mountain Guide. It is a truly great rock climb. So much to say that if you were only able to climb one rock climb in the Chamonix valley this might be the one.

On our final together day we tried La Flegere again this time the weather was good and because the Brevent Cable car was broken [again] there were lots of people all fighting to get up the lift. We decided to walk a little further than everyone else and were rewarded by finding the route on pointe Gaspard very quiet. An absolutely fantastic climb to finish with.

A complete photo record of the trip can be found by copying this link https://www.flickr.com/photos/114992191@N02/albums/72157698663239351/page1/

First time in Chamonix. An Introduction to Alpimism.

Nivedita Dige was very curious to find out a bit about what it was like to climb in the Alps. She got in touch and we arranged to spend five days together. We started on Monday 6th August by heading up the Grands Montets cable car in Argentiere. We spent the morning learning how to use crampons and the ice axe in an alpine context. In the afternoon we climbed the Aiguille du Grand Montets 3295 meters by its short but spectacular east ridge.

Tuesday. The plan was to make a traverse of the famous ridge above La Flegere "The traverse of the Crochue." Yet not for the first time this summer , the cable car was broken. Luckily I had a plan B and we drove around and up to the Emossen Dam in Switzerland. We climbed the impossible looking [Nive said ] Aiguille du Van. After-which we took a very refreshing dip in the lake.

Wednesday: We arrived at the Aiguille du Midi to be greeted by an big queue despite it only being 7.30hrs. Yet with a bit of inside knowledge we manged to get on the next cable car and saved a huge chunk of time. We climbed the Point Lachenal.3613 meters This should have been a short simple climb on snow in beautiful surroundings. While it was indeed beautiful , it was not simple because all the snow had melted and instead we had to climb a steep icy slope to reach the summit. Getting back down was a very solid introduction to some of the challenges of climbing in the Alps...

Thursday. The day started according to plan: I picked Nive up from her hotel and we drove through the Mt Blanc tunnel and then rode the Helbronner [Skyway Cable car] to its summit. The contrast to yesterday's cable car couldn't have been more stark. There was no queue , the staff were pleasant, it was super modern and clean AND the lift ticket was cheaper. We started across the glacier and headed in the direction of our intended summit the Aiguille du Marbrées.3535meters. There was a bit of mist swirling about but otherwise the conditions were very good. There were other parties climbing the same route as us, but Nive and I were moving much more efficiently than the other groups and we passed everyone else. At one stage we came across a Guide and his client. The client was sitting on the rock looking glum. Her Guide said she had had enough and they would be turning around and going back down the ridge. Not thinking too much about this we carried on.

We arrived on the very small and spectacular summit, the only down side was that the misted had socked in and we didn't get the view.

It was on the way down the ridge that we both heard this almighty blood curdling scream. Neither Nive and I knew what it was. It didnt even sound like it was a human cry. Eventually we got back down off the ridge to where the rock meets the snow of the glacier. There were lots of people sitting around. It appeared there had been some kind on accident. What had seemingly happened was the Guide with the glum client whom we had passed ealier in the day , had decided that she could not possibly retrace her steps. Therefore the Guide had elected to lower her off the side of the ridge down to the snow onto the glacier. While this was happening she had some how dislodged a rock which had hit her causing her to let out the aforementioned scream. A local French Guide had called the Mountain Rescue [PGHM ] who duly dispatched a Helicopter. Hence everyone was waiting to see what transpired when the helicopter arrived. Yet as mentioned there was no visibility and the helicopter was obliged to land below the cloud base and drop two Gendarmes [and a stretcher] who then had to flog up hill to find the casualty. All this was taking a lot of time. I couldn't actually see any of this drama unfolding because of the swirling mist although it was only about 50 meters away. It was during this time that the glum screaming women actuality decided that she wasn't in fact hurt and would be just fine to walk across the glacier and back to the cable car station. This is just as the Gendarmes arrived with their stretcher... Meanwhile the weather had gotten worse and the helicopter pilot decided that he couldn't hang around and cleared off leaving the two Gendarmes to make their own way back down to Courmayeur and then back through the tunnel to their base in Chamonix. I gave them a lift home and we shoved the stretcher in the back of the Land Rover. Friday. The weather was not being cooperative which reduced our options. Nive decided that what she really wanted to do was get as much time on crampons as possible and so we headed for the Mer de Glacé, where we could do some ice climbing.

Mt Blanc 4810m : Twice in Three days.

Last week I climbed Mt Blanc on the Monday and then again on the Thursday. Conditions and the weather were absolutely perfect. What was not quite so perfect is the state of the booking system for the Huts on Mt Blanc. It is now impossible to get a reservation in the Gouter Hut and so we were left with climbing from the Tete Rousse Hut which means you have a 1700 meter height gain to reach Mt Blanc's summit. But it is what it is. We were a group of five. Pascal Gillioz a Guide from Verbier with his two clients Dan and Marius and me with my client Steve. Breakfast was at 1.30am. We were on our way at 2.20am. We crossed the Gouter Couloir after about 45 minutes with no issues and then plodded up the rocky ridge to the old Gouter Hut. I felt quite nostalgic to pass by it. I calculated that I had spent over 200 nights in it over the last 25 years. Next we continued to the Dome de Gouter as the sun rose over Mt Maudit. Quite magical:

Just below the Gouter we stopped to put some extra clothes on because it was now cold and windy. At the Vallot hut Steve was having doubts about his ability to make it. A bit of a pep talk and I announced that I had never failed to climb Mt Blanc with anyone , once we were above the Vallot emergency refuge. 4300m. I was not going to have my record threatened. In just under two hours from the Vallot we arrived on the summit of Mt Blanc. Monday 8.00am. It is often said Guides are in the "dream fulfillment industry" and so it was.

I had a rest on Tuesday and then it was time to deal with Florence.

For any unsuspecting Guide- a terrifying prospect. We had previously enjoyed some training climbs together, then she decided that she was going to further train by running up and down the steps at the top of the Grands Montets cable car at 3200m. She reported that she had done this six times! Then she had the idea of entering the Vertical Kilometer race. "The K1" in Les Arc. I asked her how she got on? "I won it." she said. So we were on . All we needed was a hut reservation. No chance in the Gouter. it was full and there was a waiting list of 30. Same in the Tete Rousse. We needed to look at the traverse route. Florence was at school with the daughter of the guardian of the Cosmiques hut. She sweet talked us a couple of beds. Our neighbour works for the Aiguille du Midi. Florence got us VIP passes to walk straight onto the cable car.

An hour from leaving Chamonix we were ensconced in our private bedroom at the Cosmiques Hut 3016m.

Florence looks at the view from her bunk bed

Florence is a vegetarian. Fortunately I am not.

Breakfast was at 1.00am. Always a grim time.

We were on our way by 1.40am. Miss Motivated chomping at the bit dragging me across the glacier to the Col du Midi. It was not long before we had to climb a ladder which only just spanned the crevasse.

Next it was over the shoulder of Mont Blanc du Tacul and the downward traverse to then back up to the shoulder of Mt Maudit. Climbing up and over the key passage around Mt Maudit was okay but it was icy. We stopped to layer up. It was very cold and windy. Nor was it straight forward with another steep slope to be negotiated

Then with the difficulties behind us at 7.00am we arrived on the summit.

Father& Daughter summit of Mt Blanc 4810m

We spent about 10 minutes on the summit. Then it was back down the same way. It was good to see where we had come, although there seemed to be a lot blood spread over the ice...

Florence was keen not to hang about and therefore we were back down in Chamonix for lunch. Not for the first time, Florence had a Party to attend in the evening!

Perfect weather and conditions for the start of summer 2018 climbing season

Steven Kellock flew in from Montreal. After on night in Chamonix , the next night was in the refugio Mantova 3500m high above Gressoney Italy. In other words straight into the alpine climbing experience. We were keen to maximize the great weather forecast especially becaue the last time Stephen and I climbed together [2016] the weather had been, at best , mixed and we had not really been able to get into the really high mountains. This was one of the reasons I had chosen to take Stephen to the Monte Rosa region: The largest part of western Europe which is over 4000 meters. After some preparatory hikes around the glacier [where we hit the 4000 meter mark] we headed to the Refugio Gniffeti 3600m just as the beer supply arrived by helicopter.

We spent a couple of nights here climbing Pyramid Vincent 4212 ,the Balenhorn 4167m, and the Ludwigshohe 4343m.

Despite it being a fantastic trip , unfortunately Stephen picked up a nasty blister on the heel of his foot. The blister severly restricted what we could do. So instead of climbing routes with long approaches we opted for routes with shot approaches but spectaucular situations. Chamonix is one of the best places in the world to do this. We climbed the Clocher -Clochotons high above Le Brevent

It was so good that we returned the next day for some more rock climbing in an amazingly remote location.

We mixed it up a bit and Stepehen experinced his first Via Ferratta the Via des Evettes at La Flegere. The final bridge must have a back drop as fine as any in the world.

The Pallavicini Couloir Austria's most famous alpine climb?

The conversation went something like this : "You have the old map the glacier doesn't look like this any longer." said the Austrian path builder/restorer. " We only just bought it." I replied "Well the glacier is melting so fast that the routes are changing each year . The only way you are going to cross the glacier on your present route is if you swim." said the Austrian path builder/restorer as his pal grinned in agreement. He pointed into the rain and the billowing mist. "The new path is way back down there." He said. This was not an auspicious start for our attempt on what is the "jewel in the crown" of Austrian alpinism. The Pallavicini Couloir which leads directly to the col between the kleiner Glockner and the Grossglockner - Austria's highest and most famous mountain. After "warming up" by climbing the north face of the Hochfeiler in the Zillertall , we had driven across Austria and over the spectacular Glockner pass to the starting point for our route: A giant multi-storey car par which would have made any city center proud. The Franz-Josefs-Haus is perched high above what "use to be" the mighty Pasterze glacier 2370m. Defiantly Europe's highest and most incongruous car park. If we had been standing in the same spot way before the invention of the motor-car AND the weather hadn't been quite as miserable as it presently was this is what we might have seen. A photo of a painting taken from the Ripa Messner Museum:

The current challenge for Charles and I was that the weather was not being co-operative. The one good day of our remaining time together was tomorrow. The present day was miserable. It was cloudy and drizzling. We had decided that if we were going to stand any chance of climbing the route , then we needed to get to the bivouac hut today in order to take advantage of tomorrows good weather. To get to the place where the "we are lost" conversation had taken place was tedious. We left the car park and then walked down a track for about 300 meters. Each step down was in effect a reminder of how much of the glacier had retreated. It was misty and raining lightly. We trudged along a path looking for the point where we needed to cross the glacier. Instead we were met with a raging torrent that cut through what was the remains of the glacier. It was impassible. We could not see much either and this is the point where we bumped into the Path builder/ restorers. To their credit they were very helpful and they did help us get on the right track across the moraine. The problem was the weather was miserable and navigating across this uninspiring landscape was going to be difficult. We sat on a rock and munched on our sandwiches deciding if we should give up. This took a lot of discussion . I reasoned that once we were across the glacier and established on the route to the bivouac hut the route on the map would be correct because if the path was not on the glacier it would not have moved. Plus it was possible to download a weather forecast to my I phone which suggested that the weather might clear a bit in the afternoon. We decided to carry on. The weather did clear but only long enough to welcome in an afternoon storm that was not predicted. The storm drenched us yet fortunately there was no thunder and lightening mixed in with it. We marched up steep snow and then onto the ridge which supports the bivouac hut. At the designated height we thought we should be able to see the hut. Yet we could not even see our hands in front of our face . We really needed to find the hut and escape out of the rain. Trying to find a grey tin box beautifully camouflaged by matching grey mist was a challenge. Suddenly Charles shouted that he had seen something that might be the hut about 20 meters below us. [Something he had done several times already.] This time he was right. We were safe.

Mind you it was not much bigger than a big tin can. Yet as the saying goes : "Any Port in a storm": Still it was "Ours" the only benefit of arriving in shit weather.

We sorted our selves out and collected some snow to melt for some Tea. It had taken us around nine hours to get here not withstanding all the earlier dithering. What we would end up doing tomorrow was another question as the weather had not cleared. It needed to clear so that the snow and ice might stand some chance of freezing. We agreed to set the alarm for 2.00am. We would get up and have a look. We turned in at about 8.00pm. I was not optimistic. At about 9.00pm I was convinced I could hear voices , but just assumed I was hallucinating and finding it difficult to get to sleep. I drifted off to sleep only to be rudely awakened by someone banging on the hut door at 9.30pm. I couldn't believe it but two Austrian climbers had turned up with the intention of attempting the same route as us. After the initial hassle of having to accommodate " Our guests" we realized that the two Austrians had at least legitimized our decision to try the climb. Or more likely, they were just as nuts as Charles and myself. The alarm was brutal. I wrestled with the tin hut door and it flew open revealing something I had not seen so far : A view. The first view of anything meaningful in a few days. We were on . We drank a pint of tea each and forced down some " Builder Bars" and we were off across the glacier to the foot of the couloir. Conditions underfoot were not the best because the snow had hardly frozen. The snow would almost support your weight but once you committed to the step you would inevitably sink up to your knees. Still it was doable. The approach is meant to take half an hour. It took us an hour. The Austrians caught us up primarily because they used our foot steps instead of making their own. We crossed the Rimaye and established our selves in the couloir proper. The conditions were suddenly excellent . Good solid neve which allowed us to move together without pitching the route. We made rapid rythmical progress gaining height quickly. While all this was happening the sun had appeared and it rather unhelpfully started to melt the snow at the top of the couloir. Big lumps of ice started to pepper us , sometimes bouncing off our helemets, some times zooming past like bullets. After about two and a half hours I spotted the summit cross on the top off the Grossglockner. I was suckered into assuming that it was not too far away as long as the couloir continued in the same vain. Yet off course it did not. The ground steepened up significantly and then the snow vanished to leave a section of lose serious rock climbing. The sort of rock climbing where each potential hold became a deadly hand held missile. A missile that threatened everyone below me. It was serious ground. This difficult climbing lasted about a 100 meters and then fortunately the angle eased and there was more snow. The snow lead to the breche between the two summits.

Fifteen minutes later we were at the cross . We had climbed the Pallavicini Couloir and were now at the highest point in Austria. It would be another long six hours before we were back at the car.

North Face of the Hochfeiler 3509m

What were once classic snow and ice routes which were traditionally climbed in the summer are now routes that can only feasibly be climbed in the spring because it is just too hot in the summer. Recently there has been a new guide book published dedicated to the alps classic snow and ice routes in which it recommends that they are attempted in the spring. In many cases the book also suggests skis are useful for the approach and the descent , at the time of year when the routes will be in condition. With this in mind Charles Sherwood and I headed for Austria to attempt a couple of Austria's famous ice climbs. We decided to start with the north face of the Hochfeiler, the classic route of the Zillertal alps. With the car loaded up with every conceivable bit of kit from skis to full bivouac equipment we left Chamonix and headed through the Mt Blanc tunnel aiming to circumnavigate the alps by passing south of them. It was only when we saw the signs for the outskirts of Venice that we clocked we had missed the turning for Verona and the Brenner Pass. Eventually we got back on track and found our way in to the remote Val di Vizze where you are actually in Italy , but everything is Austrian in out look. All the people are much more comfortable speaking German than Italian and the whole area is rather confusing. Fundamentally the area is the South Tyrol and independent area inside Italy. They do seem to have some issues which they are not shy at voicing:

It being May and therefore out of season , everything was looking ominously shut and so it was with some relief that we found a delightful hotel that was open and they could feed us. We stayed at the Pfitscherhof Albergo [or Gasthof].

Once we were checked in we decided we should do some preliminary scouting of the road to the head of the valley. We duly drove up the road which suddenly turned from tarmac to dirt. Eventually at about an altitude of 2000 meters it was blocked by snow. The up shot of this was that I was required to make a "three-point turn" on a crumbling narrow track which would have been an ideal platform to execute a BASE Jump into the void below. Nevertheless our pre dinner excursion had revealed the sign to the bivouac hut - a easy two and a half hours walk. Something to look forward tomorrow.

We decided to take skis because after all we could easily lug them up to the hut because it was only 2 hours 10 minutes. After walking for 2 hours 10 minutes there was no sign of the hut. It was only after about fives hours that we collapsed outside the "Gunther Messner Biwak Hut."

Still we were here now and the bivouac hut was clean and would be very comfortable for the two of us. We sat around , drank some tea and soaked up the beautiful surroundings. By bed time there were about 20 people attempting to squeeze into the seven free beds. Needless to say some of the people slept outside. Fortunately breakfast was at 3.00am and we were a way soon after. At least our decision to bring skis was not as strange as we had feared the previous day when we were stomping through cow- packs. All the local teams were on skis [apart from a sad snow boarder]. We put the skis on about 100 meters from the Hut and climbed up to the col which is also the Austrian border. We then had to strap the skis on our rucksacks put crampons on and then loose all the height we had just gained as we descended a steep gulley. At its foot we then reverted back to skinning . This was laborious as we had to negotiate a couple of kilometers of frozen avalanche debris. Then over another tricky col.

Not before time we arrived at the foot of the face. It had taken four hours. We once again strapped the skis to our rucksacks and fixed crampons on, roped up and started the climb up the north face. I have to say this was the easiest north face I think I have ever climbed. It was in perfect condition and the groups in front of us had provided a stair case of bucket steps. We climbed the actual face in about an hour. Fifteen minutes later after climbing a delightful summit ridge we were on the summit of the Hochfeiler. The weather and view was very good. In front of us on the opposite side of the valley was the peak called the Gross Moseler. I first climbed this when I was 16. At 17 I climbed its north face. An Ice climb that is no longer exists. I peered down the normal route . The skiing looked fantastic. Perfect spring snow. The only slight glitch was the 50/55 degree slope which gave assess to the fantastic skiing. Although intimidating the run out looked survivable and so we elected to ski it.

The skis had undoubtedly been useful for the ascent , but the descent looked mouth watering. The guide book suggested that with enough snow it was possible to ski down to around 2000m. Giving only an hours walk to the road head. There was enough snow and the spring snow gave us perfect, skiing. Yet it would have helped if I had read the next paragraph more carefully , because the guide book went on to say that if you choose this option you will end up at the foot of an impassible gorge. [Why mention it as an option when it is anything but?] The only escape will be to walk back up the hill side to find the path. This proved to be an unwelcome 300m slog , especially up near vertical grass and searing heat all while carrying skis. Yet we did reach the path. By the time we got back to the car we had been on the go for 12 hours. We returned to the delightful Pfitscherhof Gastof where the beer was very welcome and we could discuss the next part of our Austrian Odyssey.