Switzerlands Regal Peaks

Some peaks stand head and shoulders above others in terms of thier aesthetic presense and Liskamm is one of them. Peter Little and I were lucky enough to do the complete traverse between the west and east summits in perfect conditions. Prior to that we had our usual mix of new routes and solitude and of course a little [mechanical] mis adventure.

That Looks Really Really Scary

So our plan was to get some acclimatiastion so that we could possibly have a go at Mt Blanc at the end of the week. In an attempt not to the normal Mt Blanc acclimatisation thing of following eeveryone else around a limited amount of crowded mountain huts, Reuben and I headed for Saas Grund where we could gain some acclimatiation on the world's scariest Via Ferratta on the Jagihorn. It is scary because it crosses a thin cable between twin peaks a couple of thousand meters above the ground.
The next day we climbed the Weimesses with perfect snow conditions but a strong cold wind.
We returned to Chamonix where we were faced with a detiorating weather forecast. We brought our attempt on Mt Blanc forward a day in an attempt to beat the weather. Instead of going via the Gouter Hut we went up to the Cosmique Hut. Our intention was to climb Mt Blanc via the traverse.
We breakfasted at 1.00am and set off up Mt Blanc du Tacul at 2.00am. We made very good progress but at the shoulder of Mt Maudit the wind was too strong and reluctantly turned back. Better safe than sorry.

The Old Man Of Hoy

Rock climbs do not come better than the Iconic Old Man Of Hoy. We did a warm up on the Old Man of Stoer [In the pouring rain] and the Peter Folkman Charles Sherwood and I climbed the Old Man Of Hoy Last Friday. Click on the title to see all the photos

Training for Alpine Climbing

Anders Sandholm, Martin Hutle and Giles Monnickendam joined me for a week with the brief to learn as much as possible about alpine climbing so they could go off and do it by them selves. We spent the first day on the Mer de Glace learning everything there is to mo know about ice climbing. We then spent the next day learning about climbing snow - snow belays and Ice axe arrest.
On our third day we attempetd to climb the Aiguille de Marbre but were thwarted by too much deep snow. On our fourth day we did the traverses of the aiguille du Crochues and on the fifth we climbed the Cosmique arrete on the Aiguille du Midi in perfect weather but we got caught in a que of Italians who had no idea about anything other than talking a lot.

Mark the Mountain Guide on youtube

Anyone who wants to see sneak preview of the book can go to the link to view it by clicking on the title Mark the Mountain Guide on youtube.

The Haute Route

The unstable April weather stopped and we got a week of perfect weather and exceptional snow. August and Turi and Valdi managed to go from Chamonix to Zermatt by the most pure version of the Haute Route. This meant that we avoided the inevitable road break between Champex and Bourg St Pierre by going via La Fouly and then then the Grand St Bernard Monastery.
Day 1 Les Grand Montets to Saleina Hut
Day 2 To La Fouly. We started at 5.00am to stay safe and get good snow
Day 3 To Gd St Bernard. Again super early start to avoid avalanche risk.
Day 4 Velan Hut
Day 5 To Chanrion Hut. Very big day. Big climb and a perfect ski descent
Day 6 To Vignettes Hut. Glacier Ottema . long plod
Day 7 Zermatt. quick celebratory beer then 17 minute helicopter flight back to Chamonix.

Max's First Ski Tour

The Chamonix lift system confused its self. They announced at La Flegere they were going to close for the end of the season. They then changed their minds and re opened because there was so much snow. However they forgot to tell anyone. This was good for Max and I because we could go and do the Col Crochue Berard ski tour and enjoy very good conditions and solitude.

Is this the best all terrain skier ever?

Well this guy Hannes Margrditer is an Austrian Ski Instructor who came heliskiing with me and I have never seen anyone ski better.
Kevin O'sullivan Andy Small Shane Cliff and Hannes managed to do two heli drops on the Plateau du Trient. Apart from one rather breakable crust momment we had good spring snow conditions. On the Sunday we got dropped on the Petit Combin. To start with we had okay snow then we had really crap snow and then we had really good perfect spring snow and skied all the way to the valley.
On Monday the weather was not good enough to fly so we skied at Les Grands Montets. The boys were shocked at how old battered tattered and closed the lifts were. Never the less despite the best efforts of the lift company to ruin a days skiing we had a very good time.

Super Mums

Alison Smith Katy Ferguson and Emma Greenaway, carved out some time away from children to go heliskiing, ski touring and a night in a refuge. They also got an adventure because neither plan A nor plan B worked. Plan A failed due to bad weather, plan B failed because we could not climb over the icey coll. Plan C went like this. We took a helicopter to the Petit Combin attempted to traverse the col du Meitin but turned back and spent a very pleasant wine filled night at the Cabin Passoniere. Next day we traversed a steep col and skied down under the north face of the Petit Combin and skied into the Brunet Hut for morning coffee before skiing perfect spring snow back to the valley.

April Showers and April Snow

I spent the last week in Verbier with Fiona and Reuben Berg. Apart from one day it snowed at some point every day without any wind so the snow conditions were very good.
One day was particuarly memorable at Les Savoleyres. We skied off the back of the resort and then found our way back to the piste via a tunnel which conviently lead us through the mountain.

Plenty of Up Hill but it was worth it

The early April weather is proving to be April shower like. It is unstable but has produced some great snow conditions. Tom Lyster Natham Ball and Phil Taylor and I managed to take full advantage. On our first day we skinned up to the col du Belvedere in poor weather. Despite this we still had very good snow for the descent. Next we climbed up behind Le Tour and skied down to Trient. We saw no one. On Our third day we climbed up to the col du Floria in clear weather. From my point of view I skied the best pitch of snow all season with perfect turn after perfect turn.
Finally we attempted to climb the Bel Oiseau above Finhault. After 3 hours and 1200 meters of climbing we decided to stop at the col and not go to the summit because it was just too hot and we were concerned about the avalanche risk. In stead we decided to make sure we would have some good skiing, which we did.

Good Snow no people

Easter is traditionally when your average skier cans the season and the resort quietens down. Normally the best snow of the season arrives and we have the best off piste skiing. Even Les Grands Montets is good because you can actually get up the cable car without getting in a fight. Robin and Elizabeth Tarling and I had four very good days. We skied off piste at Le Tour. We went to Les Contamines and skinned up to the col du Fenetre. We then skied at Les Grands montets in poor weather but great snow. On Our final day we skied Grands Montets in good weather and good snow.

View from the bathroom window

So this was the picture this morning.

New webcam at the Seaton house.

Webcam

So there is now a web cam pointing at the Aiguille du Midi from our Chalet

Big Spring Snow

A couple of days ago we had grass growing in the garden. Now it is minus ten and we have big snow.

Big Change.Winter is back.

Winter is back. The snow has been good high up and on Good Friday Andrew Montgomery and I did the Crochue Berard traverse. The ski down to Le Buet was perfect. Then it snowed. It started at 6.30 am and did not stop until the next day. 60cm in the garden. On Saturday everything was closed in Chamonix so we went to St Gervais where we had a very good day's skiing through the trees.
On Sunday we tried something different where we drove the Land Rover up a track [with chains on all wheels.] We then started skining up to the Chalet de Mayers high above Sallanches.

Falling in streams and lots of Mud

You know you have had a good days skiing when you have fallen in a river and have mud all over your kit. Fiona and Reuben and I skied all over the place. On our first day we skied at Grands Montets. The second day at Les Houches in poor visibility. Third at La Thuile with really good snow and blue skies. The fourth in Combloux [Brilliant snow mixed with mud and streams] Fifth day ski touring above Sallanches. The sixth we skied at Le Tour and found some very good snow.

Helicopter drop on the Petit Combin

Mike Woolford Stephen Yeates and John Donner and I were dropped on top of the Petit Combin in windy conditions. THe first few hundred meters were on wind crusted snow. But then it got good. Then it got really good with fabulous snow and no one around apart from a Golden Eagle that followed us .
The snow below 2000 meters was as bad as the snow high up was good. We ended up at the bottom quite knackered.

How not to drive a piste basher

Today Mike Woolford, Stephen Yeates and John Donner ski toured up to the Gd St Bernard Monastery. In the middle of nowhere we came across a Piste Basher that had fallen in a pond and was stuck. it still had the keys in it. We could not get it out.

Heli shopping

After our success on the Haute Route we needed to get back to our start point - Arolla. We decided to fly back to the top of the Pigne d'arolla and then ski down the north Couloir back to the village. As our helicopters arrived at the heli pad a bizarre site met us as some weird women got out of the helicopter. They were not here to ski but to shop.