A suggestion for Mellow Alpine Mountaineering

If you are looking for all the componenets of an alpine climbing experinece, yet without the really long approaches and knackering descents, then look no further than the climbs above the Cabane Moiry.  It is situated at the end of the long Zinal valley above the quintissential alpine village of Grimentz.

Reuben and I left the car at the high car park above the Lac de Moiry. When you start walking you are already at an altitude 2342meters.  The hut walk takes an easy hour and half.  It is at 2826meters.

The hut is very popular with walkers, especially American walkers who all seem to be in possesion of an american guide book.  This guide book tells them that they are on the famous Haute Route.  I have never had the heart to tell them that the guide book is wrong.  

The hut is very comfortable, with running water, showers and draft beer.  The dormitories are small with just 4 beds.

The next morning Reuben and I were the only climbers to leave the hut.  We started walking around 7.00am.  Our goal was the south ridge of the Pigne de la Le.  This is an easy scramble up a rocky ridge. [Easy as long as you stay on the route!]. It leads to a the summit in about two hours.  

The view from the top is simply marvellous.  Everywhere you look you are treated to a view of the Swiss mighty 4000er peaks - The Weisshorn, the ZinalRotehorn the OberGabelhorn the Dent Blanche the Dent d'Herens and of course the Matterhorn.  Plus the Grand Cornier which just misses the 4000meter mark.

The Matterhorn with the Grand Cournier to its right.

We stopped on the top for about half an hour soaking up our surroundings and the solitude.  Eventually we were joined by a couple who had left from their camp a van thus skipping the hut.

The descent was straight forward then slightly less so when we hit the glacier, because it was devoid of snow, meaning it was hard grey ice. Yet we were still back at the hut just before mid day.  

We decided to spend the night in the old part of Grimnetz at the delightful Hotel du Moiry where we had an excellent beef fondue on the hotel  veranda.

The next morning we returned to the Lac du Moiry where we climbed the Via Ferrata de Moiry.

Reuben on the steep lower section

Lac de Moiry.

So if you want to keep mountaineering into your mid seventies and beyond this type of trip is perfect!

Final Mt Blanc . No better way to sign off.

Father & Daughter on the summit of Mt Blanc.

Generally its not the actual climbing of Mt Blanc that is the challange, rather its getting the reservations for the mountain huts when you want them is the difficult thing. We had made the bookings in March inorder to have beds in the Tete Rousse and Gouter Huts in September.  Always a gamble, because you never know what the weather will be like, nor the state of the Gouter couloir... 

Plus this was to be a very special attempt on Mt Blanc.  I was going to be climbing  it with my youngest daughter Sophie.  Success would mean I would have climbed the mountain over twenty five years with all three daughters and my wife.

We even made the bookings before Sophie decicided to spend 3 weeks descending the Colorardo river in a  vintage wooden boat. The only way she could do the trip down the Colorado and attempt Mt Blanc   meant we were suddenly on a self imposed tight schedule - she arrived back in Chamonix, spent a night at home and then we were off.  Hardly text book preparation.  At least the weather forecast was good.

We arrived at the Bellvue cable car, to discover that it had broken down. Again a stressful challange to be overcome that has nothing to do with mountaineering.  Without the cable car we would not make the connection with the train which  takes you to the Nid Aigle, [if you have a booking in the hut.] Otherwise the train stops at the station before.  Missing the train would add an  extra 3 hours to our hut walk.  Something most unwelcome especially with such a demanding next day.

The solution was to take another lift - Prarion - then walk down to Col du Voza station where we could hopefully join the train.  All the chopping and changing did actually work, but left me feeling flustered  before we started.

I was relieved to actually start walking and finally on our way. We were politely stopped by the "Brigade Blanche" who check that you have a hut booking.  They tick your names off on a list which they carry.  Two hours later we were at the Tete Rousse Hut acclimatising and drinking beer.

Conditions were perfect and as we looked up the Gouter Couloir it looked nice a quiet. 

Looking up the Gouter Couloir from the Tete Rousse Hut.

We sat down for  dinner at 6.30pm  and were in bed for about 8.30pm.  We awoke at 4.30am, ate breakfast at 5.00am and were away soon after.

We headed out of the hut and  over to  the rocky ground which was devoid of snow at this time of year.  This makes staying on the exact best line more difficult.

headlights on the Gouter ridge.

Nevertheless by adopting a slow yet steady pace by sunrise we had passed the earlier groups and found ourselves, more or less  in solitude. 

Looking back down the route of ascent.

We arrived at the old Gouter hut in about 2 hours.  I calculated that I had spent over 250 nights in it over the last 30 years.

Sophie at the entrance to the old Gouter Refuge.

Here we stopped to put our crampons on.  Next we traversed over to the new Gouter Refuge where we quickly went into the boot-room to dump stuff we didn't need for the summit. [Helmets, headlamps, toiletries etc]

The track to the Dome de Gouter was in perfect condition, with a gentle zig- zag ascent where we could keep a steady pace.  The route skirts around the summit of the Dome du Gouter before gently descending, thus giving us a chance to have a rest without actually stopping.  Yet just before we started the climb up to the Vallot Hut we did stop for a drink and a Mars bar, because it was sheltered. We had noticed there was a lot of snow blowing off the Bosses Ridge - suggesting it was windy.

Fortunately when we passed by the Vallot Hut and started to climb the Bosses Ridge, the wind had dropped.  For the first time ever, here, the main challange was  overheating. It was wearily hot.

More often than not, on the highest most exposed ridge in western europe, your wearing every item of clothing you have, while wishing you had more. This time  our duvet jackets and mittens stayed in our packs.

The Bosses Ridge.

Just before the final summit ridge we stopped again, this time to swallow some Gummy Bears.  These sweets are better than drugs and never fail to power people to the top.

Almost there.

We raced up the final section and were on the top- pretty much after leaving the Tete Rousse hut 6 hours ago.  Big hugs and kisses on the summit, with one or two tears shed too.  There was a Mountain Guide from Annecy who made it his mission to take lots of photos of Sophie and I.

Then a quick call to Mum just to let her know we had made it.  She had been tracking us through the powerful binoculars we have at home.

Sophie was carrying a small rubber duck which went  down the Grand Canyon.  Less than a week later she took the same duck to the summit of Mt Blanc.

Sophie & her mascot.

We stayed on the summit for about ten minutes before returning the way we came.  

Looking down towards the two Bosses which give the ridge its name.

Back at the Vallot hut we eat the rest of our food and Sophie finished her water, then finished mine.  It was then back to the Gouter Hut.

Gouter Hut 

Sophie immediatly raced up the stairs and spent €9.00 on a bottle of water, but declined a celebratory beer.

The next morning we left the hut at about 6.00am 

Chamonix seen from Aiguille du Gouter

We were keen to cross the Gouter Couloir before it warmed up.  In the event it was in perfect condition.

Looking towards the Tete Rousse Hut.

We stopped for breakfast at the Tete Rousse hut before making our way down the track back to the Nid- Aigle railway station.  There was no train so we ran down the railway line to the station below where we did pick up a train.

The train took us to Col de Voza, where we were met by a couple of 4/4 trucks which whisked us back up to the Prarion lift station and all was good.

Sophie happy to be on the train.

Opposite Crazy Weather

Cabane Moiry 2826m

Four days before this photo was taken the temperature was recorded at 35c.  Mark Daniels and I arrived at the Moiry Hut to be greeted by a wintry seen which left us somewhat flummoxed.

We asked the Hut Guardian for recommendations as to what might be feasible the next day.  He just shugged his shoulders and said he didnt know- not exactly helpful.

Mind you the scene from the Hut was undeinably beautiful .

Looking down toward Lac du Moiry 

So Mark and I agreed we would have breakfast at 6.00am and see if we could climb the Pointes du Morti.

The next morning the weather was beautiful calm and still. We were the only people at breakfast.  We headed out and up the track behind the hut, commenting that it was good that someone else had made the path through the snow.  This was because overnight the snow had frozen and formed a crust.  It soon became apparent that going anywhere other than where the track went was going to be impossible.

Fortunately there was a track up to the summit of Les Bouqutins 3469.  So that is where we went.  Tottaly beautiful and the views from its summit were of the mighty 4000ers that surround Zermatt.

Mighty Weisshorn seen from summit of Les Bouquetins.

full set of photos can be found here https://photos.app.goo.gl/oJ6Kk5dtX7Gc9GFd8

Crazy Temperatures

 

Gd St Bernard Monastery

The trip report.

There is a new rock climbing guide book to the Grand St Bernard Col area with a selection of marvellous new routes of all grades.  "Entremont Escalade." It is highly recommended.

 John Young and I drove around to the col, leaving high season Chamonix behind.  

The first climb we did was on Le Petit Cervin.  Two minutes from the car park.  A really good first climb.  

Le Petit Cervin

We then stayed the night at the Hotel Italia. A traditional establishment which has been run by the same family since it was opened in the 1930's. 

Hotel Italia shrouded in fog.

After dinner there was a fire work display just over the border at the Hospice.  Despite the mist swooping over the col, the firework-dischargers insisted in contiuning as arranged, despite no one being able to see any fireworks.  It was all rather underwhelming.

The next day we set about climbing the East Ridge of the Pain Sucre by the aptly named route Le Zucchero [ Italian for Sugar]. This is a 15 pitch route which reaches its finale by climbing a razor edge to the summit of the fore- mentioned mountain. 

John on final pitch of Zucchero

 After climbing the route we walked off the back of the mountain and back to the car  We spent a second night at the Col du St Bernard.  This time staying in Switzerland at the Auberge du Gd St Bernard.

On our third day we walked from the col for about an hour and climbed another modern classic: The Grande Chenalette.  A route on perfect rock which is in wild surroundings and again finishes with a sharp arête.

Final pitch of Grande Chenalette.

It was then back to Chamonix for a night, before heading through the Mt Blanc tunnel and around to the quiet Valpeline valley.  It was a bit puzzling why there were so many diggers/roadworks/ traffic lights on the route.  It was not until the hut guardian told us the valley had been cut off for several days after a flash flood and corresponding devastating land slide. Amazingly no one was injured.  

We arrived at the Refugio Crete Seche.  It had everything a good hut should have and was hosted by the utterly delightful Sophie.

Our plan was to go from the refugio upto the little known, but spectacular, bivouc Pasqualetti which is situated on a very difficult to reach ridge.

Unfourtunately for John and I, it not only proved difficult but ultimately impossible.  During the week the tempertaure and climbed and climbed, meaning that transfering from the glacier to the ridge resembled a suicide mission because rocks kept cascading down the face.  We retreated werily back to the Refugio Crete Seche.

Terrible conditions on the glacier

The next day we returned to Chamonix - but not before finding the road out of the Valpeline valley was closed again - but only for an hour while the clean up from the landslide continued.

road closed

After a couple of days rest, we reconvened for some futher adventures.  Although the weather forecast was  perfect, in many ways it was not perfect - it was just too hot.  It meant routes that are effected by potential melting permafrost need to be avoided, plus glacier approachs are unfeesable if there is no overnight freeze- which there wasn't.

In these conditions the rock climbs in the Aiguille Rouge are perfect.  We climbed the immaculate route Kabul on the Petit Floria.  One of the best climbs in the area which doesn't see much traffic.  This will have a lot to do with the heinious approach up endless steep rubble.  You really have to earn your right to climb it.

Petit Floria

Next day we started with a spot of cragging on our our local crag behind our house.  We then drove around to the Col des Annes high above Grand Bornand.  Our plan was to climb the famous route  Voie du Trou on Pointe Percée.  The car thermometer read 33c. We got out of the car and were met with a wall of heat.  This was at 1721 meters.  

Setting off in blistering heat

I was keen to see what the new hut was like - since the last time I had been here, the old one had been demolished and a new modern one had been built.  Frankly we struggled walking to the hut in the heat.  

What should have been a relief when we got there, was instead a nightmare wall of flies.   Maybe it was the unpresentended high temperatures that had caused the infestation, but it would rank as one of the worst if not worst hut experinces I have ever had.

Night mare fly infested hut.

So the next morning it was with extreme relief to get out and start walking up the mountain.  Yet even at 6.30am you didnt need anything more than a T-Shirt.

The route Le Voie du Trou is superb.  It is about 9 pitches until you reach the Trou.  The trou [or hole] gives the mountain its name Pointe Percée.  

John on the stunning Voie du Trou

Once you arrive on the ridge, you are not only treated to views of Sallanches and Mt Blanc in the distance, but you get to climb the spectacular Le Rasoir.  

The Hole

Through the Trou

Although we had had the route to ourselves just after Le Rasoir pitch various climbs congregate.  It was here we met the people we are shared our fly infetsed dinner the night before : Non other than officers of the Foreign Legion.

Le doigt in the background.

Not really wishing to be in a queue with them, we elected to find another route to the really fine summit.

John & I on the summit

It was then back down the normal route which is a waymarked scramble, but not without consequence for the unwary.  We dashed into the hut to collect our extra stuff which was superferlous for the climb, then repacked and left as fast as possible.  The walk down was hard work- the heat now over powering.

tricky walking on the "limestone pavements "

Very hot final stretch back to Col des Annes

For our final day together we wanted something that was less demanding.  We headed for the nearest route from the top of the Index chair lift - Mani Puliti.  All was going well until finally the weather changed an hour or two ahead of schedule and just at the last pitch we got drenched.  Climbing the last pitch was akin to climbing a waterfall.  At least it was warm rain... plus finally a change in the weather which was most welcome.

How to climb Mt Blanc safely with Climate change.

Mark Alan Clarke Will 11.30hrs 29th May 2023

Background

For the last few summers it has been far too dangerous to climb Mt Blanc in the height of the summer because all the snow and ice that bonds the mountain in place has melted resulting  in increasing rock fall - sometimes apocalyptic in size.  This has regularly lead to the route having an "arrêté-municipal" slapped on it.  [French for closed.]

2022 -Last season was a case in point: - the Perma-frost melted too, making the rock-fall  even less predictable. As with all high altitude  mountaineering if its not freezing its not safe.  That is why we start early and try to finsih early , but with the freezing level being reguarly above 5000meters this was impossible.

A few years back, in an attempt to adapt to climate change, it was decided to open the key Tete Rousse and Gouter Huts much earlier in the season, when hopefully it would still be cold and there would still be enough snow to glue everything together and that the Gouter Couloir would still have lots of snow in it.

The theory was good and a few years back in 2019 I fully embarced this idea.  I booked the Gouter for the day it opened.  This was a mistake because I hadn't fully thought it through. It was going to be me breaking trail. It took  9 hours merely to get to the Tete Rousse Hut. [2-3 hours normally] Although we still eventually climbed Mt Blanc.

The Plan

Alan Irvine and I decided we would attempt Mt Blanc back in September 2022.  He was keen to ask his friend Clark Cambell along too.  In order to be as safe as possible and to maximise our chances of success we asked Will Harris, another Guide to join us.

The next challange - possibly the biggest challange, was getting our reservations in the Huts.  The day, the hour , the minute the  bookings opened  we were there .  That was in October 2022 for a reservation at the end of May 2023.

With the booking and deposit paid , it was just a question of hoping the date we had booked would coincide with a favourable weather forecast -a big  gamble...  the trip was a long time in the planning.  

On our first day together, the four of us drove through the Mt Blanc tunnel, and made our way to the Toriono Hut where we dumped our overnight stuff before heading out and climbing the traverse of the Aiguille du Marbree.

Climbers on traverse of Marbree

We spent the night in the Torino Hut inorder to bank some acclimatisation.  The next morning we had breakfast at 6.00hrs and were away for 6.45hrs.

We climbed the Aiguille Entreves which was in perfect conditions and because we had had an early start, we had the entire climb to ourselves.

Will & Clarke on traverse L'Entreves.

It was good to have twenty four hours above 3500 meters  which greatly aids acclimatisation. Yet it is equally important to get some decent rest, so we returned to Chamonix for a night in the valley.

Ascent

We were now ready to go .  What's more we the weather forecast was cooperative.  We left Chamonix at 8.00hrs and drove around to the beautiful village of Bionassay.  From there we followed the 4x4 track up to Bellevue where we dumped the Land Rover.  [There is no cable car or train working at this time of year. Without your own 4x4 the taxi ride is about 300euros.]

It wasn't long before we hit the snow.  Despite walking up  railway track it was nescessary to rope-up and use an ice axe because the route was banked out with steep snow and a slip would he been terminal.

At the Nid Aigle where the railway line finishes, we had a rest and figured out where the path through the snow went. Thankfully we were not first and there was a track in the snow.  It was however much steeper than without the snow and a lot of care was needed. The journey was spiced up by an aftrernoon hail storm too.  

A goat

afternoon hail storm.

Yet we arrived at the Tete Rousse Hut in great shape and in good time despite the extra challange of dealing with the transport logistics.

Sentry box .  No booking no way.

The next day was to be  our summit day.  We awoke at 3.00hrs and were away by 3.45hrs.  The conditions were perfect .  There was a track in, it was cold and the sky was clear.  We picked our way up to the Gouter Couloir by the light of our head torches.  Crossing the couloiur was without incident and we then navigated our way up the ridge which was entirely on snow with only a few rocks poking through.  It was far steeper than normal but it went fine.  

Crossing Gouter Couloir.

We briefly stopped at the Gouter Hut after about 2.30 hours of climbing.  We left all our superferlous kit and headed of up the Dome de Gouter.  This stretch is alway monotenous, but at this time of year we could at least climb it in daylight.

Bionassay with its knife edge ridge.

The route skirts around the top of the Dome du Gouter before heading gently down again before steepening up to arrive at the Vallot emrgency refuge 4300 meters.

From hear its about 2 hours to the summit.  No matter how many times you climb Mt Blanc this section is always hard work.  Plus conditions have changed. No longer is it just a tough but uniform ridge.  No . A large crevasse has formed creating a steep wall.  Last year as the summer heated up this wall became steeper and icier by the week. The result was it was difficult and serious- making it difficult and dangerous to guide with more than one client.  Hence all the more reason to elect to tackle it on a ratio of 1;1.

almost at the summit.

As it transpired this section went well, but you never really know until you are there.    After  which it was just a hard slog to the summit aided with pocket full of "Gummy Bears", notoriuos for making kids go bonkers but less well known as the "best" energy shot known to human kind.

Clarke and Will were  a head of us and they waited for us on the summit.  Hand shakes, hugs and probably some tears behind the sun glasses was the result of many years of trieing.  As a guide there is no better job in the world when you can help deliver momments like this.

The realisation its done.

Descent

The return was by excatly the same route albeit a lot faster.  We had a good long pause at the Vallot Refuge then continued down to the Gouter Hut where we orderd a splendid omelette washed down with Artisanal Mont Blanc beer [what else?]

Our time in the Gouter Hut was not with out incident;  Firstly there was the guy who turned up with very severe category 2 frostbite.  I was surprised because it had not been particarly cold, but having the wrong boots that are not dry, too tight and not built for high altitude were probably key factors.  He was flown out by the PGHM fourtunately to Sallanches Hopsital which is considered the world center for frostbite treatment.

Next was dinner followed immediatly by bed.  All was fine until someone a woke me with a particularly loud obnoxious alarm.  Or so I thought.  It turned out to be the fire alarm.  Never a good sound, but at 3816 meters in a building with no opening windows and being constructed with far too much wood was of concern.  However very soon afterwards there was a shout  from the hut guardian saying everything was under control.  I drifted back to sleep, but was interested to learn the incident had reached the national  news outlets.

https://www.lemessager.fr/60964/article/2023-05-31/mont-blanc-le-refuge-du-gouter-echappe-de-peu-un-incendie

Feeling somewhat groggy we fell out of our bunks at around 5.00hrs, skipped breakfast and started our descent to the Tete Rousse Hut where we stopped for breakfast.  In the snowy conditions we had, we should have been able to make a fast descent by "bum-sliding."  Yet the reality was entirely different.  The top of the snow was too icy which would have meant bum-sliding to a certain accident or worse.  But the snow had a crust on it which wouldn't support our weight and so every step meant sinking in up to our knees or often waist. So just when you thought it was all over , in fact it was not.

Anyway eventually we made it back to the railway line and then  the Land Rover, tired but happy.

Clearing the track which will now open on 17th June.