Chamonix/Mont Blanc Photos

[peter]

I am back in the south of France, from Chamonix, after two days climbing easy routes around the Aiguille du Midi, north-west of Mont Blanc proper, but on the massif. Great fun.

If you are interested, please see the photos at our website, http://www.piczo.com/mcmac-in-france?cr=1&rfm=y, and click on either the link under "what's new", or on "climbing updates".

Photos only, text to follow. Ciao for now.

Peter

[john]

Great photos, what an amazing place, I was there this summer althoughIhad no time to climb the place is definitly in my dreams and future plans

[mathieu]

Exactly what routes are those. I'm thinking of heading there next year and I'm starting to drool when I see those pictures.

[mike]

Good on ya, McFly!

Looks like your having fun. Tell me about the routes- are they a few hours after a tram ride or do you gotta commit? What sort of grades? That shot of your guide pulling you up the rock looks a little more difficult than easy... looks like it's in the TD and up range. Do all the punters with no friends climb with guides over there in alpine wonderland or are there adventurous, less financially endowed, guidebook equipt, doods over there too?

Keep it up- nice pics by the way. You might wanna reconsider your career.

Mike

[peter]

Both routes we climbed for are in Rebuffat’s “100 Best Climbs on the Mont Blanc Massif”. We climbed one on the first day, and bailed on one on the second, due to crowding and the pace of the party in front of us.

The first day we did the Arete des Cosmiques (South-South West Ridge of the Aiguille du Midi), and the second day started and bailed from the Midi-Plan Traverse (Aiguille du Midi to Aiguille du Plan). If you have Rebuffat’s book, or access to it somewhere like MEC, they are on pages 56 and 64. Both were easy climbs, technically, with stunning exposure and views.

On the Arete des Cosmiques route, we took the telepherique to the Aig. du Midi at about 3800 metres. We descended to the Vallee Blanche glacier (about 3350 metres), crossed a portion of the glacier (well snow covered) and went up to the south-south west ridge by the old Simond Hut (3593 metres). We then climbed the s-sw ridge of the Aiguille du Midi, back to the telepherique, ending up a short ladder onto a viewing platform! It is a mixed snow and rock climb (I never used my ice tool). There are three rock towers or gendarme to pass, one bit of free climbing on a small rock wall, some rappels, etc. The route took about three hours (less). There were lots of other parties climbing it, so the photos show the areas we covered, if you can spot the climbers. Rebuffat rates it "AD with pitches of III and one of III sup.". What does that mean? I free climbed the aid section, so it was therefore not exactly as pictured (picture of the party ahead of us). It was a granite crack and I am from Nova Scotia. What can I say?


The second day we started from the same telpherique at 3800 metres, descended on the north-east ridge, and on to a series of connected snow ridges, into and down rock, then back up some snow to the Col du Plan, at 3475 metres. This took about 1.5 hours. Here we were stalled, just sitting in the sun and watching a party of five guided climbers break trail up a gully leading to the Rognon du Plan (3606 metres). I took lots of pictures, but after about 30 minutes, they were less than halfway up the gully. Another English rope joined us to watch, then turned back, realizing they couldn’t safely get up their desired route (same as ours).

Anyway, my guide didn’t want to get under the French group (wise, as Rebuffat warms about rock fall from parties ahead in this very gully), so after 30-45 minutes we calculated: 30 more minutes for them to clear the gully, 30 for us to climb it (no trail to break), then 20-30 to ascend to the top of the Plan snow dome, with a similar view to the one we were enjoying. At that point, we would not have time to complete the route planned and turn around in time for the last telepherique to the valley (5:15 p.m.), and it was probably unwise to descend to the Col Superieur du Plan, simply to turn around and reclimb to the Plan snow dome, so .... We turned around, reclimbed toward the telepherique (my quads and lungs were screaming!), which took about 1 hour to cover what was 1.5 in descending, hence the quads! We then talked glacier travel and crevasse rescue, and I picked his brain on winter routes.

The second route was rated "Some sections of the ridge are very narrow or very corniced. The rock sections are II with several moves of III." I used my tool only in a self-arrest ready position, not in anger. There was lots of exposure, but little real risk.

I would say two good days out, too expensive given the difficulty, and with any one of you guys from back home, I would have done the same routes without a guide. The problem was the weather just before we climbed.

Conditions were beautiful on the climbing days but, on the Sunday we arrived, it was raining hard in the valley and snowing hard in the mountain. The vertical snow level dropped about 500 metres overnight, and they had 10 plus cms in the mountain. So ... the lifts were closed until 9:30 a.m. Monday, due to snow, rather than 8:10 a.m. (they start at 6:10 in the summer months). The avalanche risk was high (we heard them for two days, like thunder but crunchy!), and we saw several small slides, including those obliterating tracks on Mont Blanc du Tacul. No one was climbing on the Mont Blanc routes per se, and we limited ourselves to climbing from and around the Aiguille du Midi.

So Mike, come visit some time soon. Next summer, for sure, I am looking for partners for the Alps. I am hoping to stay for July and August, somewhat foot-loose and fancy-free. Sooner than that, this February (2006), I am looking for partners for Scotland (Ben Nevis and Glencoe).

Who is up for it?

Peter

[mike]

I don't understand the roman numeral grades either: probably UIAA. I am however guessing that the difference between III and III sup is attitude.

SUP!!!! Dood!!!

I will more than likely be flying through Heathrow, shortly, on my way to do some overseas work. I will look into doing a side trip to your neck of the world. But I gotta say shooter... I hate Christmas shopping due to all the folks in the malls, we're gonna have to find somewhere a little less travelled than the Cham unless you just wanna watch my snow dust settle on the slopes as you wonder where in the hell I got to while you were doing up the snaps on your rear entry boots.

Peace out,
Mike

[peter]

I don't mind my new full time job being shooting your snowy dust. I have no other full time job until Sept 1, 2006.

[mike]

Full time is for the uninspired.

[peter]

Brings to mind the line from "Reuben, Reuben", an early '80s movie staring Tom Conti, playing a poet with a charming Scots brogue, whom offered this up: "My whole body cries out against the inhumanity of regular employment." Ever felt like that?

[mike]

Everyday of my life...

I am soooooo happy to have a situation where I can work whenever I want, or not.

I've thought long and hard about going back to school, getting a degree and entering the workforce as a respectable individual, but hey, I'm a RAT through and through. There's lots of times when I wonder what the hell I'm doing with my life- but then there's also lots of times when I get off a plane, in some strange country, with a couple backpacks full of mountaineering gear.... and smile contentedly.

On an aside.... what's wrong with all the ladies???? They've got 1/2 the money and all the pussy???? (heard it in a movie- been saying it ever since)

[mike]

Long routes are given a further grade to indicate the amount of time likely to be taken, they are as follows:

I The shortest routes
II Short 'crag' routes
III Half a day
IV A full day
V A long day for fast parties, two or more for most parties
VI Long big wall routes which may take a week to climb
VII Multi-day big walls in the greater ranges

Apparently this is part of the YDS system. Kinda weird to mix it up with french grades though.