Just come back from an extremely good trip to the Alps, finishing off a Haute Route I started last year but had to cut short with bad weather and then climbing the Breithorn near Zermat and then over to Chamonix to climb Mont Blanc. We had a supperb time (Alex, a girl friend I run and ski mountaineer with) and myself in excellent weather getting all our goals for the the trip done. We started a Haute Route last year and finished it off this year by climbing up from Arolla to the Vignettes Hut above 3000m the day we arrived, hot and hard work, then ski'd over 3 big passes all above 3000m into Zermat and then a quick ascent of the Briethorn at 4165m before heading back to Chamonix to make our attempt on Mont Blanc.
We decided we needed one more acclimatisation night above 3000m so we phoned the huts but the one we wanted was full so we satyed at the Cosmique hut at 3613m for a first night and ski'd the Valley Blanche and back up again for a second night - well half a night as we breakfasted at 1am and started climbing at 2am up a really serrac'd face, over Mont Blanc du Tacul, Col Maudit, Col de la Brenva and Petit Rochers Rouges to the summit of Mont Blanc by 10am. We then booted off North Ridge to Col du Dome Gouter and Ski'd down to the Grand Mulets Hut and through some big avalanche debris from 2 weeks ago to the midi station and a glass of celebration wine. Then we spent a few days doing some rock climbing and some running in the valley. As you can see from the pictures we had supperb trip which has proved to be good training for the next adventure with Team Haglof. I can't do the Open5+ but will be really ready for the Open12 and Open24 as warm ups to the big one in August - the Terrex
Just come back from an extremely good trip to the Alps, finishing off a Haute Route I started last year but had to cut short with bad weather and then climbing the Breithorn near Zermat and then over to Chamonix to climb Mont Blanc. We had a supperb time (Alex, a girl friend I run and ski mountaineer with) and myself in excellent weather getting all our goals for the the trip done. We started a Haute Route last year and finished it off this year by climbing up from Arolla to the Vignettes Hut above 3000m the day we arrived, hot and hard work, then ski'd over 3 big passes all above 3000m into Zermat and then a quick ascent of the Briethorn at 4165m before heading back to Chamonix to make our attempt on Mont Blanc.
We decided we needed one more acclimatisation night above 3000m so we phoned the huts but the one we wanted was full so we satyed at the Cosmique hut at 3613m for a first night and ski'd the Valley Blanche and back up again for a second night - well half a night as we breakfasted at 1am and started climbing at 2am up a really serrac'd face, over Mont Blanc du Tacul, Col Maudit, Col de la Brenva and Petit Rochers Rouges to the summit of Mont Blanc by 10am. We then booted off North Ridge to Col du Dome Gouter and Ski'd down to the Grand Mulets Hut and through some big avalanche debris from 2 weeks ago to the midi station and a glass of celebration wine. Then we spent a few days doing some rock climbing and some running in the valley. As you can see from the pictures we had supperb trip which has proved to be good training for the next adventure with Team Haglof. I can't do the Open5+ but will be really ready for the Open12 and Open24 as warm ups to the big one in August - the Terrex
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