Mont Blanc Express
Sean and Stuart arrived for what can only be called, not a Mont Blanc express, more of a Mont Blanc lightning. Allowing only three days for their visit, I wondered how these two guys would fare. Their military background could however assist them but, acclimatisation is so very important. They were happy to give it a real try and the first of the three days was spent traversing the Aiguille Crochures. I could see that Stuart was not quite as fit as Sean but we were bonding as a good team, so Mont Blanc here we come.
We caught the first cable car to Bellevue, and managed to get on the first tram to the Eagles nest. Hiking up the trail in very warm weather, the route was already a strain on the lads. After changing into crampons for the climb up to the traverse across the couloir, we set off slowly across the snow. Stuart had been having real difficulty keeping up the steady but still slow pace up the rocky buttress to the gearing up point, and now with the higher altitude, decided enough was enough. He reluctantly turned around while it was still safe to do so alone. We were disappointed to see him go.
Now as a pair, I stepped up the pace and, with the couloir pretty safe, we were soon up the ridge and at the hut. Sean was going very well and I could see no problem in him reaching the summit. However, the weather was threatening next morning. Very cold and decidedly windy, it was going to be a very tough day. We left the hut around three thirty and slotted into the queue of Mont Blanc climbers. We were not going very fast but were consistent and slowly and surely we made height. Many teams turned back that morning, and a few teams overtook us. We reached the summit around seven thirty and found ourselves almost alone, except for two Americans. It was a surreal situation, virtually no visibility and very, very cold. My camera simply would not function in that temperature and the camera Sean had, froze after only one photograph, which unfortunately for him, was of me.
That shot also captured the Americans and luckily for Sean, the American guide also took shots which included us. These photographs we have subsequently exchanged.
The way down was as usual quite tedious but Sean did very well and we were eventually back at the Eagles Nest. The cold and windy weather had now changed into a real storm and the lightning resulted in a delay for the cable car, and a frustrating yet at the same time pleasant time in the cafe at the Bellevue.
This short course over, I look forward to seeing the boys up in Scotland, as they are determined to do some ice climbing with me next winter.