My good friends and clients, David C and David M, flew into Geneva and were on their way in the hired car along Lake Lausanne, towards an intended rendezvous with me. However, I was still in Argentiere, because I established our plan to spend almost a week over there, acclimatising by doing lots of 4000m peaks, ready for a final ascent of Mont Blanc, wasn’t going to happen because of the weather. A few mobile phone calls and they diverted over the Col du Forclaz into Argentiere. The decision was ratified when the owners of the Langflue hotel, under the Alphubel, had telephoned David C in London, to say it really was too bad weather to consider coming up to the hut, and a final decision would be made on arrival in Geneva. The weather wasn’t much better in Chamonix, but we did have 8 days so could expect some improvement through their time here? On day 1 we did manage to get up to Lac Blanc and then to the Index station and down to Argentiere so it was a good start.
It had been twelve months since the boys had been with me, and during that time they had not touched a rope. So on day 2 we all went up to the Petite Verte to practice the crevasse rescue and tying on systems. After getting as far as the col at the foot of the ridge, we turned and headed down for the steep practice slope. David C and David M are not technical climbers and for the moment, did not want anything technical on our days out. So time was spent getting each other out of imaginary crevasses, and it was soon obvious they needed new (and slightly thicker) prussic loops. David C’s very thin loops were causing too much hassle, and David M had only one loop.
Coming down from the Grande Montet, we piled into the hired car and drove over to Sass Fee; now much improved weather was happily with us. The local climbing shop provided us with the new loops.
Our plan was to take the first cable car at 07.30 the next morning up to the Alpine Metro, and using this superb train through a tunnel under the Allalinhorn, we would cross the ski slopes and ascend this peak via the Feejoch Col. The plan went to form and we topped out on this superb 4000m peak in just over two hours from the Metro.
David M was having his usual problems breathing though and it could have been a result of him doing virtually no training (a very busy business man) before he arrived! Because of this, I was impressed with his performance. The weather was superb and we decide to carry on with Stage Two of our plan, to descend and get across the short (half-hour in the guidebook) track to the Britannia Hut. From there we would climb the much longer route up the Strahlhorn. A good five-hour glacier climb, with the last ridge going on and on if my memory of twenty five years or so ago served me well?
Over the years, that Britannia Hut track has become more awkward and it took nearly an hour to reach the refuge.
A decent night but not much sleep! At 4 O’clock we grudgingly munched our bread and jam and stepped out into a very dark but fine morning. Dropping down onto the glacier, I was surprised I couldn’t see the numerous parties I knew should be ahead of us. No matter, we circled easily under the rocky outcrop of the Hohlaubgrat and were soon going up the dry Allalin glacier towards the Adler Pass. I remember it had been all snow those years ago, and it had been virtually impossible to go that way around the outcrop. One had to scramble up the rocks on the right of the outcrop and then drop down onto the glacier, because of the terribly crevassed and contorted lower end of the glacier, in those early days.
David M again had serious problems breathing comfortably, and because of the length of the approach to the Adler Pass, it was soon clear he wasn’t going to the top. He did buckle down though, and although we were very slow, we did make it to the pass, a personal triumph for him.
With the weather so good, there was no need to hurry, and although we didn’t go further than the pass, it had been a wonderful day.
I did recall the original route over the outcrop in the clear light of day, and took the team that way back on our descent. I shouldn’t have bothered.
It was awful ground and with the dryness of the glacier, our early morning direction would have been simpler and quicker to return by. However, we did the outcrop and dropped down the rocky couloir to the Britannia Hut track, and we were soon sampling the beer from the hut.
Our original Mont Blanc acclimatisation plan had included the Alphubel on the next day, but it was obvious David M was struggling at these peak heights. So we decided to return to Argentiere and try a different plan. The choice was made easier with a very bad local forecast for the following two days. Argentiere it was to be then.
The poor weather also hit Chamonix but at least we were in our respective accommodations, with a change of clothes. Next day was spent walking from the Brevant back to Argentiere. Well, not quite! Arriving with impeccable timing at La Flegere, the heavens opened and a change of direction was called for (the cable car down!) Ian had arrived for some pre-course acclimatising and we enjoyed our return to the Office together.
It was becoming clear that our intended Mont Blanc climb might not be on.
The forecast for our final few days together wasn’t good. David M was realising it wasn’t going to be his year, and with a birthday party in the UK looming, he decided to pull out early and gain the brownie points back home. David C was still intending to stay with me for the remaining few days, regardless of not climbing Mont Blanc, which looked increasingly likely.
As David C has no aspirations for anything technical, local rock climbing was not on, but I did have an un-used guidebook to walks in the Haute Savoie, so the first of our remaining three days was spent in much better weather than had been forecasted, walking one of the routes from the guide.
It was a great day, walking high above Passay along a balcony route with stunning views of the Mont Blanc range across the way. As an acclimatisation programme for clients, it’s a trek I will certainly repeat in the future.
David C’s last day with me was once again walking in the Haute Savoie. Today we drove down to Annecy, and arrived in fairly good weather. Our target was the Tete du Parmelan, one of the many huge limestone features of this fabulous area. We followed our guidebook along nice tracks through woods, and coming upon the cliffs, took a carved pathway through gullies and rock walls, aided by iron chains and rails, up the Grande Montoir, the more difficult approach to the summit plateau. We took the easier Petite Montoir in descent, following slabby limestone paths, now a little more tricky with the light rain falling. Back at the car we decided to visit my good friend Bernard, in Annecy and while I waited for my French friend to arrive, David C toured the old town, along the canals, passing many lovely places along the way.
Taking the ‘b’ road until Roches sur Foron, we looked ahead at the blackness of Chamonix and considered David C’s last day to have been at least fairly dry! Once back on the A41, the motorway soon had us back in the Office for the last time together this season.