Smiler Cuthbertson - Mountain Guide

1^st July.
Having agreed for one of the few times in my career to work for other companies, Adventure Peaks had secured me for a 6-day course with Chris and Anne, in the Sass valleys of Fee and Grund. I met these two at their hotel at 8am and we were quickly on our way up to the top station of the Alpine Metro in Sass Fee. Disembarking with the crowds of day skiers, we were soon alone on the steady climb to the summit of the Allalinhorn (4020 metres). Not difficult a climb, with this easy access it gives a great assistance to altitude training for climbers just arriving from Britain. Returning via the Metro to Felskin, we contoured the ridge to the Britannia Hut at 3030 metres and spend the night there.

2^nd July.
The ascent of the Strahlhorn was thwarted for today; bad weather arrived so we did crevasse rescue techniques in the hut and waited for the following days expected improvement.

3^rd July.
A perfect days climbing to a 4000 metre summit. Clear and not too cold, the day proved superb and the summit a delight. The long descent proved a tad tedious and we were all glad to return to the cold beers of the Britannia Hut. Soon we were returning via the track to Felskin and down to Sass Fee where, my car loaded, we sped down to Sass Grund for our nights accommodation in the Hotel Heino.

4^th July.
After a good night’s sleep in the Hotel at Sass Grund, I thought we’d be off again today. The plan was to walk up to the Almageller Hut (at 2894 metres) and traverse the Weissmies down to the Weissmies Hut. Chris and Anne didn’t fancy a long hike with yet another big day after that, so we had a much appreciated rest day. There was plenty to do in Sass Grund and with e-mails and preparations sorted for the next trip; we relaxed for the first time this week.

5^th July.
With a worrying weather forecast for this afternoon and tomorrow, this the teams last day, we took the Hohsass cable car up to this brand new and extensive hut. Not so much a hut now, more a small hotel. Even showers were available.

6^th July.
There were probably only a couple of parties at most in front of us, as we climbed steadily under and past some worrying seracs. At the early hour, one expects no trouble, but I was pleased to get onto the ridge leading to the summit. The wind was picking up and soon we were in a wind-blown white-out, following the trail of the teams in front. We were going well, no one had returned from the summit so we weren’t too far behind the leading parties. Events took an unexpected turn when Anne announced she couldn’t see.

What had happened was the wind had constantly blown snow into her face and under her sun glasses. Her right eye was pretty iced up and like a good husband, Chris took my advice and did some heavy breathing into Annes eye. It did the trick and soon she was seeing clearly again. I took the opportunity to suggest we should turn back. Nothing could be seen through the mist and it was getting very cold. Anne was OK for going back and Chris, although he would have gone on, decided it was to be a family decision.

We turned for home and pretty soon met up with the trailing teams. A word or two about the conditions and we left the other teams to make their own minds up.

It wasn’t long before EVERYONE was following us down. Good decision I say.

Back at the hut we were warming up with hot drinks and then taking the cable car, we descended to Sass Grund.

Although not quite as productive a course as has been laid out, Chris and Anne left me in Sass Fee quite happy and thankful for the climbing we had achieved. With my working week over, I returned to Argentiere to prepare for a very unusual occasion for me in all my years in the Alps – I was flying back for a weekend.

7^th and 8^th July.
I have long thought a break in my guiding in the Alps would be good. Now I was getting an official break. As the new President of the Climbers Club (since March 07) I have taken on a leadership of a club which was having certain problems, with guidebook, huts, meets and membership all needing a boost of effort. I had put a good committee in place and we were working towards some improvements in the running of the club. The 8^th had been down as a committee meeting in Derbyshire and of course I expected my VPs to run the meeting in my absence.

A meeting without a President is like a pub with no beer. The quote came to me earlier that week so I made some quick arrangements and flew back to chair the meeting. Was it worth the effort? The committee thinks so, and we’re moving forward to reach all our targets. The Climbers Club is a great club to be in, lots of good friends and great places to go with them whenever we can.

9^th July.
Flying back from Liverpool on the Sunday morning, I was fortunate to meet up with my good friend and client, Ian, who with Bill, would be spending the next week with me in the Alps.

To describe the weather as bad that Sunday evening would be an understatement. Sheets of rain prevented anyone from stepping more than a metre from the Office bar doors. It was a dilemma. The forecast was for terrible weather until Thursday morning. What could I do for the boys? I know. Lets go to Finale!

Situated just south of Genoa in Italy, Finale is arguably one of the prime rock climbing areas in Europe. The mountain limestone is so rough, the routes are bolted, single or two pitches maximum, the access is relatively easy (motorway all the way from Aosta to Finale) and the weather is virtually guaranteed. Today we packed and sped off for a week in the sun, and were glad to see the change as soon as we exited the Mont Blanc tunnel. Three and a half hours later, we were checking in to the Youth Hostel in Finale, a superb castle style building with very friendly people running the place.

We even had time to do a good route on a cliff, in the late afternoon.

10^th to 12^th July.
What can I say? Three days followed of rock climbing at its best. Bolted protection, superb friction, steep climbing, just a dream. With the early evenings always spent drinking a cool beer in the little courtyard of Finale Borgo after finishing a route and the climbing day, before returning to Finale Lagura to eat pasta and drink wine or beer. This was heaven and the boys loved it too.

13^th July.
Our last day at Finale, because with expected good weather returning to the Alps, we felt we should return and at least get one mountain route done. We spent the morning on the sea-cliffs just outside Finale Lagura, no shirts, sun crème bolts and chalk. What a combination. We will all return here, for sure.

Then I was back in the driving seat again, moving smoothly across western Italy and through the tunnel back to Argentiere. Arriving back at our respective accommodation, we establised it had indeed cleared up at last.

14^th July.
Bill only had half a day left before his flight, so with his agreement we reluctantly said goodbye, and Ian and I took the Midi cable car and went to settle some unfinished business.

The previous summer, Ian and I had been to the Pointe Lachenal on the Vallee Blanche. Wed looked at the complete traverse but it had seemed too tricky and steep with our walking axes and no real technical gear. So wed topped out on both peaks by taking a low line with little trouble. Now armed with a technical axe and some runners, we made short work of this great little route. I would be back several times later this season.

15^th to 20^th July.
No rest day but Richard was game for a rock climb in the Aiguille Rouge for his first climb. The Chappelle de la Gliere was followed by more days on great routes – The Papillion Arête on the Peigne, a poor weather day spent at Vallorcine slabs, The Chere Couloir on the Triangle du Tacul (a super and steep ice climb), and, with two days left, we planned a big one – the Forbes Arete on the Chardonnet. Moving up on the 19^th to the Albert Premier Hut, we were warned of deep snow, no tracks, and what looked like a late afternoon storm coming in? We would have to hurry. Dawn on the 20^th found us labouring through the snow towards the Chardonnet. I suggested we were moving a little slow (even I was finding the going tough!)

We decided we might get caught in the afternoon storm if we continued so we agreed to back off, and instead topped out on the Tete Blanche and the Petite Forche, both at 3500 metres proving a great consolation.

Richard went away as happy as he was usually and I look forward to more adventures with him.

21^st & 22^nd July.
Down in my diary as TWO rest days, Saturday was spent washing clothes, sorting admin out and having a beer with the team in the Office. It was in there that I met Bernard and Konica, who were looking for a guide for the Crochures Traverse the next day. How could I refuse? Sunday dawned fine and the resultant day out was splendid with my new found clients. I do hope we can get together in Scotland next winter?

23^rd to 28th July.
David was back, minus this year our good friend Mac. David was intent on sorting out the Strahlhorn, unfinished business from last year.

We made good progress with David on more technical ground than he would usually agree to, the Petite Verte was in superb snowy condition. Just wanting one day to get going on in Argentiere, we sped off next morning to Sass Fee and up to the Britannia Hut. Next morning we made rapid progress to the summit of the Strahlhorn, unfinished business completed.

We dropped back down into Sass Fee and drove to Randa, making plans for Davids final two days.

In superb weather on the 27^th and 28^th, we made the long trek up to the Dom Hut, and topped out on this great beast, the highest peak entirely in Switzerland, at 4545 metres (the other contender, the Dufourspitze (at 4634 metres) straddles the border with Italy.

Tired but satisfied, we made the lengthy descent down (including a Via Ferrata) to Randa and were soon on the way back to Argentiere and some relaxing in the Office!

29^th July
A much needed rest day and I made good use of the plan by having complete rest.

The Rock Ness concert just across the road from our house was too irresistible to miss this year, so after two days of rocking to bands such as Manic Street Preachers, Daft Punk and my favourite band The Feeling, I still left Dores on about the same date as last year.

16^th June. Saturday.
Departed for Rosyth and the overnight ferry .

17^th June.
Arrived in Zeebrugge at 11am and was on the road south to the Alps in an hour. It was the usual lengthy drive down through Belgium until I connected with the autoroute at Arras, and headed towards Dijon and the Alps.

Poor weather (driving rain) slowed me and it was well into the early hours of Monday morning before I unloaded the car in the rain that had been constant since Dijon.

18^th June.
A reasonable nights sleep and I unpacked and sorted the gear into their respective corners of the small apartment. A few phone calls, a quick glass of beer and the preparations were well underway to receive Pete on the Wednesday night.

19th June.
My second spare day before courses started. I was able to make some calls and plans and socialise with John from the Rusticana, and Dave, the Kiwi who has bought the Office – Crystal and Jamie had apparently had enough and had fled to Chile.

20^th June.
My first client Pete had been out for a while and was raring to go. I had a small problem in that I was booked to go to the Alpine Club 150 years celebrations on the 22^nd and 23^rd , but he was happy to warm up on the Crochures Traverse, today much more interesting yet not too tricky, in crampons amid lots of early June snow. The initial groove was the hardest but the rest of the ridge was a sheer delight, Scottish 1 to 2.

21^st June.
Day off. Pete had arranged for me to re-join him on the Monday morning after the AC celebrations.

22^nd and 23^rd June.
Zermatt celebrations for 150 years of the Alpine Club and the connections with this famous historical mountain resort. Apart from representing the Climbers’ Club as their President, I had volunteered to escort Frau (Paula) Biner from the Bahnof Hotel to the two events, the first being the reception outside the Zermaterof Hotel by the church. Speeches by dignitaries such as Walter Bonatti, Kurt Diemberger, our own Steven Venables (President of the AC), and several other notably famous climbers and Zermatt dignitaries, followed by George Band presenting all these important people, including a surprised and bewildered (at 90 years) Frau Biner, his recently published book titled Summit (commemorating the 150 years of the AC, led to everyone retiring to the Grand Hotel where food and drink had been laid on. Even at such a grand age, Paula stayed longer than expected and seemed thoroughly impressed buy the whole affair. Unfortunately, being unsteady at 90 years, she felt unable to return the following evening to catch, as over 300 Alpine Club members and celebrities did, the Gornergrat Railway to the Rotboden Station. In miraculously perfect evening sunshine, with the Matterhorn glowing in a mantle of fresh snow, we all were entertained with more speeches before settling down to a fine evening of food and drinks. Because of Frau Biner’s expected presence, I was lucky enough to be seated on the top table, opposite my great friend Steve Venables, and next to Frank Uri Muller, the President of the Swiss Alpine Club, and opposite Walter Bonatti and his good lady Rosanna. A wonderful night of food, drinks and fun ended with the Gornergrat railway eventually escorted everyone back to Zermatt, where many of the club members and special guests managed to get into one or two of the local bars and continued the fun until late into the night, the local police being very understanding and needing only to coax some members off the street and back inside the bars.

A truly great event and one not to be forgotten.

24^th June.
Having said farewell to Paula and my Alpine Club friends, after a little soloing on the Via Ferrata at Thrift, I made my way back to Argentiere ands awaited Pete for the next climb.

25^th June.
Some unfinished business was planned for Ian later in July, so I took the opportunity of testing the water on the Traverse of the Pointe Lachanel near the Triangle du Tacul. This proved a great little climb and well worthy of many repeats I feel. Steep snow climbing leads to the ridge and left hand summit, then a traverse to a gap in the ridge, where an abseil of 25 metres put us in the col between the two summits. Moving across to the steep wall, the straightforward rocks and grooves covered in snow meant no real difficulty was encountered, and we summited on the right hand summit as early as 11am. A super little route. Not wishing to flog our way up the Midi Arete, we chose to repeat the Cosmiques Arête in fine style and crampons all the way.

26^th to 28^th June.
Pete had still not been to the Albert Premier Hut or done the Aiguille du Tour. As an essential training route for many early alpine climbers I do suggest this route to many of my clients. With the snow firm and deep, Pete had little trouble and we were soon winging our way back to Argentiere and planning a final bash for his last day.

29^th June.
In perfect snowy conditions, Pete and I cruised the Petite Verte in fine style. A really great end to Pete’s short time with me in Chamonix.

With next February’s Norway ice trip (Rjukan) looming, Pete was quick to book a place on this sought after meet.

30^th June.
A rest day.