Smiler Cuthbertson - Mountain Guide

August 27th – September 2nd – Danny arrived from Omaha Nebraska (flat as a opancake) with the usual problem, he just hadn’t had the time to get really fit, or to do any climbing in the States. So I set out a plan to get him acclimatised, with some rock climbing on the Aiguille Rouge, in the good weather planned for Monday 27th.

27th – The weather was glorious for a change, and we drove down to Chamonix and up to the Brevent car park. The lift was working and full of walkers and tourists heading for the summit and the great walks the around the Brevent.

We shared to lift with Helen, a walking guide living in Switzerland. She warned us the path from the summit to Plan Praz could be closed. In the event the path obstruction was lower down and we were able to make our way to the foot of one of the many two or three pitch ridges that litter the side of the valley here. Our route had been created by local guides, utilising necessary bolt protection and thus creating great routes which otherwise would be virtually unprotectable. Called Les Samoniem, this went at French 4c/5a max. and in five pitches. Not so difficult for Danny and we had plenty of time to go for a second route called Crackacoa. This time leaving my rucksack hidden in some rocks, we dropped down even lower from the summit and located the start. Rob Wills had taken Amanda up this route a few days before and there was some interesting talk about the 6b pitch. I was fired up to get this pitch under my belt.The first few pitches were 4b and 4c so Danny had little trouble. However, the 6b pitch needed a string attitude from me but I was delighted to not need to pull on anything. An overhanging fingers layback with some awkward foot placements necessary. A good tick! Danny watched and didn’t fancy the pitch so, as the alternative was a lower grade (4c) I abed down and removed the quickdraws. Moving past an awkward move on the variation, I was soon belaying Danny around the corner. This awkward move proved still too tricky for Danny so he bypassed this and lowered down to the sloping hillside, and scrambled up to meet me as I abbed off the bolt. We continued in three pitches to the summit ridge and made our way to the cable car station. A very good start for Danny, about a dozen pitches. He was enjoying the rock climbing.

August 28th - The great weather of yesterday had vanished somewhere and a light rain was falling in Argentiere. It meant a mountain route was not on, so we made our way to the great rock climbing area of the Aravis and Columiere, over the cols of the same names. We were heading for the route called Voie de Dalles, on the Petite Bargy, a line of huge slabs one can see from the autoroute when coming up to Chamonix from Geneva.

It was quite a walk and I hadn’t expected it, but anyway we reached the cliffs and set out to find the start. I knew that the nine pitches weren’t too hard, 4cs and 5as, but we’d have to move fast to get off before the forecasted storm (including lightning), arrived in the late afternoon. Danny was up for the task and we made good progress on the route, the route finding not too simple. It was getting to the time when the weather was supposed to breask and sure enough, looking south to Geneva, I could see the rain clouds building up. I was concerned about lightning but there was only one Flash bang. It was close enough though. I’d just done about half of the eighth pitch when the squall I’d been watching hit us with a vengeance. Torrential rain soaked us and the crag for over ten minutes. I had just time to get back to Danny on the stance and we quickly sorted an abseil out. Seven abs later we were back at the sacks and fortunately, the storm had finished.Looking back at the slabs as me made our way down the track to the car, I vowed I’d return and tackle some more climbs on this impressive crag.

August 29th and 30th – The bad weather was back with us and both days were rained off. We spent time checking the Col de Columbia, Col des Aravis, looking for rock climbs that might be doable in this wet period. We were not too successful.

All the time, the high mountain routes were getting loaded with fresh avalanche snow.so there was little chance this season of Danny getting a big route in.

August 31st – In somewhat improving weather we drove again down towards Annecy and today were awarded some sunshine and dry rock. We had decided to climb the via ferrata above Thones, north of Annecy, as this would be the first time Danny would experience this wonderful activity. We had a great time, swinging around on steep, sometimes overhanging rock, all the time clipped safely to the metal rungs and wire safety rope.Towards the end of the afternoon, we made our way to Annecy and Bernards house. Bernard is my log time friend who runs a horticultural business, providing all the flowers for Annecy and district. He is always happy to so see me again and relishes the suggestions I make to climb rock together. My plan was to complete a dream I’ve had for several years, do a route on the massive cliff of Mont Aiguille, south of Grenoble. So we drove down, picked Bernard up and drove south to the Vercors. Danny had a couple of days left before his flight home and he was also keen for this big rock climb. We arrived late in the evening but with a Frenchman aiding communication and map–reading, the evening meal and accommodation, in the small but beautiful hotel near Mont Aiguille, and set in the deep forests of the Vercors region, was a wonderful experience.

September 1st – With Danny not as in form for the harder rock climbing expected on this nine pitch route called Voie des Gemeaux, I elected to have Bernard lead all the way and I would climb alongside and above Danny, giving him advice and assistance if required on the more tricky moves. This idea proved useful on a couple of tricky pitches, but overall, the route was brilliant, around Hard VS but not too hard for that grade. The summit plateau was quite warm compared to the lower climbing, as a cool wind apparently often blows around this majestic peak. We were soon abseiling (one quite amazingly free) and making our way down the long track to the car park. Driving back north to stay in Annecy with Bernard and Chantel, his lovely partner, I felt pleased we had been able to complete this adventure, and I will surely be back one day.

September 2nd – Danny was happy with what he had done this trip. No big mountain routes but some great rock climbing, and so his last day was to be a less active one. With Bernard and Chantel along with us, we drove back to
Chamonix and to les Praz, for a day on the slabs of the Grande Floria. Athena was our choice for a nice but steady and day the sun granted us a great day.

With his vacation over, Danny left for Omaha and I drove back through France to the ferry at Zeebrugge. I stopped overnight in San Quentin, in a wonderful two star hotel and knew I would be back there some time.

Another season over, this time with no incidents and some great climbing. I’m already taking bookings for next season and am looking forward to more adventures with clients.

30^th July to 3^rd August.
It had been a while since Sandra had been with me on the

Mont Blanc and the Eiger, and she wanted to complete the Big Three with me this year. Warming up on the Crochures Traverse, I sensed a certain lack of pre-training by her? Now working as a policewoman, she explained she had recently been in an accident on her moped and was still recovering from the shoulder injury. She was however very keen to come out and join me. The weather forecast however, didn’t look too good for the end of the week and I was aware of the lack of ascents by anyone currently on the Hornli Ridge. Persevering in our training programme, we traversed the Pointe Lachenal and the Cosmiques in one day, spent a dubious weather day on the Vallorcine slabs, and it became clearer neither the weather or Sandra’s form would suggest we should go to the Matterhorn. So unfortunately, the course ended in Annecy site-seeing and preparing for our next great project together next January (

Aconcagua). Bill and David are also on this trip so Sandra and I made good plans and bought special food for the expedition to come.4^th August.
The rest day before the start of my 6-day

Mont Blanc courses. This one would continue with Richard to try and complete the Big Three!August 5^th to 18^th5th - This may sound like an extraordinary long course but in fact there was a reason. The six day Mont Blanc Express was to be followed straight after by Richard continuing to complete The Big Three. After some initial training on snowcraft last winter, Richard had travelled all the way back to Europe from Tortola, a small island in the

Caribbean. He was an early climber but with his military training background, had had no trouble with the routes in the

Highlands. His companions were equally ready for their course. Dan had also been with me last winter, performing well on his also first experience at climbing and the others, Dave and Peter, were young, strong and very keen. I had Henri, one of my two best French guides, working with me. After my usual

Chamonix tour, we travelled to the Guides Crag where several had their first experience at rock climbing, ropework and crevasse rescue techniques. Much practice took place and by the end of the day, experience had grown tremendously.6th - The weather wasn’t looking too good. With Henri guiding David and Peter alongside me, Dan, Richard and myself climbed up to the col on the Tour des Crochures on a gloomy morning and, easily ascended the couloir which was now clear of the lingering winter snow. We reached the

high point of the ridge in good time and sped along the Crochures Traverse in good style and timing. There was also the opportunity to continue along the thin winding ridge towards the Aiguille Belvedere. Descending past some snow, resisting the need to melt away, we soon reached the Lac Blanc where the usual coffee and cakes followed. The team were soon back in the mid station and down to the cars and a welcome refreshing drink at Le Office. A first alpine peak for everyone in the team so spirits were high, even though the drizzle had somewhat dampened our descent.

7th - With the shortened style of the Mt Blanc Express course, there could be no time for the great short routes of the Aiguilles, and we made the necessary trek up to the Albert Premier Hut, spending the afternoon practicing on the glacier below the building. Everyone was enjoying the new experience and sliding with a little unexpected help from me, into a deep crevasse, was a unique experience to everyone. Getting promptly and effortlessly pulled out again was a thrilling climax to the drama. Back at the refuge, tales of dark surroundings abounded until the conversation at meal time drowned even our exuberant voices. A great day.

8th - In very good weather, the ascent of the Aiguille du Tour proved straightforward, with good snow conditions.

High point records were broken by all and the whole team descended the snow to the Col Superior du Tour and took a break in the last of the sunshine, before dropping on the north side to the wind scoop. Dan, Richard and I later stumbled back over the rocks to the hut, to greet Peter and David, the young ones, who had coerced Henri into a race down the glacier back to the hut.. We were not far behind at our more sedate pace. Hut finance sorted, we dropped back down the ridge and along to the cable car station at the Col du Balme. Once again, we were soon quenching our thirst at the Office. 9th - The forecasted poor weather arrived in the early hours and washed out any hopes of our planned climb up to the Gouter Hut for Mont Blanc today. In torrential rain, a trip to the Guides Office and the tourist Office was all we could do, getting valuable information for any subsequent visits, was followed by visiting Sport Technique Extreme, where bargains galore are available on clothing and climbing equipment. We retired to Argentiere, damper and poorer.

10th - A dilemma over climbing Mont Blanc had occurred but Henri had been kind enough to offer David and Peter a lifeline to

Mont Blanc. He had offered to postpone the final two days to Saturday and Sunday, when the weather was forecasted to be good. This was no good for Dan, as he had to fly out on the Sunday anyway. Richard and I had three spare days booked for our remaining Big Three, so with Dan unable to postpone his flight home, I took Richard and Dan to the Guides Crag, in somewhat better and dryer weather. Peter and David came along for an extra day’s tuition prior to their

Mont Blanc days, and everyone had a great time climbing, falling off, on a top rope, and generally getting better and better at rock climbing.11th - Theoretically the last day of the course, but with Henri off to the Gouter Hut with the lads, and Dan packing for home, I took Richard on an expedition to test his movement on snowy rock, something it looked like we would be encompassing on our Swiss climbs the following week. The ascent of the Petite Verte was a good experience for Richard, with the added section at the summit, which I always try to complete. Richard was superb on the descent, bypassing slower climbers with ease, and we were soon back at the Col du Montet and Argentiere, wondering how the boys were getting along, on their Gouter Hut climb. In fact, with the enthusiasm of the lads, Henri had had no problem in offering the lads a straight ascent of

Mont Blanc from the valley. They’d proved they were fit enough and were definitely ready for it. In the event, nobody held anyone up and a rapid ascent was achieved, the trio being back in the Gouter Hut in the late evening. They’d had the summit to themselves.12th - Richard and I, now the remainder of the Mont Blanc team, were busy preparing for the

Matterhorn and Eiger. The past week’s weather had dumped two metres of snow on the high peaks, and I sincerely hoped the

Matterhorn would be clear of snow by the time we needed an ascent day. But we needed days of hot sun to achieve the conditions we needed. Optimistically, we left Argentiere for Grindelwald, only to receive our first set of bad news. The Eiger south ridge had not been climbed since the start of the storms, with a metre of untracked and unstable snow on the ridge. The local guides were not going and advised against any attempt for a few days of sun at least. The prospects of this happening were not good, so we stayed down in town for the night. Next morning, with a plan to do the Monch and go to the Monchjoch Hut afterwards, and be in position for the south ridge, we took the early train through the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch and took the well travelled ski road, turning off towards the bottom of the ridge. The ridge was in superb condition. Thanks to the snow, a winding but steep track had been climbed most days, and today was no exception. Being a ridge, the usual stonefall danger was not there, and some great climbing was possible, all the way to the superb knife edge snow arête to the summit. Richard has slowed and I wondered what was wrong? Near the top he admitted having a problem but would not say what it was, so determined was he to succeed on this, his best alpine route to date. I sensed he was also hoping to bypass his problem and continue on his quest for the Big Three. The summit provided a great panorama and a splendid vista of the great peaks of the Oberland. The Finsterarrhorn, the Fiescherhorn, The Morgangorn, The Aletschorn, and of course the Eiger. From where we looked, it was definitely unclimbable, deep snow overhanging as cornices all the way along. Several days sun would be needed and sun of the intensity we needed was not forecast. The descent was uneventful but Richard, on reaching the ski track admitted to his problem. He had had since military training an ailment which was now giving him problems in his legs. He was really concerned for me because, if he had an attack of this ailment, his ability to climb up or down a route might be in jeopardy. We took the ski road back to the train station and slowly it dawned on me that Richards dream was over for this season. We stayed together in a hotel that night and next morning the inevitable occurred. Richard announced he was going home. We were a very sad pair of climbers as we said goodbye to each other and I was soon heading back to Argentiere. Richard was adamant he would get rid of his problems and return as soon as possible and complete his Big Three. I assured him I would be there for him. A few unexpected days off were taken before the next and final course of the season began.