Confessions of an ice fool tool

I think I had a good start in life. Put together by that wise, bearded Scot from Ballachulish, I was proud to hang on that stockroom rack with all the other wannabees. It wasn’t long before I sensed some chemistry with the one on my right. A slightly odd, flattish head on her, in complete contrast to my round and heavy features. We soon hit it off, a grand pair.

I think HE had a good deal when buying us, that day back in the early eighties. We would all leave where we were made, in pairs for some reason, out into the wide open world, where being aggressively handled was the norm. I soon got used to the pounding I was giving to those strange-shaped pieces of metal, and she became a good craftswomen, working hard, chopping away at that funny stuff HE called ice. Silly name for frozen water I always thought. Our long noses seemed to do most of the work.

HE would take us from his shed, out into the hills and up some pretty steep ground,

Where we hung out

using her first, and then me alternatively, and we both got used to being slung back on his old bag after the day out.

My fondness for my partner grew and grew. I knew she felt the same, not wishing to be taken out without me, and HE seemed to realise that. HE seemed to be getting some accolade for what HE was using us for, but we didn’t

I always loved her

mind. As long as we were dried, sharpened occasionally, and left hanging tidily in his shed at night . It was cold and dark. I heard him once say it had to be so because of the bundles of string also hanging in there? We put that darkness to good use regularly. Life was sweet.

The winds of change were growing after some ten years of great times. HE suddenly introduced my partner and me to some strangers. “Mark 2s” I heard him tell his many friends who’d come and use his files and vice. The newcomers were positioned next to us. We could get on with most, but I had a distinct feeling trouble was ahead.

It became a regular, uneasy feeling to be left hanging, when HE would select off the rack those with that shape I couldn’t describe, and I certainly didn’t like. They had my heavyweight head and her flattish top alright but it looked like they’d got bent

The Mark 2s

somehow when the bearded wise man had put them together. HE seemed keen to try them though?

My lady and I did get the occasional outing, especially every summer, a long way away from home, where it seemed our long straight shapes were best suited for what HE wanted? She often got a bit sea-sick at one point of the journey. We were stuffed under bags of food and other gear, spending long hours being thrown about in that tiny van. HE wasn’t hanging around, that’s for sure. The boat trip did give us a brief rest until once more we were hurtling south again after a couple of hours. I knew it was south because he kept telling his mates, “let’s not stop for chips, we’ve got to get down there as soon as we can”.

Alpine climbs

I was often out of breath on our first outing but the air did seem cleaner, nicer here. We were mainly back on the dark, cold stuff. Yes, cold in those early dark hours, but on the other hand, when the sun came up, we warmed quickly, and then often, we were parked outside a noisy bar and left for a couple of hours to sweat away the late afternoon. However, back at home, whenever the weather cooled, HE seemed to have to choose between that other couple, and us?

Our luck definitely changed though, when HE went off to do some “Minus” Gully (Number 3, I think HE told his pals later). There had been some problems moving out of easy ground onto steep rock and I think HE got a bit frightened. It seems their noses were angled a bit different because of how they’d been put together? That had been a real worry for him.

“I just couldn’t hook properly”, I heard him tell his pal that evening. “I wasn’t happy at all”.

She and I couldn’t resist looking smug. HE had had a shock and suddenly, we were back in the frame.

For a while we had a lot of fun.

Then it DID all change. Two more newcomers muscled their way into our scene. We

I thought they were nasty pieces of work

couldn’t argue. Their ‘Predator-like’ approach wasn’t to be tangled with. They were tough-looking, mean ‘son of a b…..’ fighters and I had my lady to look after. We spent many a cold month in the shed. idling our time away the best way we knew, it was still fun after all these years. We felt slightly relieved in fact, a sort of resting period. So we didn’t object to be left on the shelf, well, hanging off it.

We both realised our time was running out. I was still mad on my partner so just being next to her was good. So it came as a bit of a surprise when we found ourselves back on the old bag and off into the cold morning, recently. There was a feeling of being a bit out of practice, but HE seemed happy, going it alone on this occasion (HE had rarely been so bold).

Looking down the tricky grooves

The familiar ridge was cold and snowy, but HE quickly despatched the harder section, hooking us with glee into the steep cracks, and on the summit, crossing over to the way off, he put me away and concentrated on using her to go down the steep snow. I remember HE stopped for some drinks out of his flask at the bottom, and seemed to be peering at the cliff face, although I couldn’t see a thing in that thick clag. Although it was still fairly early, HE didn’t seem to want to push it any more, and sliding her down the side straps on the other side of me, HE wandered off down the good track and back to the car.

I never noticed she had gone. All I recall is being tossed quickly into the boot of his car, and we were soon racing up the A9 and back in the shed. There seemed to be some consternation? I gasped when I realised what HE was telling his wife. “I’ve lost my axe. I must have lost it on the way down”.

I was completely distraught. My one and only love for over twenty years, maybe

I felt so lonely

longer, had gone. All I could do was hang limply from the shelf and cry. It was a horrible night. I realised HE was trying everything to get her back. A good friend of his had a great website that people used to read often, and my lady’s disappearance was published.

Next morning I wanted to die. The first few waking hours were so painful, but by mid-morning, something was happening? HE was so excited, dancing around joyfully. I heard him tell his wife, “The website has paid off. It’s been found! ”

I almost fell off my hook with joy. She wasn’t gone!

Sure enough, a few hours later, she was back, right next to me, I was so happy.

They are a strange bunch, these humans who throw us at that white stuff so aggressively, but I have to say I don’t really care anymore. Thanks to that website and the kindness and thought of the other human, she and I are together again.

And it does look like we will be relaxing for even more of those cold days, because another two newcomers from France, (Nomics or something like that), seem to have taken his fancy.

Those French lads

Good luck to him and to them. My lady and I are happy to chill.

I was so lonely

I’ve been inside all day, when I should have been driving back down to Aviemore and searching for my lost axe. I’d already asked my friend and colleague Alan Kimber of  ’West Coast Mountain Guides’, Fort William, to put something out on his daily blog about my missing axe, thinking, you never know, and sure enough, he did.

Thanks so much Alan, for your efforts paid off. Bill from ‘Scotch on the Rocks’ was returning from Sneachda as it was geting dark last night and spotted my axe in the snow (not the car park where I thought I’d lost it)!

Welcome home

It’s a great example of our small world, full of really great people. I’m putting away the beer money right now. Happy Christmas Alan, and Bill. I owe you.

What a christmas present!

Superb icy rocks on the ridge

My own careless fault, but how many of us have, at the end of a great day out, loaded the damp and snowy gear into the car boot, and failed to spot the axe on the floor?

Looking down the tricky grooves...

It had been a great day, good weather for a time, but after doing the Fiachaill Ridge and coming down the Goat Track, with it being 1pm by now,  I chose not to do another solo and just get home. I stopped for a butty and a drink from my flask at the ‘Breakfast Stone’, now re-named ‘Lunch stone’. The glorious morning had deteriorated into thick clag. I could hear several parties on routes like (probably) Goat Track, Red Gully, The Runnel and maybe a couple more to the left, but saw nothing.

Ah! The reason for being here....

Oh well, I had done my GPS setting, and it had been enough to be on my own on the ridge, the rocks tricky, but covered in reasonable snow, especially on the steep middle section, so why push it?

Back at the car park...

Going out, there was plenty of snow at ground level but I was amazed at the wide and solid track winding through the rocks and along the side of the valley floor. Sneachda must have had much more attention over the last few days than I had realised and today was no exception. Superb early season climbing.

I’ll be back soon, and maybe some kind person will have picked up my Mountain Technology Vertige (straight-Shaft) axe and is sending me a nice Christmas present. They’d definitely get one back!

Working with Murray is always a good time and Graeme was also booked, as the

Murray doing what he does best - Guiding

third guide on the course, The clients, eight hardy types, apparently well prepared with previous KE trips and UK climbing under their belts? We knew we’d be having some fun.

Steering my Citroen into Switzerland I bought a vignette at the service station at Martigny. At long last I was legal, and the motorway pass would be needed when I returned through Switzerland en-route to Goppingen in Germany, where I intended to meet up with my brother and his family for a couple of days. It would be with my niece, Lynn, her final few days before coming to the UK as an Au Pair.

Humming down the motorway through Sierre and Sion, the weather was pretty close to perfection. If only it would hold. Graeme and I would meet up at the hotel

Graeme in action

around 9am, Murray having spent the night before there with the clients, and he would take them on the nice leisurly walk up to the Britannia hut from the Mattmark Lake area. We would join the team at the hut.

I arrived a fraction ahead of Graeme and I met the owner of the lovely Hotel Heino, Gorda, on arrival in Saas Grund. She instantly made me feel welcome with nice Swiss coffee. Once Graeme had arrived and prepared his sack for the glacier training day, we took the Metro to Felskin  and walked around to the hut. Part of the original track had recently been designated as dangerous (I always though it was, but it had got much worse) and we had a longer detour before we were all together at last.

Lizzie was the only female team member. The boys ranged from mid-fourties to twenty somethings, and they were all very keen to get over to the the glacier from the hut for

Aide on the glacier below the Britannia Hut

their first afternoon’s ice practice.

Dropping down to the glacier from the hut, we three guides split into different techniques training programmes, myself being keen to examine how the boys handles the steep and narrow ice aretes in crampons.

My two charges, Martin and Aide, were brothers and were keen to learn as many tricks as possible, ready for the time they’d go it alone. Some super (and very narrow) ice ridges were located and followed until I was confident my two lads were more than ready for the mountains to come. The altitude would be a different matter to prepare for.

After almost three hours on the ice it was time to head back up ‘Heartbreak Hill’, the track back up to the Britannia Hut, not disimilar to the horrid trek back up to base camp on Denali, a long stretch of very tedious up-hill graft that is unavoidable if you want a flight out to Talkeetna. We were only going back up to the hut but for the first day at altitude for the lads, it was their ‘Alaska’ all right. I didn’t mention how much more tiring it would be after the Stahlhorn trek the next day?

The 03.45 breakfast may sound early for a trekking peak, but we guides knew just

The Strahlhorn (L) and the Rimpfischhorn

how strenous a first real day would be on the Strahlhorn. We needed to get up and off the beast before the sun did too much damage to the snow. Although I’d done the route quite a few times before, it had been twenty years since I had last been on the peak but its reputation for being a ‘slog’ is well founded, well remembered by me, and the first couple of hours in the dark needed a joint approach from the team. It was very tricky to pick out the way through the morraine ridges. Eventually, we did feel the direction was correct and crossed rubble interspersed with ice ridges until we reached the more level area. The three teams converged here and soon we were all heading for the col (Adler Pass?). Once on the final summit ridge we all re-learnt how tough it is on that last section, but soon the peak was ours. Not too bad a time I thought. The team’s first peak was in the bag.

Aide & Martin on the Strahlhorn

 
The descent is  tiring and horrible undefoot by this time of day. No alternative though but to get going and keep going. Heartbreak Hill proved a hard task but soon we were all back at the hut and relaxing. A good effort all round.

The following day was a much easier trek after the Strahlhorn (4190meters). The Alallinhorn ascent to 4027 meters is a much easier climb. Once past all the skiers after the Metro top station, we got into our rhythms and cruised to the summit. Everyone felt it was much easier than the previous day, but we pointed out

The Metro Alain top station from the Strahlhorn summit

that acclimatisation was now getting much bertter.

Now with all our kit from the Britannia Hut in our sacks, we could descend to the top station and go all the way down to Saas Fee. The afternoon in Saas Grund was spent relaxing and the facilities at the Hotel Heino were fully utiilised.

The plan for the following day was the trek up to the Almageller hut. Murray had a suprise for even me though. Getting off the bus in Saas Almageller, we all walked a little further out of the middle of town than I expected to, until a sweet little cable car whisked us up to a nice traversing path and some sections of via ferrata path which curled across the steep hillside I had climbed directly up on my

Graeme and team on the via ferrata bridge

previous visit to the Almagller Hut. It certainly took some of the uphill strain out of the approach.

Reaching the half-way hotel, we rested here and while I looked after the ordering of coffees, Murray and Greame fitted some top-ropes on the huge boulder a short distance away from the ‘hotel’. There weren’t many takers for the extra activity, but Aide especially found his (virtually) first rock climbing experience, qute good fun and exciting and also very useful training for the following day on the Weismiess with its rocky scramble  most of the way to the summit.

That following day proved a real buzz for the team. The scrambling was sustained,

Graeme and team on the via ferrata bridge

and it was slightly snowing to boot, so more care was needed with the rocky steps and footholds. The two brothers, Aide behind me and Martin as last man, climbed admirably to the summit, and were rewarded by a superb snow ridge descent that in the prevailing conditions, was pretty simple yet at the same time very

The summit of the Weismeiss (4017 meters)

exhillarating.
With all three teams together at all times, we reached the Hohsaas Hut in good time, avoiding the usual concern (if one is late) with the seracs on the descent.
We dropped down to the Weismeiss hut, now with three out of our planned four peaks in the bag.

Our final early start for the Lagginhorn (4010 meters) was again in good weather. We’d been lucky all along so far, just having that slight snow storm on the Weismiess to handle, but the final

On the lower rocky slopes of the Lagginhorn

peak’s weather was simply glorious. So was the route. I love the scrambling over the rocks on the ascent and the final snowy zig-zag which soon eased to a beautifully small, neat summit. Other British guides were also on the peak and it was a very sociable occasion.

The descent beckoned and we made short work of this, my team taking the direct descent down the rock ridge rather than dropping into the cwm where we had ascended. For me this was great fun, giving me great and fond memories of the boulder-hopping we just to do down the river in the Llanberis Pass in those early years. However,  Aide was showing signs of fatigue. We still managed to pull away from the other teams and reach the Weismeiss hut well ahead of the others. We deliberated on how long we would wait beore dropping down the fairly short trip to the Hohsaas lift and the half-way cable car station. My two lads were keen to get back for showers etc and we packed and prepared for an ‘early dart’.
Just as we were thinking of setting off, everyone appeared, so it was a very happy team that descended together and sat chatting and joking, outside the Hotel Heino drinking cool beers while we sorted the photos out onto each of our SD cards in our cameras.

Saying farewell to a really nice bunch of climbers, I remarked on how good this course had been. Four peaks in five days, 16234 meters of ascent…. Oh, that’s where I came in….?

I sped back to Argentiere, keen to see if I’d really finished and could pack and leave

Lynn, Chris, Pete and Babs - The Cuthbertsons in Germany

for the UK soon, or had Clare picked up some late bookings and I would stay a bit longer?
No such luck (or was it?) so after a day in town clearing and packing up, it was off to Germany.

The 2011 summer season that almost never happened. I’m so pleased it did.

The Prize

Mont Blanc again

Andy had been recommended by my good friend and client, Dan, to email me, for a possible extra course if I had a space. Sure enough, the space was there between 17th and 20th August. Clare passed me the details of the request and I took on the extra task to my programme.

The way to go

The weather was very good, cool yet warm once one got going, so it was in limited clothing that we climbed down the arete and across to the Hut.

The Midi Arete

Andy was young, strong and by now, acclimatised after seven or eight days on the Haute Route so I was confident a one-day climb to the top of Western Europe was on. I haven’t gone this way very many times, and had mostly reached the top a little later than planned, and for safety’s sake, had usually gone down the Gouter route, where there is more ‘shelter’ from any of the three huts on the way – the Vallot Hut, The Gouter Hut and the Tete Rousse Hut, and even the new gite at the Nid d’Aigle can be used if it’s very late.

Andy had already learnt many of the technical skills he might have been lacking, on his trek across the Alps. I showed him how to put a ice screw in, ready for his descent from the Col Maudit later that day. A few other ‘tricks’ passsed over, we joined the many parties in the hut for a very nice evening meal. Then it was off to our beds around 8.30pm.

From the Cosmiques Hut

As usual,one doesn’t sleep much. Noisy people in the bedroom see to that. A wake up alarm for 12.50am is rarely needed.

After the 1am breakfast we found ourselves in advance of most of the other parties when kitting up. Around 1.45am and out on the snow we were very pleased to see only a few teams ahead of us.
The wind was sharp on the Col du Midi, but then it usually is, and as we gained height on the Mont Blanc du Tacul slope, we felt more comfortable in the clothing worn. After a few stops for drinks and adjustment of Gortex, gloves etc we found ourselves following just four parties, and I liked our position in the ‘queue’.

It was only around 03.30 when we reached the shoulder of the Tacul, we were moving smoothly and so we took a breather for five mins. It was sill quite dark but the weather was superb so no worries today.
Moving on down into Col Maaudit, the snow underfoot was superb, cold and crisp, supporting our weight as it should do at that time of the morning. We circled across and entered the many zig-zags leading up to the steeper finishing slope to the col. I had always assumed

The steep Mont Maudit section (on the way back)

most people had done some checking of what lay ahead, especially for the several distinctly more technical points of the ‘Three Peaks’ route, but in fact Andy hadn’t researched the route and so he wasn’t expecting such a technical and steep section. I mentioned he would have to down climb this on the way back, and soon after leaving him on a safe stance, I placed an ice screw in the cold, good ice between the base of the slope and where a fixed rope, always in place and knotted at several points, could be used for running belays. He would have a screw to place, at roughly the same position on the return journey. Adding karabiners to the in-situ loops higher up on the fixed rope, we moved comfortably together and popped out onto the col. Somehow it was still very early, only 04.50, and I was very pleased with our progress.
Changing into warmer gloves and taking a quick drink break, we continued on across the steep slope towards Col Brenva. The crevasse at the lower end of the track usually formed by the bergshcrund proved less problematic today, much easier to down climb and step across onto the lower level. Soon we were resting again below the Mur de la Cote, the rock

The summit slopes from Col Brenva

buttress we would have to climb up to from Col Brenva, and circle around before hitting the endless zig-zags to the final summit.At Col Brenva I usually look on the last 500 metres from the Col Brenva as the toughest section. What’s that film called? ‘No country for old men’? Quite an adequate title for this last part of the climb. But with three-quarters of my season completed, today all went smoothly, and rapidly, because at 06.15, we stood on the summit, together with groups of climbers we had come to know during our rest stops. All climbers become friends on the way to Mont Blanc.

Andy & me. Top of Mont Blanc

It had been a rapid (for me) five hour ascent and I was very pleased, with Andy, and myself. Now all we had to do was go back! The few moments on the summit were spent taking photos, drinking water and stuffing food down us, then we were away. It was a great comparison to our ascent of this slope, dropping down to Col Brenva, and even the ascent to Col Maudit seemed easier than expected. The slot above the steep slope was soon reached and I top-roped Andy easily now down the snow steps, the ice we had climbed up earlier that morning was now very much easier soft material, yet my instructions and advice to Andy still had to be clear. He would climb down virtually the full length of my rope,placing runners in the fixed rope loops and placing the ice screw where I’d done so earlier.

The crux slope to Col Maudit

It all went wrong when he couldn’t find any secure ice for the ice screw placement, so I shouted to him to continue down the steps and round the bulge of snow to the safer stance just before the traverse into Col Maudit. I’m not sure why but Andy didn’t follow the route and steps we’d taken on the way up, but strayed across to his left and suddenly was sliding down over the steep bulge. My belay stopped him just as he reached the safe stance, and although surprised, he wasn’t at all taken aback. Quickly he placed his axe, and called me down, and with a lovely lady climbing down right behind me, I took advantage of her and was able to leave a karabiner in two of the loops, and easily lower myself down the slope very quickly, the lady, grateful I was getting out of her way so smoothly and fast, kindly dropped my rope on these two occasions.

Now back with Andy, we set off along the diagonal track towards Col Maudit. From now on there would be no technical slopes, just a couple of open crevasses to cross and some steep down-climbing, before the Col Maudit.
We paused for a break here as it was getting very hot. Still with ample water left, we moved on up the slope towards the Tacul ridge and then on down the long slopes to the Col du Midi.

Col Maudit and stunning seracs

Our problems with the soft snow in the morning heat were virtually over now. All that remained was the steady-paced slog back up to the Midi, and the very welcome seats in the summit cafe, where lovely hot coffee was the order of the moment. Although weary, we both felt elated, as we had summitted in around five hours, and returned in almost the same time.

The weather had been very hot all morning, and by now we were more or less welded to the seats in the cafe. After our rest and drinks, we clamboured through the crowds and across the bridge between the two Midi Peaks. Without stopping, we by-passed the tourists heading for the cable car gate. Here, for some unknown reason, there was a problem with the cables?

Andy & me on the Midi terrace after Mont Blanc

Once on the cable car, we were immediately ushered off again, to be left waiting for around a half-hour before all resumed to normality and we were down in Chamonix once again.

I got the car and drove Andy to the Hotel Couronne in Argentiere, where Slyvie was happy to give my friend a room for one night. I left Andy to clean up and rest, making plans to meet up again in The Office for a meal and final drinks that evening. Andy would be off tomorrow to Geneva to see a pal of his.

We met up next morning for breakfast at the Office and spent a pleasant hour in lovely sunshine, reflecting on a great adventure. Then it was time for me to rest and look forward to a course for Victor, and Adventure Consultants, the New Zealand company made famous by the ‘Into Thin Air’ episode. Andy and I parted as good friends and we hoped to do more climbing together in the future.

The Prize - got it (just in time by the look of those clouds)!

Mont Blanc Gouter Route

The ‘Maximum Adventure’ team for my Mt Blanc (August 11th to 16th) course came as a party  from the famous Costa Coffee group. The variety of friends and workmates were staying at Simon’s place in Le Praz, the Hotel Eden.

I met up with Mike (owner and organiser of Maximum Adventure) and the team of Naomi, Dilgit, Nigel, Dave and James, at the Hotel on the morning of the first day of the course. For the first half of the course, Robert, a local, very friendly and very experienced French guide, would be with me and the five clients. Then Herbert, a very nice German guide would join us for the three-day Mont Blanc trip.  Rifling through the equipment box in the hotel’s storeroom, I was dismayed to see very little gear left to use? Mike fortunately appeared and told me of the several courses that he had on the go at this time, and I’d be off to the local sports shop in Le Praz to kit the group out. The weather was very good so we would be off as soon as all kit was fitted, to Le Tour for the hike up to the Albert Premier Hut.

My team weren’t seasoned climbers but many of them had done some good trekking peaks, almost all for their charities, in Britain, Ben Nevis and other UK peaks, and also abroad, where several had done Kilimanjaro and even one of my favorite trips, Jebel Toubkal in Morocco. They were, again for this week, on another charity mission from their respective branches of the company, with respective charities, and all were positive about reaching the summit of Mont Blanc.

The trek up to the refuge was uneventful, lots of chatting with great expectancy of the summit of Western Europe at the end of the week. I recognised Dave and Nigel as the faster of the group, and made plans to pair them with Robert. He’d slow them down a touch, with his lovely, experienced French guide’s pace. Naomi and her boss, Dilgit, would be together as a pair with Herbert, and James, self confessed as not being too fit, would be with myself. His supposedly lack of fitness was camouflaged  by a great and forceful attitude which bore him well on all the peaks. In fact they were as one, dedicated to reaching the summit of Mont Blanc. I hoped for them, the

Aiguille Chardonnet from the Albert 1st Hut

weather would be kind to us?

As usual, we spent a couple of hours on the glacier below the hut, establishing good practices in crampon use and short roping  and returned to a still half-empty hut at 5.30pm. It soon filled up.

The weather was fairly good, so next morning at dawn saw us hiking up the familiar track to the Col Superior du Tour, and on up to the base of Aiguille du Tour.

The climb itself was uneventful, maybe Dave was a little

Aiguille Dorees

hesitant when passing the large overhang on the track above the col, but his brief concern soon passed and all the team gathered on the (rather crowded summit) for the slaps of the raised open palms, and the congratulations from everyone in the team for the first success.

Descending to the Trient Glacier, we made our way over this

Trient Glacier from Col Blanche

vast plateau to the Trient Hut and settled in for the night. Tomorrow we would return via the Col Blanche and the Tete Blanche, before returning to Le Praz and Argentiere. We were quite early at the hut so we had plenty of rest. The usual Swiss excellence of huts and superb food was welcomed and the new wardens, made us very welcome.

At dawn next morning, we roped up for the crossing of the

Trient Glacier From Col Blanche

plateau again, but this time, moving closer to the base of the Aiguille Dorees, passing quite near to the Fenetre de Saleina, before halting for a breather below the steeper Col Blanche.

The track up and over the steep headwall could have been avoided, but I didn’t spot the leftward track which completely

Nigel exiting Col Blanche

avoided any steep snow/ice climbing. The final steep slope was overcome by an awkward and fragile bergshrund of, soft snow which had to be carefully compacted to gain support, before the 50/55 degree finishing slope. Everyone loved the

technicality of the climb up to the col, and after reaching the col itself, the Tete Blanche summit was only minute away. Another palm-slapping moment and time to look at both the Swiss and French summits all around us.

As with many organised company courses for Mont Blanc, both the Tete Rousse and Gouter Huts had been booked, leaving the guides to confirm/cancel whichever place was needed or not.

Waking to the prospect of the Mont Blanc climb, he weather forecast had problems . It was forecast to be wet and stormy later in the afternoon, so Robert wisely suggested going quite early even though the Tete Rousse hut is only a couple of hours away from the terminus at the Nid d’Aigle. The early start didn’t pan out as well as it was intended. The Bellevue cable car deposited us at the cafe above the Nid d’Aigle train station just in time for the heavens to start opening. Disgorging from the train at Nid d’Aigle, we rushed to the shelter of the small building, quickly donning all our waterproofs to combat the now heavy rain. Not what we had planned!

Continued bad weather at the Tete Rousse Hut

Not only heavy rain, but quite a strong wind accompanied our very wet team to the refuge. We had at least done the trek in a good time (no-one understandably seemed keen to hang around).

Soon we were hanging our wet waterproofs on as many hooks as we could find, in the restaurant and bedrooms of this lovely hut.

With the weather as it was, we had some problems appearing. The intention was to leave the hut the following morning, early to avoid any stonefall danger in the Grande Couloir and get to the Gouter Hut, maybe even, if the weather was better, continuing to the summit, then returning to sleep at the Gouter Hut. The prize for crossing the couloir and reaching the higher refuge was that the summit was a mere five hours away, and with a reservation for the Gouter Hut in our hands, it would be the best final outcome to the course. However, with the Grande Couloir virtually dry of snow, this wet weather was making the stonefall quite high, and Robert, Herbert and I awoke at 4am to find the weather definitely worse. Strong winds and rain made it certain there would be no early start and with continuous visits to outside at regular half-hourly periods, we knew we were going to have to wait before any movement, maybe downwards might be necessary?

The long morning drew some agitation from the group. They were so close to their required success that it became quite difficult to appease them, so determined were they to get cracking. We three guides had of course the ultimate decision making, and for several hours in the morning, we watched, waited, debated and agonized over the danger the rainfall was causing with the couloir.

Around 2.30pm we had a break in the weather, it had finally stopped raining. Robert went up and talked to the lady from Petzl who was monitoring the stonefall in the couloir. This monitoring was intended to enable Petzl to offer to build a bridge over the dangerous part of the Grande Couloir. A bridge? It seemed a tunnel was the most practical, but this option had met with considerable opposition from conservationists and also some climber. The latter opposition amazed and irritated me, so many stonefall accidents were occurring with the high capacity of mountaineers crossing the couloir, or were they simply Mont Blanc wannabees with little experience or common sense. But they still come in their hordes every possible day. Depressing though it is, everyone has the right to climb the highest peak in Western Europe.

The better weather and the report from the Petzl lady of minimal stonefall prompted we three guides to enact a rapid preparation and departure for the Gouter Hut.

Spirits were immediately raised and with the three teams operating almost separately, I concentrated on getting James to the next hut in as safe a way as possible. This involved using the long 5mm diameter wire slung across the couloir, by attaching three or four meters of the end of my rope to the wire by a screwgate karabiner and dragging the karabiner across as we traversed. Neither of my two colleagues were intent on doing the same, they felt it was a slower and not so necessary operation. As we were pretty well together at the start of the crossing, I was determined not to be swayed by my colleagues, and sure enough, James and I moving rapidly across the couloir, there was certainly no time lost in using the wire as a safety precaution. At least my mind was happy, and I’m pretty sure James was as well.

Once over the danger zone, we made good progress up the ridge, James doing admirably and seemingly getting more confident of the following day’s trip to the summit.

The refuge was surprisingly empty ay 5.15 pm but numbers did swell by meal time. However, we were well placed now and an enjoyable feeling and good expectations were apparent in the team.

Preparations for the early start made, we all settled down to await the mealtime, then we made our way to Dormitory 1 for the hot and often noisy evening (or the usual four hours that is left in it). I wondered why Robert hadn’t booked we three guides in the much quieter ‘Guides’ room’ but there were plenty of guides at the hut so our special room may have already been filled? With only four hours before wake up and breakfast, there did not seem much point in any conversation about our bedroom location, and after an excellent evening meal, we all set about getting as much sleep as we could.

The 1am start was very promising. The weather was fine and cool. James and I were almost at the head of the usual queue leaving the hut around half-past one, and taking a steady but continuous pace, we even managed to comfortably pass a couple of teams. By the time we had reached the dark shapes of the leading group, I was slightly relieved to find it was

Heading for Dome du Gouter

Robert, Nigel and Dave in the lead. There would be no more overtaking today. It soon became obvious that the winds and rains had done some damage to the almost always excellent tracks on Mont Blanc. Pretty soon, as we made a direct ascent over the Dome du Gouter, I realised there was no track, and Robert was trail-breaking. This excellent effort continued right up to the Bosses Ridge area, where James and I were overtaken by a couple of faster parties. I am unaware of whether Robert had made the trail all the way to

From the Vallot Hut

the summit? No matter, James and I were happy to plod our way up to the summit. We could only have been fifteen minutes or so behind the leading groups, and finally two thirds of thee Costa Coffee team were congratulating themselves on success. Herbert, Dill and Naomi were just a few minutes behind Robert’s team, and James and me, and we wished them well when passing them at the far end of the summit ridge.

James had done very, very well, and I too felt very

James Ewing Mont Blanc summit

comfortable on the occasion. However, as the morning progressed, and the heat of the good weather came upon us, it soon became the usual drudge down from the summit, and with relief all round, we re-crossed the couloir without incident (but with a clipped wire on my part again) and reached the fenced-off area where they have discovered a serious ‘water bubble’ underground which threatens to burst one day and flood San Gervais? They are intending to bore relief holes and remove the vast amount of water lying underground.

Mont Blanc summit ridge 16th August 2011

At the vicinity of the Tete Rousse Hut, James and I decided that we’d had enough walking and wanted to get down as soon as possible. Dave and Nigel steered Robert to the hut for drinks, and we made our way down the dusty, uncomfortable track to the Nid d’Aigle where, luckily, a train was just arriving.

James and I at in the bar opposite the Bellevue cable car station, savoring a cold beer each. With possibly several hours to wait before Herbert and Robert would arrive with their teams, James agreed that we would be better driving off to Le Praz, me to Argentiere than waiting for the other teams. Mobile phones were used to pass the news of our safe arrival, but all phones were switched off, and it was around 6pm before I heard all parties were down safely.

James and I discussed getting together with the whole team that evening and James planned to call me with some timescales later on. I guess everyone was very tired because the calls didn’t happen. I sent a text to James suggesting a next day morning coffee and cakes at the Hotel Eden, which received some optimism, but even that didn’t happen, and I was fairly tired myself to worry too much about saying farewell to a great team. I’ll do it by e-mail when we contact each other and exchange photos.

I wish them all good luck with their charities.

The two builders hit Argentiere on 22nd July, a day later than arranged because of Easyjet flight cancelation problems and also lost luggage, but after a night in Edinburgh, all turned out OK and the boys arrived in Geneva. Due to the delays, Cham Van had to be re-contacted and only by 18.30 were they on their way to The Office Bar for a beer with Smiler.
Checking in to the Hotel Couronne asap they made their way across to the bar. Not used yet to alpine weather, they were surprised how chilly and wet it was. I reassured them the forecast for the next few days was better, but that the rain would probably continue tomorrow, and it would be putting plenty of snow down even in the Aiguille Rouges, our target for day 2 of their 9-day Mont Blanc course.
Sure enough, Sunday dawned wet, but after showing the boys around the hotspots of Chamonix, it was down to donning waterproofs and off to the Guides crag, for the crevasse rescue and ropework training. The weather did improve and in the mid-afternoon the rock had flash dried, allowing us to do some great rock routes together.
The rain had stopped but some damaage had been done. On a clear monday morning, everywhere on the mountains was

No, not Scotland, just going for the Aiguille Crochures traverse in July

white. Ensuring we all had crampons and axes, we made our way through quite deep snow from the top of the Index cable car station to the Col du Crochures. There were fresh tracks which helped a lot and, topping out onto the ridge, a very wintry scene emerged. The entry gully onto the ridge proper was decidedly Scottish

1st pitch of Aiguille Crochures traverse

3, mandatory crampons on very smooth rock. All went OK thanks to some good training we three had had together in the Highlands last winter.
Once on the ridge we picked up speed and soon caught up with Rob, a colleague of mine with his two clients. I figured they had put the tracks in but, no, another French guide had been through earlier. It was a jovial time on the summit of the Aiguille Crochures, eating

John and Gary on Aiguille Crochures summit

snacks, taking photos, before continuing down and along the flat sections of this great training  route. Already reaching 2800 metres the lads were doing fine.
Dropping down towards Lac Blanc was a different story. The

John and Gary on Aiguille Crochures Traverse

snow must have blown in over the ridges and collected on that descent, as it was knee deep for quite a while. We got down to the refuge and the coffee was good for Gary and me. John’s tea wasn’t so nice, he thought the milk might have been off?
We dropped back to the middle station and I felt this course was going to be very successful, the guys being fit, keen and competant. A good starting trip completed.
Next morning, with the weather forecast being much better, we made our way over to the Grande Montet and up to the top station. It was quite cold on the col and there were many parties ahead of us by now. We trekked up the good path behind a young British ccouple who, on the col while we were roping up, had asked several questions like..”is that black cloud threatening” and “what time do you think it will

John & Gary Petite Verte

storm”? Attempting to stay non-committal I think I was a litttle tough on the lad, because gradually thrroughout the course of the climb, we all came to appreciate Joanathon’s keenness even though he was on one of his first outing here. I changed my view of this ‘Brit’ more and more as we climbed virtually alongside each other. There were masses of climbers up to the summit blocks and

Higher on Petite Verte

I knew from past experience we three would have to do some dodging and weaving to get up and especially down in a reasonable time. I’ve known people stuck on the descent for hours.

Gary, John and I topped out, with Jonathon and his lady quite close behind. After a half-hour on the summit, not out of lesiure, more so that we couldn’t move down for other people, I explained my dodging and weaving tactics to my team and Jonathon.
At that moment, several of my colleagues with their clients appeared on the summit, and with a nod and some conversation, we all knew it was time to go.
“Follow us, Jonathon” I indicated, and started my well-used practice on crowded routes, of moving through teams.

“Be firm but fair” I told my team, and Gary and John responded nicely. Never being too aggressive or bad mannered, we sped down through hordes off climbers, who perhaps were a little unused to an often crowded and technical route at their early climbing career stage.

Unfortunately, the Petite Verte has the reputation of being short and easy, although when it gets crowded, and storms are in the air, I try to ensure my team will get off and back to the Grande Montet station as soon as possible. I was delighted to see not only Gary and John picking up the reins, but Jonathon and his partner as well.
We reached the col almost together, and looked back in amazement at the ants on the ridge, all seemingly stationary. One further look at the on-coming bad weather and we were off. Well done, firm but fair.
With the Aiguille du Tour for our next objective, I wanted a drier day to walk up to the Albert Premier Hut. It is difficult to dry clothes out after a wet walk up from the Col du Balme. We were fortunate. The weather was on the turn and improving, and the two hours trek proved fun and dry.
My team had plenty of ice climbing and rock eperience, so in case some darker clouds (now it was 2pm) caused a downpour, I didn’t venture as I usual do, down onto the glacier. Out came the books  and the newspapers and we relaxed for the afternoon, after getting our beds prepared in the bunkrooms.
I had already decided, even after the Aiguille Crochures Traverse,  my team were more than capable of doing the Tete Blanche as well as the Aiguille du Tour and we set off

Albert Premier Hut - packing to go

just before 6am for the Col superior du Tour, the morning fine and cool, the weather good and the track excellent. In under two hours we had caught up with some teams starting from the hut after their breakfast at 4am and slotted into a small queue of around half a dozen leading climbers. Under a hour from the base of the Col

John & Gary - Aiguille du Tour Summit

Superior du Tour, we were exchanging congratulations on the Aiguille du Tour summit. A brief time is all that was needed on this fine summit, and we

Aiguille du Tour summit

were off for stage 2 of our day.
I decided to follow the track back to the col and then continue on the Trient Hut track, but then join up with the track from that hut to to the Col du Tour where it passes the Fenetre de Saliena. However, there was no track adjoining the two ‘main drags’ so I had to break trail for the next hour or so, pausing only for water stops and conversation. It was hard work in the fresh, untracked and quite deep snow. Slowly we emerged onto the Trient Hut track and it all became easier. Turning up towards the Col du Tour I realised it must have been fourty-odd years since I had been this way. I hoped it hadn’t changed much?

John & Gary Tete Blanche summit

and the fun summit ridge, with some easy rock scrambling. After descending back to the col it was less than fifteen minute across to the summit of the Tete Blanche. In no time at all, the descent down to the base of the Col Superior du Tour was accomplished, and an easy hour or so later, we were drrinking a cool beer back at the hut.
The tables outside the hut weren’t full, suggesting a few less climbers were coming up today. Maybe a bad forecast? It did look a little dark.
The heavens opened on our descent to the cable car station at the Col du Balme, but luckily the rain eased for our ride down on the chair lift and once in the Charmillion bubbles, our worries were over.
Having the car at Le Tour was the final blessing and soon we were celebrating in the Office Bar. Three peaks in five hours, hut to the final peak. Not bad at all. Well done, Gary and John. It looked good for Mt Blanc later in the course. If only the weather improved and held?
That weather did continue to be poor for the next couple of days in the high mountains, so one day after our great trip around the Le Tour peaks, the lads assisted me with some shopping at Carrefour in Sallanches, followed by some steep rock routes at Servoz.
We had three days left. The Cosmiques Hut was booked for Saturday 3oth with the intention of the traverse of Mont Blanc (I was hoping someone would have put a track in by the time we went, as there wasn’t one to date). A call in the evening of the 28th to Arnud, the gardien of the hut, had disturbing news about metres of snow on the Tacul. and no track after the shoulder of that peak.
We spent the 29th driving down to better weather, to Annecy, and the objective being the impresive and real fun Via Ferrata at Thones. I called in at Annecy le Vieux to see my good friend Bernard, to ask if there were any secret and local clues to a sneaky but great rock climb

On steep ground

which might be possible as well as the Via Ferata. Bernard knows them all but told us the rocks would be wet or at least damp that day and wouldn’t be dry enough for quite a while yet. So we concentrated on the super ‘Iron Way’, hanging/towering 100s of metres directly about the bustling little town of Thones.
For the boys, their first experience of a Via Ferrata, and together with

Did we do that?

John & Gary on the wire bridge

the outrageously overhanging top section, we had an amazing and fun day, all in bright, warm sunshine. I believe the boys adored the day.

Meal time in the Cosmiques Hut

It was now SHOWTIME. Mont Blanc by the Three Peaks Traverse. Of course, the route doesn’t (usually) top out on all three summits. The normal way crosses the shoulders just below (around 30-40 minutes) Mont Blanc du Tacul’s summit, and well below a difficult stretch of mixed ground below the summit of Mont Maudit. No matter. The trek across the shoulders and on to Col Brenva is hard enough, especially if there were only footsteps, not a distinctive track after dropping into Col Maudit.
My colleague, Sandy and his two ladies, passed us as we stopped and chatted to more Brits who had turned back through reasons of deep fresh snow (i.e. no track?), dodgy crevasses and other deflating reasons for their retreat.
Watching Sandy out of one eye, I listened to the reasons for not

Mont Blanc du Tacul

going on, then gathered the ropes, stretched them out and walked on towards Mont Blanc. The weather was perfect and was forecast to remain so all day. We did have all day.
It was a great trek. Once onto the steep ground below Col Maudit, we were no more then three or four parties from the front. The traverse into the fixed rope slope on Col Maudit was a little serious, a gaping and fragile crevasse rim was followed rightwards to the base of the roped slope. That ground would be very dodgy later in the day, I thought. Once on the steep slope the snow became firmer and with the added protection of karabiners every so often on the fixed rope knots, we were able to move together and reach the easy ground of the col. Sandy and the ladies were only just there, so Gary and John were doing fine.

The amazing cornice on Col Brenva

We took a brief rest but it was still very cold, so a very short one before moving along the easier trail to Col Brenva, the track dropping down gradually towards the col, and finally it drops vertically over a small metre high bergshrund before continuing across to Col Brenva. I  almost put my leg into the crevasse formed by this bergshrund and had to quickly jump out and onto safer ground. The boys were following me at this stage and handled the “watch me” quite smoothly. In turn they jumped down backwards at my directions.
We didn’t waste any time getting into the now, very sunny Col Brenva. Once there, food, drink, and the realisation that it was usually less than two hours to the summit.
Unfortunately, the track, having been put in by the two leading teams that morning, had gone virtually straight up to the summit i.e. no long zig-zags, so this proved a very tiring section for all three

of us. We did, however, do it all in around an hour, something we

Gary & John. Summit ridge, Mt Blanc

didn’t realise until checking the times on photographs later.

It’s always a great feeling to reach the summit of Mont Blanc. I was more than pleased with the boys, as we had taken less than six and a half hours from the hut.
Congratulations all round. John unfurled the Scottish flag and we held it as best we could in the breeze while Gary took the shots.

I’d long since decided the area around and above Col Maudit would be serious when the heat grew, and decided to go down to the Gouter Hut instead. All of us being quite weary after our ascent, it was time to put the cameras away and concentrate on getting down.
The descent was tedious, very tiring but at least the snow in the Grand Coulior had made it safer from rockfall (one large stone did flash down as we crossed, showing us never to be complacent when anywhere near that dangerous place).

We reached the Nid d’Aigle around 5pm and Sandy, sitting comfortably on a bench with his mountain boots off, told us we’d be on the 5.50pm to Bellevue. That was super so we joined Sandy on the benches and seats and knew it was virtually all over.
A superb effort by Gary and John, and an effort which reminds me I’m not that young any more. Give me a rock route any day, but for Gary and John, a terrific achievment all round.

Gary and John Mt Blanc summit

The course finished outside the Office bar (where else?) in the warm sunshine next morning, with beer and pizza to finish off one of the most enjoyable courses I’ve led. More to come with these two great guys? I hope so.

Of course, I’m talking about the two people on the Adventure Peaks programme, not the weather.

Claire and Matt met me at the Hotel Richemond in Chamonix at 6pm on the Saturday evening. it would be the last of the good weather days forecasted. Sure enough, Day 1, Sunday the 17th was completely washed out by rain and snow high up. We managed to keep sane by visiting lots of coffee shops and bars in Chamonix, and prepared ourselves for a Tete Blanche climb direct from Le Tour, rather than from the Albert 1st Hut.
Even the first lift (Chamillion to the Col du Balme) was against us. It didn’t open until 08.30 on the Monday morning, and even though we took little time reaching the Albert 1st Hut, we were still behind schedule for a normal ascent of any of the peaks above the hut. The weather looked decidely iffy as well, but we would have a go.

Tete Blanche 1st attempt

Saying a quick hello to Claude, Jerome and the ladies, we sped past the refuge and on up the morraine to the glacier. It was nice doing this section in the light for a change, but what wasn’t nice was the ominous clouds and darkening sky above us.

We pushed on around the base of the Col Superior du Tour and continued onwards towards the Tete Blanche summit. By midday I knew we were getting into bad weather. It had

Tete Blanche 1st attempt. direct from 1st lift

started snowing and the wind was getting up. My two charges were fairly new to the mountaineering game, both having done some good stuff but it may have been a while since and I was well aware Claire was finding her breathing a bit laboured. She was a cheery sport though and while Matt slogged happily along at the back, Claire remained in good spirits, asking for rest stops, water stops, and inhaler stops. No problem. for any of us.

Now in quite deep soft snow, we approached the shoulder of the ridge leading up to the Tete Blanche summit and I finally called a halt when the visibility became worse. We had planned  to summit the Tete Blanche and cross over to the Trient Hut later that day. I quickly decided we weren’t going to get caught out in the middle of the Trient Glacier, no way. So when the summit seemed unattainable, we turned for home. It was 1.30 in the afternoon.
Back at the hut by 3pm I immediately rang the Trient Hut and told them our tale of woe and that we weren’t able to come today. The new gardien only tried to charge me 20 swiss francs each?? Well,…..come on!

After the night in the Albert 1st Hut, we set off at 05.45am and steadily re-climbed our previous day’s height gained. The weather wasn’t perfect (My colleague, Sandy, passed me coming down and said I had until midday before some storms) so I pushed the pace slighly and soon, with some dark clouds approaching from the south, we sat on the summit of the Tete Blanche.

After the Tete Blanche

After a short spell looking around, we set off back down our own tracks. We’d had the mountain to ourselves. Wonderful.
Back at the hut we quickly gathered our belongings, had a brew and dropped down the well-known track to the Col du Balme cable car in a steady hour or so.

My Itinerary for Mont Blanc with my friends called for a trip up to the Midi and two nights n the Cosmiques Hut, starting the following day. The weather was forecasted to be terrible but we had to go and see for ourselves. We didn’t believe anyone had left the Cosmiques Hut even for the summit of the Mont Blanc du Tacul, let alone the Mont Blanc, so I was very concious we may be in for some cabin fever.
The weather was acttually quite nice toiday, but misleading down in the valley as we would find out son enough. The Midi station in Chamonix was still fairly busy, mostly with Japanese tourists for the cable cars. Emerging onto the bridge between the two midi summits was like a full-blown winter experience. But I sensed the descent ridge would go, and then only an hour or so would see us in the hut.

Taking Betty down the Arete

Betty, from the Cosmiques Hut, had been waiting two hours for someone to allow her to join them on the descent back to the hut. Relieved, she tied on in front, with Matt looking after her, while Claire walked cautiously down the narrow and stepped arete. The weather was pretty bad but it’s such a short trip I knew we’d be OK. The hut guardien, Laurance, welcomed me with some thanks, as she had been a little concerned for Betty but all turned out fine in the end.
There were predictably very few climbers in the Hut. No-one had left for the summits that morning and the slopes of the Tacul were heavy with new snow. But the weather dramatically improved in the late afternoon and, with the slopes of Mont Blanc du Tacul heavily laden with new and

Great evening. lots of promise

The room was very cosy and extremely comfortable. Two nights here would be very nice.
It wasn’t to be! Next morning after a 6am breakfast, we set out in very gloomy conditions to climb the Pointe Lachenal. After only a few hundred metres across the Col du Midi, conditions dictated a prompt about-turn. The now fairly heavy new snow falling was now slowly obliterating any old tracks past the rocks of the Cosmiques Hut and while our own tracks were still visible, it was simply too serious to continue on.
Back at the hut, we decided as a team that we’d give it until mid-day and if no better, we’d pull out back to the Midi.
The few hours to midday were slow in passing. Other climbers in the hut were leaving for the Midi. By 11.30 it was heavily snowing, so whatever we did, we surely weren’t going up Mont Blanc tomorrow.

Making a dash for the cable car

Time to pull out. Kit on in full, Crampons and goggles on outside the hut and…. wait…what was Laurence asking? “Take a helmet back to the Sportech shop for me?

No problem. Her little face in the window of the refuge was surreal. Off into the wild weather we went.

The trail was just there. It would just have been very hard graft without the hard snow under the new snow on the trail, and this trail was surrounded by knee deep soft stuff. I expected nothing less, a grind, face down away from the blizzard and keep going steadily.

Claire and Matt were doing fine. An hour past and we were on the final ridge. No tracks now and no visability. I felt we were too far right so struck across desperately deep snow.

Suddenly, a mere window appeared in the weather and I got a glimpse of an arete back over right. I moved over and in twenty metres had picked up a weak trail. Looking up I just could see two shapes moving upwards, two German lads who had tried the Chere Coulior that morning! Now there was no pressure. The final narrow arete to the tunnel entrance was tricky but a word or two of assurance here and there solved any outcome. We were back in the Midi station  and all was good.
The cable car, complete as usual with Japanese tourists, was an anticlimax.
Making arrangements to see the team later, I made my way back to the car and Argentiere.
Tomorrow is another day.
The forecast for Friday was not good.The morning spoke of scattered showers but improving.

Claire, Matt and I went up to the Index but we found the rock was so greasy. I had just decided to retreat from the crux first pitch when it hailed? The Guides crag here we come.
The weather did improve as the day wore on, and we had

Never turn your back on a Frenchman!

some great sessions on

Getting out of the system

crevasse rescue courtesy of the big boulder in the middle of the field at the base of the cliff, complete with bolts as ice axe anchors.
We finished our course off together in the British bar opposite the Hotel Richemond, and after a couple of halves, I said farewell to a great team.

All grest Danish lads

Working from the 10th to 15th July for Richard M. on his 6-day Mont Blanc course, I had Owain from the BMG and Radik, a top Czech  guide with me and the five lads, (Chris, Alex, Simon, Anthony and Mattious), all from the same location in Denmark. They were a great and fun bunch, and Mont Blanc was their real aim.

Skills session on the Grande Montet

Firstly, they had to aquire some skills with axe and crampons, it would be a new scene for all of them, so I took them up to the Grande Montet, but on a very bad lunchtime forecast. It did storm around 1pm but by that time, we had done lots of snowcraft, ropework, step cutting, crampon work, and axe breaking. The softer snow was lieing on top of ice above the cable car station so it was ideal for serious footwork practice, upwards and down. When the weather did suggest it was breaking, I took the lads back down to the top station, and we did more crevasse rescue ropework, to the increasing interest of the passers-by, tourists from the cable car. Dropping down to the

Rockin in the free world

Grande montet station, I offered to do some rock climbing on the Guides Crag in Chamonix Sud. Conveniently, Anthony and Mattias (brothers) were only particularly keen for the Mont Blanc summit (they were both marathon runners and very fit) so the other three sped off with me in the car to the crag, while the brothers waited for the bus.

A watchful eye

Climbing in big boots, we did four great 25 metre pitches and had a lot of fun before the crag was soaked with rain.

Day 2 was a walk to the Albert Premier Hut from the Col du Balme after a ride on the cable car, and the familiar pattern of booking-in then slipping off down to the glacier and more crampon work, this time on

Have yer got me.youth

the glacier ice. Being lowered into crevasses and having to climb out, followed by a circuitious route around the glacier, in and out of slots, across tenuous ice ridges, and some valuable testing of ice screws, all this provided a few hours of great fun and training for the lads. Then it was back up to the hut for the evening meal and off to bed.

A 5am breakfast was all that was needed for our ascent of the

Have yer got me.youth

Tete Blanche (3429m) and the Petite Forche (3414m) and the lads enjoyed their first alpine peaks.

Unfortunately, Day 3 was heavily rained off, and I did begin to wonder what this storm was doing to our proposed Mont Blanc ascent from the Cosmiques Hut. Tales of deep unconsolidated snow were being passed around Argentiere. We would see on the morrow.

The storm had passsed slowly but the cable car was running late. We got a bin around 10am and decided not to waste this shorter day by doing the traverse of the Pointe Lachenal (3613m). This excursion into more serious alpine climbing proved very useful

Crucial climbing in crampons on the Point Lachanel

and not without some insecure feelings from the lads. They all did ok and we were eventually back in a crowded Cosmiques Hut for a great evening meal and an early night.

Next morning, the lads’ final day before flying home, a 1am rise led to a 2am start from the hut. I had Chris with me, while the faster team of Anthony and Mattias went with Owain, while Alex and Simon were with Radik.

All OK as far as the Tacul

The ascent of the Mont Blanc du Tacul went smoothly as there had been a track put in the day before. However, it stopped as soon as we reached the shoulder suggesting no-one had ventured past the Tacul the day before. I say ‘we’ meaning Chris and me, the other two, much stronger teams had long gone before us. We could see them way in front ahead of a few other teams on the steep ground above Col maudit and it did look like very difficult trail-breaking for anyone in front, as well as potentially avalanche danger. Chris was having trouble with his fitness, knees especially and it had been slow going up to the shoulder on the Tacul (although in reality, now 4am, it had taken quite a good time of only 2 hrs on a reasonably good track). I was however, quite aware that if we reached the top of Mont Blanc, I could be having a lot of trouble gettting Chris down again to the last lift, almost ignoring the fact that it seemed no-one was reaching the col on Mont Maudit. Suggesting to Chris that we head back (or at least do Mont Blanc du Tacul (4248m), he replied the hut was the best option, so we abandoned the idea of the Tacul and slowly made our way down to the Col du Midi. Reaching there at 7am, the idea of walking back up to the Cosmiques hut was abandoned for a continuation to the cable car station. This took over an hour and a half and by the time we were unrobing from the gear and waterproofs, Chris was feeling very, very tired. I knew the call waqs the right one, and he fully agreed.

We learned once we were down, fhat the other two teams had also turned back from the heavy, trackless snow.

A great week with the Danes

The Danish team had had a good insight into big alpine mountaineering, and needed or not, their learning curves were enhanced. A great week with the lads.

My good friend and regular alpine partner, Ian,  had called earlier in the year to say we had to get back on the Kuffner after last year’s debacle, but 2011 was going to be devoted to him running the Mont Blanc marathon. But would I have space in my programme to take him and his young son Kian, just 11 years old, along the Cosmiques Arete the day after the race? I did have that one day off and so we made a tentative plan should the weather and conditions be suitable.
On the day, I had second thoughts about such an high mountain route as the Cosmiques Arete for Kian’s first big route, and with Ian agreeing to my suggestion of a rock

The Index was a better choice

 climb in the Aiguille Rouge, the three of us made our way to the foot of the Index. Kian was a good and agile climber and made short work of the few difficulties on this great little route. We got Kian down the

On the Index

 abseil without too much trouble, although he did say afterwards it was the most worrying time (it usually is).
We descended the snow-free gully to the base of the Index, and here, Ian asked if we could

Kian on the abseil

do something else? It was only midday so I suggested, without losing any more height, we could traverse across to the climbs between the Index and the Floria, Mani Puliti for example. We might have just enough time to do this six-pitch route and get back for the last cable car down.
We scrambled across for about ten minutes and I suddenly realised a couple of points. One, I hadn’t brought my guidebook and, two, it was getting a little late for six pitches as a rope of three.

Moments before the rockfall

I stopped the team after the steep rock cliffs to the right of the Index couloir and told them to have a drink and some food, and I would go on ahead to locate the starting pitch. I moved across and peered around at the big buttress where our route lies. Looking up, I realised the route was far too long if we weren’t going to have to walk all the way down! Ian had run the marathon the day before so that was NOT in his plan!
I returned to the team and made my suggestion, to go down and maybe go to a roadside crag, Servoz, for example, and finish the day off there? Ian was fine about it, and we all started packing our drinks bottles and day-food bags into our rucksacks. Here was where the photography ceased for the day!
I was probably no more than a metre away from Ian, with Kian about the same distance on the other side.

Suddenly, at around 12.45, a small flat rock came flying down from above. It struck the rock face a few metres above us and continued on down, striking Ian a nasty blow on the front of his lower left leg, just above the ankle bone level.
Ian understandably was in severe pain. The circular wound was quite large, around 1.5” in diameter and right down to the bone. I quickly applied two large dressings which stemmed the blood flow and secured the dressings in place, I now considered our predicament, just as a Spanish couple, who had abseiled down further right of us, came across to see what they could do to help?.

Relecting on the rockfall, I have to say we were all very fortunate. If the rock had fallen a little closer on either side, one of us could have been more seriously injured, maybe killed?

As we were (normally) only a few minutes from the Index cable car, I suggested to Ian, we assist him down, and he agreed. Using the male Spaniard on Ian’s right hand side, and me with my coiled rope over my shoulder and Ian Cross’s injured leg supported through the coiled rope, we moved slowly down the now awkward descent through loose screes. The female Spaniard had gone down to assist and care for the young Kian, who we had told to move down in front of us.
In about thirty minutes we had reached the cable car station and the usual good assistance was provided by the Polish operator, Stephan, a good friend of mine. He stopped the chairs, we boarded and were met at the Flegere station by a vehicle to transport Ian Cross up to the lower station.
 
Once down at the car park in Le Praz, I drove Ian and Kian to the hospital in Chamonix Sud, where Ian’s wife and friends were waiting for us. The hospital is closed now but there were directions to call Sallanches hospital in an emergency. Ian’s friend, Xavier, a Frenchman living in the UK near Ian, dealt with the phone call and we proceeded to drive down to Sallanches.
The reception at the hospital was prompt. Ian was soon being cleaned up and X-rayed, news of which was a broken lower Tibia. He went into surgery at approx 16.00 and the rest of the party were told it may be several hours before his operation was completed so we all dispersed back to Argentiere where we were based.
 
At eight O’clock that evening, we learnt by phone that Ian had been operated on and returned to a ward where he would have to stay for three days to avoid infection and have regular checks. The friends and family made the necessary arrangements with medical and travel insurances and we met later in Argentiere and discussed all plans. As all the family and friends were due to fly out that very next day, it was decided they would all continue their departure, leaving Ian’s eventual return to the UK to be dealt with by the insurance company. As I knew Ian and his family over many years, there was never any animosity. I was thanked for my prompt action and we parted company, the family and friends to prepare their exit from Argentiere that next day. Fortunately they would be able to go to Geneva airport via the hospital for a final visit to Ian at 12 noon before flying home.

It was a very sad ending to Ian’s brief visit to the Alps and I was very sorry for him. He had completed the marathon in a fair time, in some heat as well, and for this accident to occur the day after, and on his last planned day in the Alps, was a real blow. I am keeping in regular contact with his wife, as Ian has been re-admitted to his local hospital for further checks.
 
The Alps can sometimes be very unfriendly.