Trip Reports

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It was a cold and snowy season in the Alps this summer. Lots of ice and great snow cover on the glaciers but fairly regular heavy snow falls making a degree of flexibility a good idea!

31st August 2007
Simon and Sarah first had the idea of climbing Mont Blanc just over a year ago and have been in training ever since. We started our training and acclimatisation by climbing the Petit Aiguille Verte above Argentierre and got down in very good time.

With a couple of hours left we dropped down from the col and climbed the N Ridge of Grands Montets which has some great moves and positions with some easy climbing to finish right on the top viewing platform of the cable car station!

There are no good 4000m peaks suitable for acclimatisation for Mont Blanc so we headed through to Italy and spent two nights at the Vittorio Emanuel Hut next to Gran Paradiso. From here we climbed Ciarforon, the imposing peak overlooking the hut. This had a bit of hard ice and rubble to start off with but once on the rock the climbing was superb with interesting mixed snow and rock sections to get to the remarkably flat top.

It was quite warm and the snow wasn't freezing over night so our ascent of Gran Paradiso was made up continuously soggy snow. Despite this we made great time and enjoyed the wee scramble to the Madonna on the summit ahead of the big crouds. Descending to the hut and down again to the valley involves 2100m of descent, very good practice for Mont Blanc!

Next day was very stormy so we had a day off which did us good for the ascent of Mont Blanc because it meant we started out with fresh legs again. The snow line had come down over night so we had to break trail all the way up the rock scramble to the Gouter Hut. However we got there early so had plenty of time to relax before the 2am breakfast to head up Mont Blanc. There was some fresh snow on the summit as well and it was being blown around a lot by a strong and very cold N wind so we didn't hang around on top for long!

23rd August 2007
When I met up with Simon Ball in Zermatt, working for ISM, the chances of climbing the Matterhorn were very slim. The only good weather forecast was for the Sunday we met up at 10.30am! Monday was due to be cloudy with some snow, very heavy snow on Tuesday and getting slowly better after that. So we took a big gamble and went straight up to the Hornli Hut considering it to be our only chance and very aware that any one of lots of things could work against us. In the everything worked out for once on the Monday and we were the only people on the summit that day! We even got a view. It did start snowing as we got down towards the Hornli Hut again and we had to run to get the last cable car to Zermatt. Overall it was a lucky ascent and a fantastic job done by Simon.

The weather on the Tuesday was as bad as forecast so we took a well earned day off. Climbing the Matterhorn requires 5 to 6 hours climbing to get to the top then another 6 to 7 hours to get down again to the Hornli Hut so you are doing well if you have the energy for some action the day after. Next day was bright and sunny though so we took the family rock climbing in the morning and down the spectaular via ferata in the gorge above Zermatt. This involves three abseils, three tyrolean traverses up to 80m long and lots of brilliant via ferata sections.

Simon's last day turned out good as well if quite breezy and cold to start off with. We went for a quick run up the Breithorn, a very easy ascent but with terrific views of the Matterhorn and all the other 4000m peaks around the Zermatt Valley.

14th August 2007

Next up Ritchie and Mike were set to climb Mont Blanc. With all the fresh snow (50cm at the Midi) it was always going to be tough going but the weather forecast was looking OK. We started from Point Helebronner and climbed the Tour Ronde, a brilliant peak and stunning position next to the Brenva face of Mont Blanc and looking down over the Vallee Blanche and the Mer de Glace.

After a night in the Torino Hut we traversed the Vallee Blanche to the Cosmiques Hut doing some work on glacier travel and crevasse rescue on the way.

The weather forecast didn't work out on the summit day and with cloud and strong winds gripping the summits at 1am we decided to bin our plans for Mont Blanc. There was still no trail up Mont Blanc Du Tacul and quite a good chance of avalanche slopes so everything had to be going for us for an attempt to be on. As a plan B the Arete des Cosmiques is a fantastic climb! It was still windy and cloudy on the tops by first light so we headed up the arete to the Midi enjoying the brilliant climbing and views down to Chamonix.

10th August 2007

A two week break back home including a week of camping at Gairloch set me up for the second half of the summer. Working for Jagged Globe with Jim Kerr we took Arthur, Toby and Stuart on a tour of the Berner Oberland from Grindelwald, taking in as many 4000m peaks as we could. The cold and snowy theme continued however and we were frustrated by heavy snow and poor weather for a couple of days. The Berner Oberland is a stunning place with massive expanses of glacier and stunning peaks but there is little to do if the weather is not on your side.

From the Jungfraujoch we descended to the Konkordia Hut on the first day ready for a traverse of the Gruneghorn the next day. This was done in superb weather and we got to the Finsteraarhorn Hut in good time. However the forecast was bad for the next day and many teams didn't bother trying to climb the Finsteraarhorn. We decided to give it a go and got to above 4000m at the Hugisatel before calling it a day there.

The following day was cloudy and warm so we returned through the pass towards Konkordia and climbed the long slope to the Monchjoch hut. Bad weather here forced us to learn how to play bridge and try a wee climb up the north ridge of Trugberg in 70cm of fresh snow! The reports of big floods in Switzerland were coming through and we were probably better off high up in the huts!

We did have good success on the final day though with a very atmospheric climb of Monch, breaking trail all the way with interesting cornices and avalanche slopes all the way! It felt more Himalayan than Alpine and was a fantastic end to a frustrating week.

18th July 2007
My last wee trip before my summer break was with Douglas, Fiona and Stuart on their first taste of the Alps. We went to the Albert Premiere Hut vie the Tour Glacier for some work on how to rope up and travel on dry and wet glaciers. We also did some revision of buried axe anchors before heading for the hut.

It was quite warm but good enough weather and still quite snowy so we went for the Table de Roc Coulouir on Aiguille du Tour. A long climb up the steep snow of the couloir was followed by brilliant ond exposed rock scrambling to the summit. We traversed the peak and went across the Trient Glacier to the Trient Hut where we did some crevasse rescue practice at the wind scoop below the hut, after a few cups of tea and a snooze of course.

The third and last day was spent on the Tete Blanche, climbing its north ridge from the Col du Tour. The team completed this on their own with some supervision from me before heading up the Petit Fourche. A quick descent of the Tour Glacier got us back to the valley and the full heat of the summer.

13th July 2007
Next up I met Paul and John at Geneva airport where their bags were delayed, changing our plans for the Bluemlisalp traverse staright away! We went to Saas Grund instead and spent the first day on a fantastic rock route on the Jagihorn followed by a play on the dramatic new via Ferrata installed last summer on the peak. The last section of cables crosses a gap of about 80m, at least 200m above the ground before going up and over steep and overhanging rock to the summit. Fantastic fun!

The Almageller Hut has also recently been extended and is even nicer than it was before. On the day we walked up to it we traversed the Dri Hornli, a stunning climb on very good and exposed rock. The following day was cloudy, windy and a bit snowy so we climbed the Weismiess by its south ridge, a good route to do if the weather is not great. We saw enough of the route to have a good time and enjoyed a great slide down the snow slope back to the hut. Next day the temperature dropped markedly in a strong north wind and our hopes or traversing the Portengrad didn't work out. We walked to the Sonnigpass hoping to climb the Sonnighorn but it was too cold and windy even for this so we went back to the hut for hot chocolate and returned to the valley.

Saastal has a much drier climate than neighbouring valleys to the west. So when we arrived at the Kleiner Matterhorn next day we were greeted with 30 to 40cm fresh and wind blown snow! However the sun came out and a had a brilliant panarama on the way to the Ayas Hut. Italian skiers were out enjoying the late snow but it was heavy going on foot. With all the fresh snow our plan of traversing the Breithorn was looking dubious so we made the best of it with an ascent from the Kleiner Matterhorn side to get the views over all the Zermatt giants.

With just a couple of climbing days left we headed further east again to Goschenen ready to go up to the delightful Salbit Hut. Because of our early start we made use of the afternoon by climbing Huttengrad, a fourteen pitch, equiped route mostly 3c to 4b with a pitch of 4c to start. It is so well thought out that we made a super smooth ascent and completed the route in two and a half hours! Back at the hut we were greeted by smells of home baking and a bowl of crisps to enjoy with our beers on the sunny terrace!

Salbit is just a shade under 3000m but its south ridge has a distinctly Alpine feel to it. It is 16 pitches long with three abseils and climbs the crest of the ridge unrelentingly. It is a bit harder and more sustained than the Huttengrad, in fact every pitch is a winner and has a few moves where careful consideration is required! We made the climb in good time and returned to the hut to another fantastic reception and beautiful sunset.

If you are after a bit if Alpine rock climbing forget Chamonix, this is the place to come. The atmosphere and the scale and quality of the climbs is second to none! The South Ridge is probably the best rock climb I have ever done in the Alps. It was with regret but with a very satisfied feeling that we headed down the following day to catch the flight back to Manchester.

3rd July 2007

Working for Adventure Peaks in a poor weather forecast Sarah, Steven and I changed our plans for Mont Blanc to make sure we got something done. First day was spent traversing the Vallee Blanche with a wee climb up Aiguille du Thoule SE Face before reaching Point Hellebroner and the cable car back to Chamonix. This gave us a stunning insight to what the Mont Blanc range is all about.

A drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel down to Aosta and up Valsavaranche took us to Pont ready for the walk up to the Vittorio Emmanuelle Hut. An early start ahead of the crowds got us to the fantastic summit of Gran Paradiso first. We were helped by brilliant snow cover on the glacier and a good freeze. The descent was just as quick and we watched Mont Blanc become engulfed in cloud as we descended.

28th June 2007

Leeds University Hiking Club were based in Arolla for some early season Alpine climbing. I took Andy, Maria, Jenny and Cathryn on a three day introduction to the Alps and, after postponing a day due to bad weather, we had a great time. We made use of the bad weather day by doing some prussicking and crevasse rescue rope systems in the valley. We headed for the Pas de Chevre on the first day in the hills and mad a traverse of the Point de Pas de Chevre just south of the col. This was a fine route to go over moving together roped up on rocky ground, placing anchors and using natural anchors as we went. The Dix Hut was just a quick walk across the glacier where Pierre gave us his usual welcome.

La Louette was our next target which we climbed by it's snowy west ridge. This is a great peak to get warmed up on and any of its ridges make for nice climbs. We used the cornice on the descent to practice crevasse rescue techniques, everything from holding the fall, placing an anchor in the snow to pully systems.

Lastly, we headed up Mont Blanc du Cheillon by its usual route, a fantastic line with sections of rock and snow and a great summit. It was quite windy and very cold so we didn't hang around on top but got back down to the Dix Hut in good time. I left the team at the hut to traverse the Pigne d'Arolla on their own as their first Alpine peak, a fitting end to a great Alpine introduction.

Click here for Trip Reports 2006.