Its been awesome to kick the winter off out here in the best way we can with what we have. Here’s some shots from our sweet little tour up the Arpette valley in Switzerland. Not loads of snow but super fun skiing none the less and a great little day tour. Well worth the slog up to ski the lines up there. Thanks Ross for another great day.
We could do with some more snow for sure but I’m hoping for more of this kind of stuff throughout this winter!
Pictures speak a 1000 words. Click one to see them in Chronological order in Gallery view.
Some Extra Info
We took the lift up Champex which cost us 14CHF each one way to the top.
Total Height gain for the day was about 1500m
Here’s a handy map I made for the area so you can get to grips with it.
I’m really digging having an extra day off a week. This weekend was a good mix between sublime autumnal adventures and purgatory suffering, topped off with great weather and alright company. I guess.
Friday
Psyche was high and the weather was good. The plan was to meet up with fellow Salomon athlete (ahem) Philipp Brugger for some easy mixed cragging on the Triangle du Tacul. I haven’t swung tools in what feels like a year so I was glad for an easy re-introduction into mixed climbing. We climbed most of the German gully then finished up the Cosmiques Arete.
Conclusions: Mixed climbing is in fact like riding a bike. Even if you never do it, you still remember how its done. Got cold toes and fingers but I remembered how to suffer. Drank 6 pints to try and forget the pain.
Saturday
Woke up with inevitable hangover as Midnight Express was shut and we couldn’t buy cheep burgers to absorb the beer. Drove to Italy (where the weather is always nicer) with Ally, Ross and Tom (who seemed less hungover than me (perhaps not Tom)). Flailed about on some rock climbs that I shouldn’t have been flailing on. Enjoyed the sunshine and amazing scenery of the Valgrisenche. Ate pizza, drove home.
Conclusions: Beer is bad, especially for my guts. 6b+ is hard. Italy is beautiful.
Sunday
When the alarm went off at 6.45 I thought it was a bad joke. Driving to the Midi my psyche was low but the can of red bull helped a lot. The plan was to climb the Eugster Direct on the North Face, again with Phillip. Stumbled over the moraine to the bottom and got to the Bergshrund in good time. Spin-drift hell was pouring down the gully and we decided it wasn’t for us. We ummed and arrred about what to do and took a look at another entry to the face to the right (about 150m to the right). It went and we were soon (but not that soon) in the gully. The crux pitches looked kinda dry and we didn’t want to sleep in the toilets (we have jobs don’t you know) so we bailed up the Diagonal instead. I was feeling the burn in the top half but we made alright time. Cheese burgers at Macky D’s afterwards.. Cus we are true athletes.
Conclusions: 4h 30m on the stair-master-3842 is tiring. Weekends are great. Water is overrated.
Irene Munguia Exiting the Tunnel from the Aiguille du Midi, Grandes Jorrases in the background.
Its been a funny kind of summer. My residing memory of it has been extreme heat from which the mountains have really taken a hammering. Big crevasses, deep instability and a general grey feel means that this winter needs to be a good one otherwise the classic Ski descents like the Vallee Blanche might not come into condition until early spring.
For me though, I’ve not had much of a chance to get into the Mountains this summer for various reasons. Mostly because I had a full time job, but also because I spent a few weeks back in the UK ticking off Multipitch E1+ routes. In little over a week I’m going to be in North wales with 10 other eager beavers doing the first part of the British Mountain Guides course, the rock climbing induction. The powers that be (the BMG Committee) decided to give me a chance and let me start this year despite picking up on my lack of British climbing experience. They told me I had to climb 25 more Multi-pitch E1 or above routes in serious or mountainous crags before I could start the course in September. When I heard the news I was worried. I desperately wanted to start the course but I had commitments with work and I know how fickle the weather in the UK can be. I completely agree with the committees decision and in hindsight it was awesome to get a load of amazing trad climbing done and now I feel a lot more comfortable going into the test. I managed to pack it all into two weeks, where I often climbed 3 or 4 per day but always did at least one route a day despite the mediocre weather. E2 in drizzle isn’t my idea of fun but needs must and it was a relief to finish all the routes and get the all clear.
Apart from this I have been operating at full “Weekend Warrior” status and despite not doing anything major or massive I’ve racked up a fair amount of millage all over the place as well as rock climbing and running. I’m feeling fit and ready for the Autumn, but one thing is for sure, it won’t be as good as last years conditions. Hopefully there will be some routes to scratch up and some big adventures to be had.
Routes I’ve done this summer include The Traverse of the Perrons, Aiguille Entreves traverse, Cosmiques Arete, Rochfort Arete, Papillons Arete and the South Face of the Moine. Great experience for guiding I think you’ll agree and a lot of fun too! I also bought a new camera which I’m pretty excited about because I’ve been a bit uninspired by photography recently so its been great to get an upgrade!
Pictures tell the story the best so here’s some shots for you! The first three are Iphone Photos BTW! Click one to see them in gallery format!
Ben Silvestre Soloing The Classic Nightride (E1 5b) on the Main Cliff of Gogarth in North wales
Seconding Anarchist on Red Walls, Gogarth.
Ben Silvestre Leading the charge on the absolute classic Path to Rome (E3 5c) on the Lleyn Peninsula, North Wales.
Walking accross the Emosson Dam to reach the Perrons traverse
Irene Munguia on the Traverse of the Perrons.
Perrons
Looking over towards the Midi north face from the Papillons Arete.
Irene following the crux pitch of the Papillons Arete. Her first Alpine D!
Irene Munguia Exiting the Tunnel from the Aiguille du Midi, Grandes Jorrases in the background.
Irene getting to grips with Ice on the Contamine grisole.
Irene on the Cosmiques Arete
Massive crevasses under Pointe Adolphe Rey.
A couple of guys on the Rochfort Arete
The Vallee Blanche looking very very dry!
Irene Munguia on the Entreves traverse with the Peutery ridge in the background.
The Dent du Geant
Happy times on the Entreves!
Irene on the Entreves traverse.
I guess the remaining question is will we get to climb on chamonix’s best crag this autumn….?
I had the pleasure of spending a week with Irene Munguia in Chamonix. We swam, climbed, ran and hiked and it was awesome. She made a short video of her trip. Enjoy!
[vimeo 133129257 w=700 h=481]
Although I’ve not blogged in a while, I’ve still been ticking over here in cham and I’ve really enjoying getting out on the rock and getting up high for the odd alpine mission. It’s been pretty hectic with work and a quick trip back to the UK to MOT my van, but I’ve managed to get out and about quite a bit in the last few weeks. Although I haven’t done anything major, this past while has given me time to reflect and time to think forward to the future.
About this time last year (or earlier actually) I was having a tough time deciding whether or not to put an application into the British Mountain Guides scheme. I decided against it in the end mostly because I didn’t feel ready, either financially or with motivation. It’s strange to read words that I wrote only a year ago and thinking how much has changed for me in that time.
A few weeks ago I submitted my application to the guides scheme and I’m currently waiting to hear if I can start or not. A couple of good friends are also applying this year which was one of the bigger factors in getting me psyched to apply too. I now know that I’m completely ready and fully psyched to start and I really hope they give me a chance! Fingers crossed!
The other big news for me is that I’ve recently been taken on by Salomon as a climbing and skiing ambassador. I couldn’t be happier about being given this opportunity and I just hope I can live up to what they expect and that the relationship can grow in the future. I genuinely love the kit they make and i’m super happy with everything I have at the moment. Thanks to those who helped me with this, you know who you are.
Looking forward to this summer my main goals aren’t necessarily specific routes or mountains. I mostly want to train hard, and try, at least to really push my fitness further and see what kind of gains I can make with a more focused approach. I’ve been running and rock climbing along side doing strength and core training session as a start this spring and I’m already starting to see the benefits. I also sure that I will get out and try some bigger objectives aswell and hopefully this summer is fruitful and long and I have the chance to experience some more of the mind blowing climbing Chamonix and the alps has to offer. I’d also love to take a trip to the Himalaya again soon and hopefully I can find a way to fund it!
I leave you for now with a few shots of some climbing fun from the past week! Thanks to Ben O’connor Croft for the bouldering shots and Dave Thexton for the alpine shots!
Team work is essential with bouldering sometimes!
Having some fun on some boulders up near the swiss boarder.
Ground up cleaning a V0 boulder problem.
Dave Thexton, Budding Alpine photographer!
Dave climbing the crux ice of left edge.
Me enjoying the freedom of soloing and carrying very little!
Loving the Edelrid Riot Axes.
Messing about on a serac
Crusing up the final snow slopes to the top of the triangle du tacul
If your a fan of reading Chamonix based blogs it’s likely that you’ve not been reading mine very much recently! But why would you? I’ve not written anything for a while and there are surely some better options for you out there right now. First off I’d like to apologise to anyone who genuinely cares what I’ve been up to (Mum and Dad?!) and say that I’ll try harder to put some content up on here for you. What follows is a wingey paragraph of why I’ve not done much and why I haven’t blogged. Feel free to skip to the one after.
Its been a tough winter to get out skiing and climbing. The weather has been all over the place, the snow has been weird and I’ve dealt with some tough emotions due to the loss of friends and changing circumstances. After a reasonable successful period in January and February, March has been a slightly frustrating month. I’ve started a new job For EpicTv.com which despite being an awesome job (ski reviewing!) its taken a lot of energy out of me. When I have had days off it’s either been poor weather or I’ve been feeling clapped out! BLAH BLAH BLAH…What a winger, geez.
I started with epictv back in Feb and was originally taken on as there web master for climbing and skiing content. After a few weeks they asked me to do a screen test for being the ski reviewer for their online shop. Somehow I got it and a few days later I was out on the hill skiing, shooting and reviewing skis for them. This gig should last for at least a few more weeks and its been awesome to have the chance to test so many different pairs of skis and get paid to do it! Sometimes skiing chairlifts can get a bit dull (I cant really help the fact I’m used to more excitement than that) but on the whole its been great fun and certainly the best work I’ve ever had!
When the stars align and I get a day off with good weather, snow and energy I feel pretty lucky that I have some super stoked friends and one of the best ski lifts in the world to harness my lust for big mountain skiing. Sometimes I think I’ll never forget the feeling of blasting fall line on some big skis in steep powder but it felt like a almost new sensation yesterday. Grinning ear to ear as I pushed down on the tips of my skis with my toes to give myself another face-full of cold snow.
Nothing new went down and it was really just another Midi powder day but it felt so so good to be out skiing for myself and with a pesky layer of cloud sat around 3000m it felt pretty adventurous navigating 20 or so lost freeriders back to the mid station after the first lap ;-).
The Midi Clusterf*#k
Ahhh that’s better
Ross testing the snow on the first lap down the Glacier Ronde
The team from right to left Minna, Enrico, Michelle and Ross
Ross was stoked.
Lost Freeriders.
Heading into the cosmiques..
Waiting for a certain Italian Snowboarder to remember how to tie and overhand knot.
Spines.. Skied a bit but still soft and awesome.
Enrico displayed great style proving that the TLT6 is no excuse
Sometimes, living in Chamonix, spending most of my time pursuing my passions, feels a little like being in a vortex. A constant cycle of checking weather, looking after equipment, managing rest and having, what often feels like, some of the best days of my life hanging out with some of my favorite people in the world. The more you do it the faster it seems to go. Friends come in with you for a while before returning to there own vortex. Life seems pretty good until something snaps you out of it…
Its been a tough month with the loss of two friends (Brendan and Dave) and also the passing of my Grandpa Den. Almost two different types of deaths. My friends on one hand were doing what they loved. Striving to live life to the fullest. It feels like an injustice for them to leave so early in comparison to most. There loss sends shock waves around the world, shaking the lives of those who they have met. I for one passed a few pensive moments of wondering what I was doing and why. I’m sure I wasn’t alone.
On the other hand my dear old grandpa had lead a long and full life. As I sat at the wake watching a slideshow of his life I was reminded of just how amazing he was. He’d been in the navy and then the mounted police in Africa, defending villagers from many perils and also going horse riding with our current Queen. After this he devoted his life to building schools in Malawi and other country’s around the world for which he later received an MBE. He was a fantastic football player, he once played against Bobby Moore and captained the Rhodesian football team many times. He then moved onto teaching and later mountain leading. This is just a brief list of his exploits. He was a huge inspiration to me and my family and I have very fond memories of time spent walking on Dartmoor with him as a kid and listening to his endless stories of adventures. I don’t feel like he was taken from us to early. I feel he’s still here in someway. I feel like he made the most of his life and also touched the lives of many along the way enhancing them with his teaching. He will be sorely missed of course, but the last few years he wasn’t his normal self, happy and full of life. It almost feels like death was justice and the ceremony a fitting send off to a great man.
Before this news I passed one of the best weeks of my life. I’ve spent a lot of time skiing in Chamonix and little time else where. I traditionally don’t have holidays either…But why should I, my life is one big holiday, right? I’m not sure.. Holidays are supposed to be (correct me if I’m wrong!) stress free, relaxing (not having to worry about work etc) and fun! Yes I’ve been on a few expeditions but they are aren’t very relaxing and yes I get out most days into the mountains but its almost like work sometimes…almost. I was invited on a trip by my friend Chippie (Stephen Windross) to ski in the Ecrins (Serre Chevalier, Montgenvre and La Grave) shooting for a Fall Line Magazine article. It felt like a proper holiday and despite the poor quality of the snow earlier in the week we had a lot of fun and got some good shots too. Later in the week, whilst we were skiing in La Grave, we were treated to a 80cm+ dump of snow that turned the bulletproof Sastrugi into skiing perfection. I’ve wanted to go to La Grave for years and it was great to finally get the chance to ski there. Somewhere I need to spend more time for sure.
The Mighty Meije.
Joe Vallone, Baddass skier, Mountain guide and general legend. Standing next to his car which he inherited off Doug Combes,
Low Snow but good views.
Chippe in Serre chevalier.
Never really gets that busy at the lift in la grave.
A few weeks ago I flew back through the turbulence to Scotland to finish of my tick list for the British Guides Scheme. After years of deliberation I’ve finally decided to put my application in. Great conditions and company made for a really good, but tiring week, climbing some awesome routes. My application is coming along and I really hope it gets accepted in May so I can move onto the next phase of my life. Here’s some shots from the week.
Typical Walk in conditions
The Shroud looking good.
On Kellets NF Route
Mixed Climbing in Scotland
Ally Swinton In Scotland
Fort Bill
Jack Geldard on the Curtain
Becky Coles on the Curtain
Gemini is so fat right now.
The Shroud
Jack Geldard
Some guy with a Haul bag??
Miles of walking…
Jack climbing in Glen Coe
Jack Geldard In Scotland
Ally Swinton in the Caringorms
Lads
I’m back in Chamonix and starting a new job with Epictv.com and hopefully i’ll be back to the vortex soon. With the conditions in the mountains this winter being pretty bad I’ll be bringing a lot of caution into the mountains, but I’m still looking forward to some big days out when things are stable. Hopefully I’ll have some good stories to tell as the winter progresses. Keep it real. Keep it safe and keep on having your own adventures.
