There and back

So after moaning about last weeks weather raining and melting away our precious ice, we actually got a day of really cold weather and rain/snow was down really low as well. This was much needed and helped conditions on the faces.

After seeing this low snow level and with temps being quite chilly in the mornings over the next few days, I decided to go for the 'Shroud' on the Jorasses.

Mixed week

The past week has been varied doing a few different fun things but having to put up with some really annoying weather.

Innominata Ridge

On Tuesday morning Jon Griffith and I headed through to Italy to climb the ‘Innominata Ridge’ on the South face of Mt Blanc, a major classic alpine route in what must be one of the most magnificent settings in the Massif. We got a very much appreciated lift from a good friend Neil who drove us through the Tunnel du Mt Blanc and dropped us off in Val Veni, but I’m sure we could have got the car a wee bit further! After Neil dropped us off we had a big slog ahead of us to get to the Eccles bivouac hut, which neither of us were looking forward to that much.

Friends on the Frendo

Colin & Will climbing the
Spur.

Last week I planned and agreed to go climb the ‘Frendo Spur’ on the North face of the Midi with a few friends of mine, Colin & Will. Colin is a great friend of mine who I’ve known since last year and has helped me out so much but this was actually the first big route we were going to climb together. Will is living in Chamonix for a month trying to get as much Alpine climbing done and the ‘Frendo’ was actually his first big alpine route, which is a great effort for his first season. I had done this route a few years ago so thought it would be good if I came along as I would have a rough idea of where to go. Well that’s if I could remember!

Something on the Tacul for my Birthday.

The Tacul

The other day, which happened to be my birthday, Greg and I got the Midi lift up and headed over to the Triangle du Tacul, to do ‘something on the Tacul’.  Sometimes when you ask friends of what they’re going to climb or go for, they’ll tell you, ‘just something on the Tacul’. I always thought this was quite a funny thing to say as when you go into the mountains your ‘supposed’ to know what you’re going to do, what to expect and how to get off. Basically it’s like treating the place like a wee crag. I love it!