Back in the Alps this week climbing with Ian McIntosh we started the week driving round to Arolla and walking up to the Vignettes hut, we were one of the last visitors before it closed for a full renovation. It should be open in time for the Haute Route season. Leaving the hut early we traversed the Pigne dArolla then the superb Mont Blanc de Cheillon (AD) this superb high level combination is one of my favourite traverses. We drove round to Zermatt after climbing so we could catch the first lift to the Klein Matterhorn then traversed the Breithorn. We had a bit of excitement when a thunder storm blew through, our ice axes buzzed and hair stood on end we descended 10m off the side of the ridge, luckily it blew through quickly and we finished the traverse in sunshine. The weather wasnt looking to good on Wednesday so we headed down to Thon and climbed the super steep Via Ferrata we finished the week climbing the Arête Marion above the Col du Aravis.
I was climbing with Mark Dearnley this week we started the week climbing at the Cremerie to see how an injured achilles was behaving, luckily all was well with mark leading a coupe of pitches, the most exciting part of the day was getting up the road which required chains to get any where. We headed through the Mont Blanc tunnel on Tuesday to the Cascade Roveneu which we had failed on a couple of years before so it was really nice to clear up some unfinished buisness. We were back in Italy the next day climbing a route near Cogne which crosses an avalanche tunnel then gives another couple of great pitches higher up. All the better for the short walk in. On Thursday we headed through to Zinal to climb the Cascade du Pont, 15m up I placed my axe which gave a huge crack, moving my tool the ice did the same again, after the worlds fastest V thread we were heading for the bar. We finished the week in Arolla climbing the Cascade de l'Usine Electrique, after a spot of luch we climbed an unnamed pillar next to one of the road tunnels.
I started the week climbing with Joe Malone and his son Steve we met in Chamonix and drove through to Arolla on Sunday morning, we tested the coffee shops of the Val d'Heren while the rain stopped. As the sun broke out we headed up to the Vignettes hut, which has finished it's renovation and is much more comfortable than it's previous incarnation. Monday morning we traversed the Pigne d'Arolla in great snow conditions arriving at the Dix hut in time for Rosti. We had a great night in the hut with a band of travelling musicians playing the flute and guitar. On tuesday morning after a leisurly breakfast we climbed a really nice rocky ridge next to the Pas de Chevre.
After a day off I met up with Chris and Max Considine and Dan Collins from Canada we traversed the vallee blanche on Thursday then raced the weather on the Arete Marion in the Aravis yesterday. The troops are off to Geneva for the weekend then I'm meeting them in Grindelwald on Monday.