Difficult week with poor weather
I was climbing with Dave Craven this week who I had last climbed with in the Watkins Mountains in Greenland. On that trip we were blessed with 3 weeks of perfect weather but unfortunately it was not to be this week. With a decidedly mixed forecast we decided to get as much in as possible at the start of the week before the weather broke. We began by climbing the normal route on the Peigne (AD), a superb rock route starting with big boots changing to rock boots for the final couple of pitches. When the midi lift runs at its summer timetable it can easily be climbed lift to lift. Monday offered fine weather so we set off early leaving Chamonix at 0430 heading for Pointe Percee. An hours drive and an hour and halfs walk put us at the Gramusset hut in time for second breakfast. We climbed the superb North Ridge in glorious sunshine with spectacular views of the Mont Blanc Massif. The rest of the week gave us some challenging conditions on Tuesday we drove through the Mont Blanc Tunnel to climb at the road side crag at Machaby we managed a couple of pitches before rain stopped play. We were back the following day and climbed 4 pitches of Bucca dArranca before being caught in a huge thunder storm. We took the next day off then finished the week climbing Diretta de Banano a brilliant 10 pitch route at Machaby.