Cosmique Arete SUCCESS!!!

So.... After the last attempt I went for a different tactic! A 2 man team traveling as light and as fast as possible, plus a departure of 8.30 am meant we were stood at the bottom of the arete at 9.30!

This left us with 8hrs to get back to the Midi for the last bin down. Not wanting to be too pesimistic we set of in glorious sunshine, the snow was still crisp and frim meaing the walk in was very easy. Beware the very large crevass now open on the "skiers Right" as you descent the second part of the snos arete out of the midi.From the foot of the Cosmique arete it was a straight forward climb up to the first ridge. As we were making good time we had to take a few "ACTION" Photos!
We continued around the arete with an abseil down 20m towards the Vallee Blanche side followed by a climb up a diagonal crack in the rock onto a steep snow slope. This leads onto the penultimate climb through an interesting chimney onto the final summit.Down-climb onto the final platform and we finished off at the bottom viewing station of the Aguille du Midi, to have are photos all taken by some japanese tourists!!! Time for this ascent was 30 mins walk in plus 3hrs for the arete, including a coffee and fig role stop, so deffinately an improvement on last time!!!
As Matt decided this wasnt quite enough of an adventure we clambered onto the roof of the viewing station to climb up to the top viewing platform at 3842m.

This was an interesting route starting off with axes & crampons, which were removed half way up when it turned into more of a trad climb before swinging over the safety barrier onto the platfrom to yet another aplause!

NB protection on the last section is sparse and very dubious. The holds are only there due to the shoddy cement so Beware!! P.S dont use the bolts on the cement as they pull out!!!

Argentiere Aguilette!

The Argentiere Aguillette is really not that close to Argentiere but is instead pretty much at the foot of the Aguille Rouge. Access is via Tre Le Champ on the Col du Montets road, a small foot path currently covered in snow from about 1/2 way up leads past to cabins to the foot of the Aguillete. Walk in time approx 1hr!

The Aguillettes have a few routes up them involving one with a 3foot jump from one pinnacle to the other!!!


Summit of Aguillette after jumping onto it from the other rock!



Abseilling back down with a rather green looking Le Tour in the background.

The main routes are bolted with nice shiny new rings, HOWEVER! Some of the routes up the face opposite the aguilles rouge are vaguely protected with old pitons so a few nuts are reccomended.
The final route of the day was a 6a+ up the back side of the aguillette. Approached by abseilling into the black abiss between the two rocks then using a small chimny to finally crawl through to the otherside.

The route is covered in Litchen and the finishing 10ft above the overhang is entirely unprotected and VERY VERY exposed! But a good route to finish on!
Matt Flexing his muscles!!

Helbronner for Coffee!!

A relaxed start from the Midi as we skied down past the cosmique arete across the Geant Glacier. Before skiining up approx 45 mins to the hellbronner lift. A fairly mellow tour leading through quite a few crevasses, but very senic none the less.
Before heading down the ladders and onto the Toule Glacier we crossed over the Col Orient de Toule to check that the cable car was actually running. Or thats our excuse anyway!

The Helbronner side is still skiable down to the mid station however spirng is in full swing! Yet an enjoyable descent was still had.

NB for next season! looking up the mountain couloir below top of 2nd cable car onto the toule glacier looks EPIC!

As we quickly jumped onto the cable car before they stopped for their obligatory lunch break we suddenly realised the cabin was heading down instead off up! After a short coffee break we were back at the top!


The return route took us across the Col de Flambeaux down onto the Italian Vallee Blanche. Snow conditions where excellent for the first part. Fresh tracks though powder were still to be found! The Snow started to harden up again above the Seracs du Geant again, but the final section down the glacier des Periades onto the Mer De Glace was again in superb condition!

Lindsay infront of the Seracs du Geant!

Snow is dissapearing rapidly on the final appraoch to Montenvers and even more rock hoping is required, however is powder is still around I'm sure we can cope!!

Vrai VB

A slightly hung over departure from the Midi and we were aiming down the Vrai Vallee Blanche with part of the Vert and Freshtraxxx Crew!

Snow conditions were suprisingly good at around 10.30 am! Theres a nice dusting of approx 3-4 cm of new snow and the base had softened up too.

This led to a fast and fun descent down on to the Mer De Glace.

The short cut that brings you out 1/4 way up the stairs is now not so much of a short cut however so the orriginal route round the back if the ice caves probably saves sum serious rock hoping and the final walk!!

Au Revoir Andy! Jusqu a Prochaine hiver!

So as Andys last day we headed up for a final lap of the Midi. Hitting the 8.30am bin we headed off down the Vrai Vallee Blanche.

After about 5 mins we decided that the snow was still pretty icy so chilled out in the sun and waited for it to soften up a bit!

Around 10.30 we headed off again weavign through the seracs. Snow conditions are pretty variable at the momment. Changing from soft nice powder to icy moguls so its a bit of a lucky dip.
A speedy descent through the hords and past the Requien hut we headed left away from the crowds! Possibly not the best idea as the descent is pretty icy currently!

The salle a manger was in a better state today atleast being solid! And back to Montenvers and those lovely stairs!!

Valle Blanche and General Conditions up there

So after Andys leaving drinks we had a late start up the midi with the intentions of a Vrai Vallee Blanche descent.

On arrival at the top viz was not brill so we went with a quick Envers descent!

Conditions are currently HORRIFIC. The top section is bullit ice moguls, transforming into icy crud half way down. Followed of my rock hard avalanche debry, Huge blocks of ice from serac falls and yet more avalanche debry.

The salle a manger is still just about ok! getting pretty slushy even with no sun on it today!

The exit routes from Pas de Chevre are no longer, mainly consisting of rock and dirt, avalanches can be heard from them even if we couldn't see it today! The same goes for the normal exit for col du Buche traverse!
Spring is deffinitely on its way!




Looking down the Mer De Glace at the momment!

Aguille du Tour, or so we thought!

Day 1

After a 3hr delay in making it to the top station, at 12.45 we finally started the descent
onto the Argentiere Glacier. Fresh lines were still to be had onto the plateau. Then with skins on a diagonal traverse takes you past the west shoulder of the Chardonet, followed by the Aiguille du Passon. Passing under the ridges so late in the afternoon on such a sunny day perhaps wasn't the best plan as avalanches were occuring all over the place. A 20 minute steep climb, around 80m, takes you to the top of the Col du Passon, (3hrs).
From the Col, we headed North down onto the Le Tour Glacier to traverse across to the otherside, a 10 minute skin up the far right bank had us in the Albert Premier Hut.
A group of 6 French had beaten us there and started the wood burning stove to warm
the hut up, so all we had to do was enjoy working on the goggle tan a bit more!

After melting copious amounts of snow for new drinking water, and a fine dinner of pasta
and red wine, the french group carried 6 bottles with them, it was time for an early night!
Day 2A 5.30 am alarm call finally had us skiing away from the hut at 7am. As we were roping Sara
up to prevent any more crevass incidents the other group overtook us and thankfully put a
skin track in for 1 3/4 hrs up to the ridge above the Siegnel Reilly rock Outcrop. At this point we felt it fair for us to take over so I broke trail until the foot of the "Col Superiour du Tour". From here it was a steep skin on still icy snow so my wider skis were struggling slightly but around 10.30 we finally made it to the summit and the Trient Glacier. After a wee break we said goodbye to are travelling compagnions to again skin Northwards aiming
for the Aiguille du Tour.The snow was starting to warm up now as the surface crust had melted so the skin round wasn't to tricky, however the sun was also really starting to warm us up so when we finally made it to
what we thought was the foot of the Aguille du Tour every one was thankful for the break.
The Aguille du Tour is the first piece of rock that you will actually come close to, however the
berghsrund that is mentioned in the guide is not visible at present which led us to believe we
werent at the right place. We'd actually skied past it and stopped at the Aguille du Pissoir. We had a short 45 minute climb towards the summit just to "add" to the adventure then decided to ski down.
The Trient Plateau from the top of Col Superiour Du Tour

The first exit couloir around from Aguille du Pissoir is a large cliff. So we continued round to the Col du Midi des Grands before heading hard skier's left and arriving at another small col. Again this was a less than pleasant descent and mainly consisted of a rocky slope around 60 degrees. However this was now the only route back that would end in Le Tour and not Trient! 2 abseils and an interesting traverse skiers left puts you in a gully that is possibly skiable earlier in the season but not currently!!!
Back at the top of the Le Tour Glacier we got to cruise 1500m down untouched snow all the way back down to the Albert Premier Hut. At this point it is advisable to head back across the glacier and exit as if skiing straight down from the Col du Passon. If you decide not to however, you get an amazing 600m descent of untouched and in the shade powder to cruise down. At the bottom of the wind lip travers HARD left and when you can go no further climb up the little gully. From here it is "possible" to ski to Le Tour via the Vormaine nursery slopes. Its just not really recommended. The route is pretty straight-forward envolving a side slip throught the first gully,Tete des Cascades, a small jump over the rocks left of the river, then traverse left below the cliff band to join the normal descent!

And eventually arriving back at Le Tour 10 hrs after leaving the hut and nearly 29 hrs from Grand Montets, we headed straight to Rhodedendrons for a Pithcer of beer!

Back in the Game!

Grand Autannes to Trient!

Deep deep powder, not a single track to be seen and a random hitch home with a German dude! What more could you want for in a ski tour.

SO the plan was to tour followed by a boot pack to the top of the Grand Autannes (2680m) and ski back down to Le Tour via Lac Charmiliion and the Vormaine gully.

Howevere 3/4's of the way up the G. Autannes the snow pack became VERY unstable and the wind was increasign rapidly so we traversed left to the ridge line.
From here a careful check of the cornice revealed a huge untouched bowl filled with powder. As I was once again the guinea pig carefully dropping in, the snow felt pretty stable. A turn later and theres a 40ft wide fracture and a lot of snow fireing down the slope. A speedy traverse out of the slab and we were back in the game on a much safer gradient. Heading over the mound slightly skiers left revealled even more untracked lines as we crusied down to the narrow gully followed by a gentle run into Peutry and Trient.
It is possible to join the gully at the beggining, in the middle around the bushes, like we did, or even right down by the trees/forest at the bottom.

Another variation would be to head skiers right after the first pitch and then ski directly down to the gully instead of on the diagonal.

On arrival in Peutry a quick realisation that not a lot goes on here meant that any chance of getting a lift home involved a walk into Trient (5-10 mins). 20 mins later and all 3 of us complete with gear where crammed in the back of a german heli-skiers car n route back to France!
A quick lift back up from Vallorcine and home via a few routes in Le Tour.


Snow conditions on Posettes is "sketchy to say the least. VERY VERY slippery on a muddy base. I wouldnt recommend doing the route after midday!!