My last update saw me sitting out a spell of bad weather in Chamonix - what I'm learning is a familiar routine for this mountaineering silliness...
The bad weather was timed perfectly for an international climbing competition/festival to be held over the Bastille Day long weekend. Sunday night saw Mike and I sitting in the rain watching the finals. The mix of good climbing, bad weather, cheap wine, and a beer festival next door made it a reasonable evening. The 'ceremony' typified to me how the French treat climbing - as such a serious sport - very different to Australia. The panel of 'dignitaries' that came up onto the stage to give speeches made me chuckle and I soon left. It, to me, is just not what climbing is about.
The fireworks after the event I watched from the road out of town. Funny how the climbing event had seemed like the most important part of the evening - rather than Bastille Day. The day after, Bastille Day proper, every shop in town was open for business as usual. I was surprised - but Chamonix is about as much of a tourist destination as you can get - a world unto itself!
The forecast looked good, and so on Tuesday Mike & I set out for Refuge Conscrits for our grand plan - a grand traverse of Mont Blanc - Europe's highest mountain at 4810m. The walk up to the refuge was stalled halfway when we came across a man with a head injury from a falling rock. Mike called the local rescue service, and we waited with the party until the helicopter came. It was interesting to watch the helicopter 'land' on the rock outcrop and drop off two rescuers, before picking them back up with the patient.
Day 2, Wednesday, we set out from Conscrits at 4:30am to perfect weather. The traverse of the Domes de Miage was done in reverse to the direction Nik and I had done the traverse last time. That wasn't the only contrast. Where last time we had rushed through the traverse to get out of the wind and miserable weather, this time the conditions were perfect and I had one of my most enjoyable days in the hills ever. We made our way along the ridge to Refuge Durier, an unwardened hut that we had to ourselves, where we spent the afternoon eating, sleeping, and drinking tea (it really is true what they say about the English and their tea!).
Day 3 saw us leaving the hut by 2:30am. There was a bit of a breeze, but the sky was clear and conditions were again exceptional. From the hut we ascended the South Ridge of Aiguille de Bionnassay (4052m). The summit ridge, and its descent east which we then followed, was quite steep in places and was spectacular in a different kind of way to the easier ridge we had been following the day before. Mont Blanc had been in view for most of the time now, and upon reaching the Dome du Gouter, we realised we were going ok for time and kept on heading up.
What followed was a long march up to the summit. A combination of the altitude and having been out for so long made us put our heads down and 'get the task over with' rather than enjoy the moment. We only spent long enough on the summit to get a few shots, then continued down the other side to get out of the weather. However - it would be more appropriate to say that we walked INTO the weather, so after a quick chat we headed back to the summit to descend back down the 'highway' to Refuge du Gouter.
I'd hardly call it a refuge! People were packed in like sardines, and we continued our descent after paying an arm and a leg for some tea. The next hut down was full as well, and we put our weary heads down and marched on down to Nid d'Aigle for the last train down to the Valley. It was a 15+ hour day - with a total ascent of ~1800m and descent of ~2800m!
By far the highlight of the trip was the Bionnassay. Mike and I were the only two people on this beautiful mountain, and every part of the climb is a memory I will savour for a long time to come. It feels great to have been to the roof of Europe, but it wasn't that special. Similarly to the reasons why I like climbing - I like climbing mountains for reasons other than 'getting to the top'. Joining the normal route up the mountain, it was almost depressing to see the hordes of people going up and down the mountain.
However - I shouldn't end on that low note. It was a brilliant outing - a spectacular 3 days. The views that we had for so much of the journey were amazing. I could keep on saying in more ways than one how beautiful it was - but perhaps the best way of doing so is by looking at the photos!
The bad weather was timed perfectly for an international climbing competition/festival to be held over the Bastille Day long weekend. Sunday night saw Mike and I sitting in the rain watching the finals. The mix of good climbing, bad weather, cheap wine, and a beer festival next door made it a reasonable evening. The 'ceremony' typified to me how the French treat climbing - as such a serious sport - very different to Australia. The panel of 'dignitaries' that came up onto the stage to give speeches made me chuckle and I soon left. It, to me, is just not what climbing is about.
The fireworks after the event I watched from the road out of town. Funny how the climbing event had seemed like the most important part of the evening - rather than Bastille Day. The day after, Bastille Day proper, every shop in town was open for business as usual. I was surprised - but Chamonix is about as much of a tourist destination as you can get - a world unto itself!
The forecast looked good, and so on Tuesday Mike & I set out for Refuge Conscrits for our grand plan - a grand traverse of Mont Blanc - Europe's highest mountain at 4810m. The walk up to the refuge was stalled halfway when we came across a man with a head injury from a falling rock. Mike called the local rescue service, and we waited with the party until the helicopter came. It was interesting to watch the helicopter 'land' on the rock outcrop and drop off two rescuers, before picking them back up with the patient.
Day 2, Wednesday, we set out from Conscrits at 4:30am to perfect weather. The traverse of the Domes de Miage was done in reverse to the direction Nik and I had done the traverse last time. That wasn't the only contrast. Where last time we had rushed through the traverse to get out of the wind and miserable weather, this time the conditions were perfect and I had one of my most enjoyable days in the hills ever. We made our way along the ridge to Refuge Durier, an unwardened hut that we had to ourselves, where we spent the afternoon eating, sleeping, and drinking tea (it really is true what they say about the English and their tea!).
Day 3 saw us leaving the hut by 2:30am. There was a bit of a breeze, but the sky was clear and conditions were again exceptional. From the hut we ascended the South Ridge of Aiguille de Bionnassay (4052m). The summit ridge, and its descent east which we then followed, was quite steep in places and was spectacular in a different kind of way to the easier ridge we had been following the day before. Mont Blanc had been in view for most of the time now, and upon reaching the Dome du Gouter, we realised we were going ok for time and kept on heading up.
What followed was a long march up to the summit. A combination of the altitude and having been out for so long made us put our heads down and 'get the task over with' rather than enjoy the moment. We only spent long enough on the summit to get a few shots, then continued down the other side to get out of the weather. However - it would be more appropriate to say that we walked INTO the weather, so after a quick chat we headed back to the summit to descend back down the 'highway' to Refuge du Gouter.
I'd hardly call it a refuge! People were packed in like sardines, and we continued our descent after paying an arm and a leg for some tea. The next hut down was full as well, and we put our weary heads down and marched on down to Nid d'Aigle for the last train down to the Valley. It was a 15+ hour day - with a total ascent of ~1800m and descent of ~2800m!
By far the highlight of the trip was the Bionnassay. Mike and I were the only two people on this beautiful mountain, and every part of the climb is a memory I will savour for a long time to come. It feels great to have been to the roof of Europe, but it wasn't that special. Similarly to the reasons why I like climbing - I like climbing mountains for reasons other than 'getting to the top'. Joining the normal route up the mountain, it was almost depressing to see the hordes of people going up and down the mountain.
However - I shouldn't end on that low note. It was a brilliant outing - a spectacular 3 days. The views that we had for so much of the journey were amazing. I could keep on saying in more ways than one how beautiful it was - but perhaps the best way of doing so is by looking at the photos!
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