ClimbNow Blog

Mont Collon and Petit Mont Collon from the Plan De Bertol.

I am currently 4 days through a six day week in Arolla off piste skiing and ski touring. The conditions have been mostly excellent. On sunday there was around 40cm of fresh snow which gave us some excellent powder skiing. Monday and tuesday gave two great days of touring to the Plan De Bertol and the Col Des Ignes. Today, further snow has arrived giving further great powder skiing at Arolla.

After a week of working on the Edinburgh and Falkirk Easter Programmes, which included dry rock climbing at Rosyth and Bennybeg, gorge walking in heavy snow on Tuesday and sunny canoeing on Loch Ard on Thursday, Jen and I were out sea-kayaking from North Berwick with George Reid today.

Jen in the shelter of Fidra

George planned a great route taking in the islands of Lamb, Fidra, Eyebroughy and Craigleith. The view from kayak level gave an excellent chance to be in and around groups of puffins, eider ducks, guillemots, shags, gannets and seals.

View across the Forth fromthe lunch stop

The Lammermuirs were holding on to streaks of snow where Tuesday’s winds had left significant drifts. The Pentlands looked clear of snow as we drove back towards Edinburgh.

Rosie and I have been skiing with some friends today at Les Contamines. The weather was pretty mixed with snow and graupel during the day along with good sunny periods.We spotted a number of point release and wet slab avalanches which have occurred over the last couple of days.

There is a lot of new snow in the Chamonix area. Large avalanches were spotted around the Petite Aiguille Verte area.

The view from the Col Du Passon. The Aiguille Rouge is in the foreground and Les Aravis is in the background.

On sunday I joined a group doing the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route. The first day involved traversing from Chamonix to the Trient Hut via the Col Du Passon. Yesterday, we continued to the Valsorey Hut.

Today, I climbed up to the Plateau Du Couloir with the team before saying goodbye to the team and skiing back to the valley and returning to Saint Gervais.The ascent of the Plateau Du Couloir at the moment is in good condition. Crampons rather thans skis are best as a good set of footprints lead to the col. This may change quickly though as it has now started snowing in the mountains.

Rosie at the Col De La Fenetre. The Mont Blanc Massif is in the background.

Rosie skiing down from the col on spring snow.

Rosie and I have had a great day out today in the Les Contamines area. We began the day byclimbing to the Col De La Fenetre using touring skis and skins. This 200m skin allowed us to gain a 104om off piste descent which was mostly on beautiful spring snow. After a long lunch in the sun (it is currently 23 degress in the valley), we had a good afternoon skiing on and off piste in the Les Contamines ski area. The pistes are still in good condition.

Managed to sneak in a quick afternoon’s cragging with Nettle at the Hawkcraig today.

Nettle belaying as the tide comes in

Conditions are excellent, with dry rock and no seabirds in residence on any of the routes as yet.

Nettle moving into the groove of Asinine

I returned to the Gran Paradiso area on the 28th March, this time to the Benevolo Hut. The conditions once more were excellent. Lots of powder and spring snow remain depending on altitude and aspect. I had a great time on the Punta Calabre and the C.Le della Gran Vaudala.

Roc Basagne, Roc del Fond and Punta Calabre.

The Grande Casse (near Tignes) from the Col De La Sassiere.

Mont Blanc from the Cle. Di Giasson.

Following a rest day on saturday, I have been at the Bezzi Hut. This excellant hut is located in the Gran Paradiso area of Italy.

The weather has been outstanding allowing us to ski the Col De La Sassiere and the Cle. Di Giasson. As the weather has been warm, we have been aiming to finish in the early afternoon.

The Bezzi Hut is currently best approached not via the minor road from the Dam, but by a lower line next to the Lago Di Beauregard. This is due to a number of slides and ice fall collapses having gone accross the road making for difficult skiing.

Gayle and Archie on Observatory Ridge

On Saturday we climbed Observatory Ridge as a summer route on dry rock with the odd snow patch until the last 70m where we moved in to Zero Gully. The top section of Zero had a couple of icey steps the highest one being quite thin. John, Simon and Linda descended Number 4 Gully and myself, Gayle and Archie descended snow in to the head of Coire Leis. Tower Gully, NE Buttress, Tower Ridge, Ledge Route and Castle Ridge were all climbed on Saturday with axe/crampons needed for approach or higher up. Number 3 Gully was descended on skis on Saturday.

Gayle in the top section of Zero Gully

Gayle and Archie descending in to Coire Leis

On Sunday we climbed Gardyloo Gully, which currently has a great exit through a tunnel under and behind the chockstone. However, care and good route choice is required to access the route as the warm conditions are impacting any remaining ice routes badly and large lumps of ice were falling from Smith’s and the right hand end of Indicator Wall as early as 7:30 in the morning.

Linda emerging from the tunnel in Gardyloo Gully

The major easy gully lines are all still complete, but remaining ice routes have been effected badly by the last couple of warm days and falling ice will be a consideration for a while if temperatures don’t turn cold again. The rock is dry in large areas and rock routes were being climbed on both Saturday and Sunday.

Gayle topping out from Gardyloo Gully

Morning in the Western Oberland.

Using Skins to ascend a steep slope on the way towards the Shnidehore.

The view from the Wildhornhutte.

For the past six days I have been ski touring in the Western Oberland. We visited the following huts; Berghotel Schwarenbach, Lammerenhutte, Wildstrubelhutte, Wildhornhutte and Cabane Des Audannes. We climbed the Wildstrubel, Schnidehore, Wildhorn and the Sex Rouge. Along the way, we had 40cm on new snow, lots of sun and some great skiing.