Here we are already at the end of January and it is just the beginning of, apparently, a great winter : with snow and ice ! Important snow falls have madethe ski touring possible during the first days of December.

Then, temperatures remained cold (an average of -10°c and a minimum of -22°c in Chamonix ! Gasoil froze in my car !!) and that was great for ice-climbing conditions which are still very good in the Chamonix valley and its italian and swiss surroundings.

After 2 weeks of anticyclone, we need some fresh snow and as I am writing those lines, it is snowing in Chamonix. The forecast for the next days is some heavy snow falls in the italian side of Mont-Blanc : I will be there as early as tomorrow with my skies !

Semons l’Espoir is an association from Franche-Comté, on the north east of France, which works to improve the life of the children at the hospital : they are almost all with cancer and leukaemia. Each year for 11 years, a week stay programme is organised to take them in the mountains and do some alpinism.

With a few of other friends, guides too, we all meet in august to guide this happy and ultra-motivated young crowd into the world of altitude. From our base camp in Chamonix, we already climbed a few high summits of the Alps, e.g. Mont-Blanc, Grand Paradis, one of the Monte Rosa high summit, the Vincent Pyramid. This year, we decided to take them to Switzerland to ascent the Allalinhorn : on Friday 26, before noon, we were 59 standing at the summit of Allalinhorn at 4027m of altitude, parents, kids and mountain guides ! It was a great moving moment.

Unfortunately, I had my digital camera stolen in the middle of the week. That is why I cannot show you more pictures of the Sommets de l’Espoir week, neither of the end of my summer season which continued till last Tuesday with the ascent of the Chéré gully.

I am off now for India for some vacations. I will see you back in Chamonix in December with some ice to climb and snow to ride !
Take care,
Alex

From the 17th to the 22nd of august, 1955, Walter Bonatti, 25 years old, alone, climbs a new route on the Petit Dru west pillar : the Bonatti Pillar was to become one of the greatest rock climbing route ever.

Almost 3 months have passed since the last rockslide of the Dru on the 29th of june, this year. Already in sept’97 a first rockslide had left a huge grey scar on its west flank. The last slide put the rest of the pillar down, theBonatti Pillar no longer exists.

Charlotte is back into action : happy to be hanging again on the exceptional granit of Chamonix, she found back her balance, positions and automatisms quickly, therefore she climbs with easiness along the pitches of this very classic route of the Chamonix needles.

Downthere, alpinists find their way in the middle of a very crevassed area and they are little black dots between huge crevasses. Above us, dihedrals, cracks and slabs offer us a beautiful climb, always different, never hard and we dream of an endless route like this one. But soon we are reaching the summit and after a pause, we have to begin the rappels in order to reach the Torino mountain hut for dinner.

A day spend climbing in the Perrons mountains is very often a very good day out there : it is one of my favourite place to climb or just walk to. Views are unique with, in front of you, the Mont-Blanc and the Valais range.

Thanks to 2 hours of hike, there is no one, so you enjoy all this for yourself, which I find very nice ! The quality of the rock climbing routes is just excellent :

The rock is great, pitches are all different, belays are always comfortable, sat on a big grass clump, leggs hanging in the void, facing the view, what more would you need to be the happiest person at this precise moment ?!...

From the beginning of the week, I am with a small group from Holland who would like to reach the summit of Mont-Blanc through the « Mont-Blanc Objective » 6 days course.

I set up this course in order to maximise chances of success for the participants : technical and physical preparation, acclimatization to the altitude are the keys to reach the summit of Mont-Blanc. What you also need is a bit of luck with the weather. Unfortunately, after having reached the summit of the Dômes de Miage 2 days ago, today the bad weather is on the mountain.

We have to stop at the Mt Blanc du Tacul, with strong gusts of wind sweeping the summit. But we are alone and the spirit of the whole group is just excellent : They understood right away the impossibility to reach the Mont-Blanc summit with safety, but they definitely appreciated each moment spent on the mountain.

And, they also have been given a lesson of humility and patience by the nature itself. And that made me happy : I am sure they will be back in the mountains : they love it and they understand the way it has to be !

After some long years far away from the mountains, but closer to an intense professional and city life, Jean-Michel decide to return to “his first love”. He does not have a clue of his fitness and technical levels, despite his running habits at home …at sea level…. What he asks me : “No stress, just happiness”. Ok, I do understand that, so I decide to find out about a new place in Switzerland just above the Moiry mountain hut that I heard about, in the Anniviers valley. In the morning, I take JM to the Mer de Glace in Chamonix in order for him to practice again the use of crampons, ice-axe and rope : he is happy to be on balance again on this very specific texture, the ice.

Sensations slowly come back. In the afternoon, we hit the road in the direction of Martigny, Sierre in the Rhône valley, Grimentz and finally we park the car at the dam of the lake of Moiry. The hut is reached after a small hour and a half of hiking, on the right bank of the glacier.

It gives access to a cirque of mountains closed to the south by the Grand Cornier, The Pointes de Mourty on the west and the Pigne de la Lé on the east. It’s finally towards this summit that we are heading early on the next morning, headlamps on. Quite quickly, we are walking on the glacier towards the base of the north ridge. Already quite high on this ridge, we contemplate the rising sun on the 4000ers of the Valais.

Some easy climbing steps leads us to the summit. From here, once again, we admire the view, with this morning light which tend to put you into a melancholic mood because everything is silent, still and peace. It is so beautiful…and nice to share those emotions and moments with someone who exactly was in search of what he has in front of him at this precise moment.

From Grindelwald, village at the base of the giant north face of the Eiger, we take the train that takes us to the Jungfrau Pass at almost 3500m of altitude. At the exit of the tunnel, amused, we assist an amazing "high-altitude-circus" with "tyrolienne", mini ski-lift, dogs pulling japanese women on sledges, and even a golf practice with a N°18 flag planted in the middle of the glacier !!

We quickly leave the area in the direction of the Konkordia hut. It overlooks the widest glacier area in Europe, the Aletsch glacier. From here, we will attempt some high and classic summit such as the Finsteraarhorn -4274m, the Gross-Fiescherhorn -4048m, the Mönch -4107m and the Jungfrau -4158m.

But the program is quite demanding, physically and technically. We also just arrived in the range just after a 4 days period of bad weather which left a thick layer of fresh snow. Some of our courageous english alpinists are victims of altitude sickness and they are consuming their energy more than usual on this difficult terrain. Erik Decamp, also guide, and I are doing our best to adapt the program so each of the members of the team enjoys their journey in high Oberland altitude.

After 3 days, everyone if feeling better and the weather is turning better too. We finally reach summits of Jungfrau and Mönch. With Phill, one of the participant, I have to turn back on the very (too) snowy summit ridge of Finsteraarhorn. We are both very happy with this decision, as 20 minutes later on the descent, we see a 6 persons group get caught on an avalanche on the mountain next to us : I call the rescue with the radio and 3 persons finished their holidays at the hospital !

After 6 days in the world of ice, snow and rock, we go back to Grindelwald for a good shower and a big meal. On the way, we stop at the mythic "Kleine Sheidegg hotel" facing the Eiger north face and have a few beers "cheering" to be there, healthy and happy !!

10 young and dynamic people coming straight from Paris to attempt the climb of Mont-Blanc : After the rental gear and checking the rucksack, we go on the upper part of the Vallée Blanche to have a walk across the huge crevasse and seracs of the glacier.

The mist add a very fantasmagoric touch to the scene already quite impressive. After a night spent at the Torino mounatin hut, we find in the morning a big stuffed crevasse to do some crampon exercices before going to the summit of aiguilld'Entrèves to maximise the acclimatisation process. Night at the Cosmiques hut.

At 1h45am, we leave the hut in direction of the summit with Flore and Sixtine. Not long after the sunrise, we reache the summit by a beautiful morning light. We are all so happy to be there but I have to think about the long descent so we don't spend so much time at the summit, the end of the day is still a long way ahead...

Nicolas just loves it ! It is often steep and difficult rock but he loves to fight his way up and he gives everything. It was the case that day, in the Mentonnais route at the Biclope, right above the lake of Annecy, in a athletic and steep pitch. Bravo Nico !

A week later, gone with Louis and Alexandre to do a nice multi-pitch route above the same lake (our local "Côte d'Azur"), I don't know how, but we finally end up at the foot of "Poème à Lou", beautiful route on the SW face of Brévent. Because of a huge cloud stock to the mountain, we kept climbing into this misty and cotton atmosphere, very automnal ambiance, very far from the sunny and hot limestone of the Annecy cliffs !

Just a few last turns on the Grand Envers du Plan in order to finish the winter season on a beautiful spring ski day !

The snow is still there in the mountains, and still in good quantity, but today is sunny and hot, so I will leave the skis for a pair of climbing shoes and go with André to do "Zig-Zag" above the lake of Annecy.

It is a very nice route on the Mont Veyrier with beautiful limestone, typical of the area. At the end of the 7th pitch, we don't have another choice but to go back home, happy to have moved again without ski boots, goggles and gore-tex jackets !

2 days of great ski touring in high altitude to reach the base of the last slope to the summit of Gran Paradiso, with Tanguy and Laurent.

Great weather, sunny and (almost too) hot.

It is the 6th consecutive year that some of the most important snow falls happen in april : on this tuesday 26th, we are well decided to take advantage of the recent ones fallen on the Grands Montets mountains.

The rest of the cable car is also quite in the same spirit ! You can feel the excitation !! Then, Sybil, Louis her 14 years old son and myself are going to the Simplon pass for some ski touring days.

Unfortunately, frozen conditions are inexistant, therefore, the descent skiing is not the best one. But the Simplon Hospice which is our base camp is ideally placed at the foot of the mountains : very comfortable, excellent food, hot showers, indoor climbing wall, ping-pong tables....

What more can you ask ? ..... 2 ft of fresh powder maybe....

After some long thaughts about where to go for this ski touring trip, I finally decide to go to La Grave in the Oisans range because it offers the "best" weather and snow conditions in the northern alps. Situated between Grenoble and Briançon, this mountain range is wild, there is very few people and the little we meet in huts are extremely nice and friendly.

Very warm days, fog, wind and some snow in the last day made a good cocktail of 4 very contrasted days...

After a good period of bad weather, it is still snowing heavily on the Grands Montets ski resort : those days are definitly the best ones for free-riding !

When it keeps snowing and snowing !! The visibility is ok and the ski conditions are just amazing ! 70cms of fresh powder in the Combe de la Pendant !!

4 days shared with Nathalie, Ludo, Huw, Big Dave and Skinny from Saas Fe to... Saas Fe and with a few laughs, skinning up's, sea of clouds, "champagne powder" descents and lots more ! And of course, you will have difficulty to believe me , once more, but I tell you the truth : snow and weather conditions were almost perfect through the whole trip !! Just have a look on the side !

Today, it is raining : the dominant colour is GREY, the sky is touching the roofs, humidity is close to saturate the air, so we rest, do some laundry, fine edges and wax skies, because the season is definitly NOT over, on the contrary : The weather forecast of this morning annouces for the next 4 days a total of 60 to 85cms of fresh snow accumulation and as low as 900m of altitude !!! Winter is back guys and i am HAPPY !!!
Have fun and be safe, as ever !
Alex

Just a little nice touring day with friends Ouchery and Jean-No on the swiss side of the range : an alpine approach on an exposed rocky ridge and beautiful cold and fresh powdered slopes for the descent.

A good day !

Here again, chance helped us with a good snow fall the day before our descent and a light north wind which kept temperatures low despite the shining sun of this memorable day.

I let you apreciate the pictures taken in this very "high mountains" environment !

Alex

We took advantage during those 4 days spent in the Widstrubel of some few snow falls (essentially during nights).

Therefore we had pretty good skiing conditions with some 5 to 25cm of fresh snow (depending on the altitude) on a hard layer as a basis.

This range is definitly designed for ski touring : Huts are very comfortable and friendly, faces and slopes offers everything from the beginner to the expert and the decor is just amazing with vertiginous cliffs and peaks everywhere !
Enjoy the pictures !

This week-end was definitly a great moment of the 2005 season : great people, great conditions, a big laugh at every turn, guests and guides were happy, happy, happy !!

Spring has reached the Alps too : in less than 3 days, the average temperature has climbed from -10° to +20° !!!... a huge shock for people but above all for the snowpack which melt quite impressively. But I can tell you that I still have a good 40cms of snow in my garden ! Off-piste slopes oriented from east to west passing by the south are good to ski till 11am, later, we have to go on north slopes which still have cold and nice slopes.
Needless to say that after such a warm period, even the thicker ice climbing routes have fallen down, after one of the longest ice climbing season for a longtime !
Enjoy spring and keep safe !
Alex

A very bad pneumonia kept me in bed for more than 3 weeks...

It is definitly one of the best winters we had for a long time and this is thanks to 2 basic factors :

Regular snow falls and cold temperatures over a period of almost 3 months. Therefore, the snow pack is thick and hides some weak layers underneath recent layers, so the analysis of its analysis is difficult and requires experience. Keep skiing with cautious, and enjoy !!

Thanks to this cold weather, conditions of ice-climbing routes remain very good.

I went to Champéry on the swiss side of the Dents du Midi to meet Antoine, Luis and Alex. It snowed heavily during 3 days and 3 nights.

Those riding days were simply the best we had since the begininning of the season : we've been riding into 2 to 3 feet of extremely light fresh snow for 3 days non stop ! This is the reason why I do not have a lot of pictures to show you, the patience of the group, especially myself, was not great enough to take some more !!

Nice ski-touring day with Marip, Agustin, Roberto and myself at the Brèche de Bérard, in the range of the aiguilles Rouges. Nobody else than us, still some nice tracks to do in fresh powder, a pic-nic overlooking the wild valley of Salenton,...a journey that approaches the perfection !

Descent of the Glacier Rond on the north west face of aiguille du Midi.

The snow conditions on the face were not that great despite the nice tracks seen from the valley, anyway the point of view from up there is still amazing together with the exposure of course !

The great weather is back and Céline, Stéphanie, Olivier and myself take advantage of the great conditions to go climbing the aiguille Pourrie in the Aiguilles Rouges to then descent by one of the couloirs which leads to the wide Lachenal bowl.

After the bad weather, again we take the opportunity to do some great skiing with the visibility this time to appreciate the lovely curves we are drawing on the big fields of snow !...here from the summit of the aiguille des Posettes.

Grâce à une petite chute de neige ce lundi (15cm à Chamonix), on ski entre amis dans les couloirs de Lognan, dans une forêt quelquefois un peu serrée où l’expression « Calcul de sa