The Black Dike

An article published in Atlantic Monthly about John Bouchard and his first ascent of the Black Dike, a New England classic ice climb on Cannon Cliff. (Click here to access the article.)

Short History Lesson

CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO THE PHOTO-MONTAGE.

Larry: Friend of Fossils

Just completing the M7/8, above the head heel hook in a crack, to get out the 4' roof (NEI 5+) with the figure four. (Click on the photo to enlarge the picture.)

Still Plenty of Ice

Yesterday Larry took students to "Pitchoff Left" and "Three Flows."
Today just before sunset I was on "Cascade Falls."

One Possibility: The Arete du Diable

These two pictures are from an out-of-print book by Pause and Winkler called Extreme Alpine Rock: the 100 greatest alpine rock climbs. (Click on the photos to enlarge them.)

The Evolving Game Plan for Chamonix

FIRST WEEK OPTIONS:

Chere, Jager, Contamine-Mazeud Couloirs
Germain, and L'Infidele couloirs
Eperon Cosmiques
North Face of Tour Ronde
SSE Face Point Lachenal
Saluard Route on Point Adolphe Rey
Rebuffat on South Face Midi

Marginal weather routes:
East Ridge Pyramid du Tacul
Cosmique arête
Traverse of Point Lachenal
Traverse of Entreves
Midi-Plan Traverse

Really poor weather and low snow lines:
Traverse of Petit Charmoz
Aiguille de L'M
Aiguille de Peigne

SECOND WEEK OPTIONS:

Frendo Spur
Swiss Route on Les Courtes
Couturier Couloir
Gervasutti or Boccalatte Pillar on Tacul
The Shroud on Jorasses
Arete du Diable on Tacul
South Ridge of the Aiguille Peuterey
North Face of the Petit Dru

Options in other areas
Salbitschijen Traverse
North Face of Piz Badile (or North Ridge)
Comici route on Tre Cimi Grande
Matterhorn: North Face or Zmutt ridge

A Much Younger ... El Presidente!

The South Face of Washington Column.(Click on the picture to enlarge the photo.)

Sel the farmer

Spring has not come to the Adirondacks as it is -5 degrees as she
heads out to chores in her Carhartts. Notice the two bottles ... One
with warm water to wash Katika's udder before milking and the other is
milk to feed the orphan lamb.

Another 30 Year Old Picture

Before there was Global Warming and Climate Change ... The enclosed photo is from the warmest mid-January day on record, at the top of new Hampshire's Mount Washington! I had met Mark and Danny the summer before in Chamonix, and was spending the winter as the Caretaker of the Harvard Cabin in Huntington Ravine. Here I am with two college buddies - Dickie and Lenny - standing atop the 6,288' peak.

Greg: Friend of the Fossils

Currently doing seismic fieldwork, Greg has this to say ... I'm currently developing some virgin stone in East Africa at an undisclosed location. I will say that the rock is coarse granite, African Shield, there are hundreds of problems, potential routes up to 600 feet and the temperature is only 110 in the shade. I call this problem... "Solomon knows how to drive" ... Note the hiking boots.

Chouinard's AAJ text

(Click on the text to enlarge it.)

1966 ... Chouinard and Kor on Les Courtes

No cobras or leashless tools! No plastic boots or rigid crampons! No expresso screws or screamers! No cams or stoppers! But, lots of chutzpah.

70 Years Old!

From the vaults of Turner Classic Movies, comes "Three on a Rope," a 10 minute Sierra Club instructional rock climbing video. (Click on this link to watch this 1938 gem.)

Oh My Gosh!

My new guidebook arrived in the mail from Michael Chessler. The number
of ice routes in the vicinity of the Cosmique Hut is astronomical.

Ski Mountaineering

This five minute video snippet covers an entire ski traverse of the Alps. (Click here to watch this short film.)

Easter Ice

The third day of spring brought single digit lows and 15 degree
climbing temperatures. Larry is leading the NEI 4 variation to "Three
Flows." I am following in my single alpine boots and lightweight
hinged crampons. (Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

A mere 30 years ago!

All cleaned up after our first - unsuccessful - Alaskan trip to the Cassin Ridge.

A Fossil Team?

We have a year to get fit ... what do you think about entering a fossil team in this premier ski mountaineering event in the Alps? (Click here for details.)

Click here for an interview with Mark Twight just before he enters this prestigious ski mountaineering event ... is this the same guy that we know eating humble pie?

Leashless?

Mark Twight sounds off on leashless tools.(Click here for his op-ed piece.)

Bad Weather Alternatives

If the gods are not on our side, and we run into bad weather, three easy (but high quality routes) that can be done after snowstorms or in marginal conditions are the Cosmique Arete, The Midi-Plan Traverse, and the Traverse of the Aiguille Entreves. (Click here for the short video link about the latter.)

Historic and Classic Video

Entre Terre et Ciel ... Between Earth and Sky. This is a snippet of the full length documentary (and book) shot in the 1950s, featuring a young - soon to be famous - guide Gaston Rebuffat. Fantastic footage climbing the hornligrat, as well as great panoramas of the north face routes on the Grand Jorasses: Shroud, Walker Spur, and Croz Spur. (Click here to view this 8 minute video.)

Chamonix Close-up

The Chere Couloir ... A short walk from the hut, fixed rappel descent, and climbable even if the weather is marginal ... what more can you ask for? (Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

The Ice Climb of Our Dreams

Repentance has never been climbed by a fossil. It is the consensus pick for the "best NEI 5" in all of the East, and possibly the country. Watch this short video to get you inspired for next season or the end of this season ... there is still good ice on the Adirondacks. (Click here to view video.)

Spring Training

Laps on the school climbing wall with my alpine boots ... Let's go
climbing!

A 30 year deja vu!

Three decades ago I spent a winter up here as the caretaker. Last weekend in Huntington Ravine, and this weekend in the Adirondacks on "Three Flows"(NEI 3) I have been test-driving my alpine system for the summer ... single boots (the ones I wore on the West Ridge of Conness) and hinged crampons. Worked pretty well on the lead, but it might be tiring on a 3,000' route!

Inspirational

This video is four minutes long but it is awesome ... skiing the Colorado 14ers! Strictly FYI ... I use to work Outward Bound courses with Lou Dawson. (Click on this link.)

Dry Tooling

Larry and I went climbing out on the school's crag. Here he is halfway up the M7-8 route, which followed the thin crack in the left corner and then climbed the off-width and icicles above. I also made it up the route, although with a few falls. I used the school's leashless, Black Diamond Reactors ... they were hot! (Click on the picture to enlarge the photo.)

Late Afternoon Ski

Day light savings is great! I did a great 12K ski to Ausable Lake and
got out at 7:00 PM, just before it got dark. (Click on the photo to enlarge the picture.)

A Chamonix Warm-up

A short stroll from the Cosmique Hut, ice up to 80 degrees, and a fixed rappel route. (Click to enlarge the picture.)

Ski Mountaineering Season

I grabbed my nordic race gear and skied 12K this afternoon to check out conditions ... in a word superb. The view is of the slides on Wright Peak from Marcy Dam. Gary and Brian when are you going to bring some tele-gear up so we can ski these 35-40 degree prime mountain real estate?

Tuckerman's Ravine

The heavy rain - adding to the posted "considerable avalanche danger"
- caused us to turn around at the 4800' level. Hilman's Highway, a
noteable rite of passage for eastern ski mountaineers is in the
background.

South Gully

After looking at ice crags, the warm temperatures suggested caution.
And so, at almost the crack of noon we did the long approach to
Huntington Ravine ... Hoping the altitude gain would bring colder
weather ... No such luck as shortly after this picture it began
pouring rain. 2500' gain, so we ha some good exercise.

Skiing Back to the Cabin

I just snagged some ice gear from the Fossil Clubhouse, and went for a
short 40 minute - sunset - ski tour. I am heading over to New
Hampshire to ice climb with Matt ... A long time friend of fossils.

Homage to Michael

After out growing Michael's "farmer john" climbing garment, Hock
passed it along to Sel. After a decade of twice daily barn chores, it
is thoroughly threadbare ... It was retired this morning!

Too Far Fetched?

Click here to look at a final option ... at 25 pitches, 5.8 A1, the Gervasutti Pillar is probably a bit too stout ... good weather, good karma, good training ... who knows!

Chere or Contamine Couloirs

Click on this link to see two more great options within an easy walk of the Cosmique Hut.

Another Option

Click on this link to see a topo of more moderate climb, in case the weather is unsettled. At five pitches, this Rebuffat route goes at 5.7 A0 on beautiful red granite ... again just a short glacier walk from the Cosmique hut.

A Ton of Options

Click on this link to see three famous ice routes - all showing early summer snowy conditions - which vary from 4-12 pitches. All of them are just a 30 minute glacier walk from the Cosmique hut.

South Face of Aiguille du Midi

A short 30 minute cable car ride from the valley. The Rebuffat route is ten pitches long, and is officially graded 5.10c, although most people use "alpine aid" and climb it at 5.8 A0.

Or this?

The fourth belay on the Rebuffat route on the South face of the Aiguille du Midi. Another possibility if the Fossils rendezvous in Chamonix.