Lucy during a riding lesson at Treetops.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
The enclosed picture is from the Aiguille de L’Index. The peak just to the left of me is the North Face of the Dru, to my right is the Walker Spur heavily snowed up, and what looks like a pot-belly is really just the document and money pouch I have hanging around my neck underneath my shirt.Monday, July 21, 2008
The Next Generation
Charlie is the 3 year-old son of Guillaume, a fossil friend. Working out the moves in his backyard training facility.
Lacrosse Tournament
lacrosse field are two different things. The joints and muscles are
sore and the feet are blistered.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
On the 11th pitch of the Gliere you are confronted with a spectacularly exposed hand traverse. The pitch is graded 5a, or roughly 5.7, and the setting as you can see is fantastic. (If you click on the picture and enlarge it you can also make out a parapente gliding around in the background.
The view from our first peak - Macomb - with Elk Lake in the background. We also climbed South Dix, Hough, and East Dix.Saturday, July 12, 2008
How accurately it depicted my time in Chamonix duing the 1970s AND how different my trip with Larry last month was! (Click on the cartoon to enlarge it for a better view.)Friday, July 11, 2008
Are the fossils too over the hill to climb it? (Click on the topo to enlarge it.)
The often seen but rarely climbed huge Wickersham Wall. Believe it or not, glacial ice at the snout, not some backcountry crag!Thursday, July 10, 2008
Greg just returned from two weeks of work in Alaska, and he is all fired up about the Cassin Ridge. Here is a picture from our ill-fated attempt 30+ years ago.Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Thanks to Larry!
climb libation.
Back at the Crag
regular routine of practice at the school's crag.
Monday, July 7, 2008
As the snow got mushy, and the freezing level rose to at least 4300 meters, we turned our sights to alpine rock routes. (Click on the picture to enlarge it, and see the routes sketched in on the Gliere - left - and the Index - on the right.)
Just one of so many memorable pitches on the Gliere south ridge.
An easy route, with easy access from the Cosmique hut, and fantastic views. It traverses three summits, mostly on a narrow snow ridge, with a 15 meter rappel off one summit, and a 45 meter chimney - 5.3 climbed in crampons - to keep your attention focused. (Point Lachenal is named after the famous post-WW II guide, who made the second ascent of the Eiger North face as well as the historic first ascent of Annapurna ... he died in an unroped crevasse fall on the Vallee Blanche.)
Due to congestion we did the three crux pitches on the Chere, rapped off, and did the three crux pitches of the slightly harder and fainter ice route - Perroux - to the left. The chere couloir is sketched in green. The routes are on the lower part - The Triangle - of the 4,000 meter Mount Blanc du Tacul. 
Sunday, July 6, 2008
An amazing end to an amazing route.Friday, July 4, 2008
Alpine Flowers
I am not much of a photographer or an aficionado of botany, however I got a few good images of flowers on the way to some climbs.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Processing memories
in on the Cham cam ... The weather is still sunny. Sorting through
some random photos I found this shot of a huge oil painting in the
chapel. In the next few days we'll sort through Larry's pictures and
wash/mend gear.
Last Chamonix Hike
nostalgia I hiked for just under three hours - 3,000' - to Plan de
l'Aguille. The tea at the refugio, the solitary setting so close to a
world class resort, and the striking dissonance with the hordes
unloading from the tram were vivid reminders that with any technology
- telephfriques for instance - there is something gained but also
something lost.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Heading Home
get to these routes!) in the afternoon Larry was clipping bolts at Les
Gaillands. In the picture he is running up a 5.10a which I struggled
to follow. Later in the day Larry met his match on a 5.11d. We had a
great time.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Another Summit
easy route (two pitches of IV-) with lots of exposed roped scrambling
in between ... Fantastic views.
Summit Pitch
After a long day he freed it with ease although he was anxious about
yarding up on the skinny flake. An amazingly tiny summit from which
you start the rappel "a cheval."
Hard to lose weight!
is sure hard to shed pounds with offerings like this at the refugios.
South Ridge Aiguille de Gliere
gneiss. 14 pitches long. Fantastic views. Exposed. Three eagles
soaring overhead and chamois dancing on 5.8 rock. Memorable pitches
like the razor, double cracks, initial layback, 60 meter corner, and
5.10+ technical dance to a TINY summit. (Truth in advertising ... I
took a point of aid carrying the pack and so call it 5.9 AO for me.)
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
A Bit of Alpine History
Chamonix reminded me that historically one of the four - off season -
vocations for guides was crystal hunting. The other three were:
farmer, wood cutter, and more recently ski instructor.
Grim Reminder
memorial to all the guides (since 1820) that have lost their life
while working in the mountains. Sobering!
Alpine development
Placid, and Zermatt to Squaw Valley, as well as Huaraz to Alta. It
seems to be all about limits, balance, and design. How to keep a sense
of the sublime and community, all in harmony with economic growth.
Why Do We Climb?
there ... But more specifically because the chocolate, spicey meats,
cakes, and spirits are there too on our return.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Birth of Alpinism
Paccard, Balmat, and Saussare who are responsible for the early
attempts to climb Mont Blanc.
Cosmique Arete
Despite the jet lag we passed several parties, only to be held up by a
catalog photo shoot on the top pitch. (The picture is patterned after
the famous one of Gaston Rebuffat ... Although Larry is sans knickers,
pipe, and sweater.)
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