Mountains, Climbing & Other Stuff

Weekend with the sunny stable weather was approaching, therefore me and Sašo did not want to miss a chance to use it well - and what is better than going to climb around Aiguille du Midi.

It is good to put on crampons before the start.

So, it's going to be a mixed climb, a bit of snow a bit of rock?

Look back on the Refuge des Cosmiques and our next day plan - Triangle du Tacul.

Enjoying the sun.

Around the rocks we go ...

.. and back to the snow.

Colorful granite pillars.

View on the Grandes Jorasses (in the middle) and its neighbors.

Reddish stone, white ice and blue sky.

Let's go ...

... in the deep snow.

Approaching the end of the climb, while enjoying every bit of it.

Second day awaits...

After going through the night with the headache at Refuge des Cosmiques (3613 m) morning comes and we are up and ready for the next day. Triangle du Tacul in front of us, with our goal Goulotte Chéré clearly seen on the right.

A view back at the Aiguille du Midi.

Skis off, crampons and ice axes on.

And our first touch with the alpine ice. It's steeper that is seems (up to 85°) but we enjoy every centimeter of it.

Soon at the top and now the descent starts.

Last few meters down and then with skis through Vallée Blanche back to Chamonix. It was a nice way to spent the weekend.

The Video of Sašo abseiling down.

Switzerland is a good country to do the Skitouring. The possibilities here are endless. So, a sunny winter weekend should not be wasted sitting at home whatching TV. Following this advice you are never sorry, and we (Sašo and me) were not.

For the Saturday our goal was Pic Chaussy. We drove 60 km out of Lausanne to Les Mosses. There the fog from Lausanne was replaced by the sun and blue sky.

So, skis out of the trunk, skins on, and up we go. The ski trail was already done.

After an hour or so, it's good to stop a bit to get back some breath and look around.

I've chatched a bit of ice on my beard ;)

A last few hundred meters of elevation ...

and we are on the top.

And now my second test of the Elan skis starts.

The Google view on our route.

On Sunday we met with Andrea, an Italian guy, who instead of going to the elections in Italy rather enjoys the snow.

We drive on the road from Martigny to Chamonix and stop at the Forclaz pass, which is our start for the Point Ronde. We again begin with a bit of fog but we already know form yesterday that up there the sun is hiding.

Khmm, where exactly are we?

Aha, we just have to go up ;)

Sašo and Andrea with Dents du Midi shownig his peaks out of the fog behind.

And after a short stay at the top, the fun part of going down begins. There is still some fresh powder snow left for us, yeahhaaa!

Our route. I strongly recommend it!

Skiing vallee blanche - HOWTO.

First go up to Aguille du Midi ...

... with bunch of other guys ...

... and then prepare your skis ...

... now you are ready to ...

... make your first turns in a fresh-powder snow ...

... going down the valley on a glacier ...

... passing and not falling into crevasses ...

... and enjoying the views of Mont Blanc, Grandes Jorasses, Dent du Géant, Aguille Verte, Aguille du Dru, and other beautiful mountains.

Finish the perfect day!

Presented by Sašo and Grega.

At the end of January me and Sašo decided that it is time to do some ice climbing. It was my first time to do it, so I was all excited! Sašo found a place to do it, a beautiful Mauvoisin Valley in Valais, with a good choice of icefalls. Our target was not too difficult Lui Dzaune (WI3+).

The weather was perfect to do ice climbing, sunny and cold. The mountains around were full of snow.

While the Sun was shining we started to walk uppwards to the starting point of our climb.

And there it was the a big wall of ice, wau just beautiful! When I stood benith it I felt small like an ant.

First put on our equiptment and off we go!

As Sašo is more experienced I let him climb as first :)

After few hours ... we were almost at the top.

It was just amazing experience and although I finished with a blue nail and frozen fingers, I definitely want to do it again!

A bit late, but anyway. In the beginning of March I was on top of Slovenia - Triglav. Weather conditions were perfect, the snow was crunchy, the sun was shiny - a perfect winter ascent.

The coolest thing about being at the top in winter is, that you can enjoy the magnificent view of white peaks all around, without 50 people crowding around you as they do in summer.