Multipitch and roofclimbing

When driving from Geneva towards Chamonix you´ll drive through a valley with big walls of limestone. I would guess that for most people these walls look completely inaccessible but funny enough there are loads of established routes on almost every wall you can see.
Me and Gustaf Larsson went to check out the Balme cliff a coulpe of days ago. This wall is probably the most accessible of all the walls in the valley and up to 200 meter high in places. You park your car and at less then 5 minutes you are the closest climbing routes. Because of being the first multipitch for me this season we picked an easier route and with the possibility to combine it with other routes, in that way we never had to exceed 6b if needed. It was still a bit cold when we started of and Gustaf was keen to tie into the sharp end. The first pitch we both needed to get used to the rock a bit but soon we were at the first belay. From here we encountered what is so typical for the l´Arve valley the bolts are pretty far apart… Most is bolted on lead by very strong climbers so often you just find bolts at the best handholds. It was my time to lead so nothing to complain about and just do it! It all went really well from here. The climbing was great apart for some short sections with crappy rock (had a 10 kilo rock in my hand which I had to throw down…). I felt so comfy that we spiced it up a bit and tucked in two 6c+ pitches. The way down is fairly easy you just rap of fixed anchors. To get some more workouts we climbed 4 more pitches on other parts of the wall. Al together we climbed almost 300 meter in 9 pitches at lowest grad 6a (easier than that is hard to find in this valley) and hardest 6c+.
 A great start to Multipitch season! More of that!

Gustaf following on a fantastic(mostly) 6b+ pitch

First pitch!

Some days later me and Steve Pearson went to a crag on the Italian side called ´´Sarre´´ roof in the Aosta valley. This place is surreal! First of all it is super steep; you can easily climb here when it´s pouring down with rain. Second of all it´s more or less man made with drilled holds and last but not least you´re climbing above a working railway. I got spanked big time, the climbing is cool but hard. I managed to climb a 6c and worked on a 7b whilst the others at the crag were warming up on my projects, sending 8a and working on 8b+ routes. Give me a bit of time and practice and I’ll fight together with the other climbers, this is a place to come back to!

only in Italy

If you´re belayer lowers you to much
You get hit by the train... it´s al about
trust in climbing...

If you don´t like rain...

Macho couloir trip report

Today the goal was set on the macho couloir that begins at col du Diable. We skied down from Aiguille du midi out on the Vallee Blanche and rounded up Point Adolphe Rey to get to the start of the day´s ski mission. We crossed the Bergschrund and climbed up the couloir just right of the Grand Capucin. When the Couloir came to an end we made a long traverse and crossed another bergschrund. From here it was only up and the snow felt good. Once we were on the steepest section clouds started to close in. Already feeling tired after yesterday´s mission and with that not feeling super comfortable on the steeps in bad visibility on skis I decided to bail together with Niko Palo and Lauri Harjukoski. Mikko and Jesper continued they had just half an hour left to the top of the col.
The ski down was great; the snow was generally good withjust a few icy sections and some heavy sluff at some points. A pity that I didn´t do the complete run but I’ll be back! 

Can you see the intended line!? Enlarge to see it :)

First Couloir just next to the grand Capucin, Jesper is the track machine!

Jesper working hard in deep snow on the traverse

Bit of rock on the steepest section

Niko and Lauri coming down from the clouds

Lauri just jumped the schrund and Niko is next

Chardonnet W Couloir direct

After a day with rain in the valley but snow high up it meant that couloirs where slightly filled up again and steeper faces got some sticky snow on them.
I´m not direct a steep skier of any kind. I have done a few planned exposed ski runs and about as many unplanned…

Jespers Petersson, Mikko Heimonen and Simon Nilsson were going for the W couloir on the Chardonnet I in the Argentiere basin and wondered if I was keen on joining. After some googling I decided that this was going to be a nice adventure and doable for me.

Jesper and simon getting ready

We took the first grand Montets bin up to the highest point at 3275 meter. From here we put on our skis and skied down to the Argentier glacier, and what a start! Nice powder turns all the way down. Once down on the glacier the skins and ski crampons went on and the walk began. We could skin quite high up until we reached the couloir; Time to put the skis on the backpack.

I enjoyed climbing up the couloir this gave an idea what to expect on the way down and we could already check out anchor for the abseils. Just after 2 o´clock we reached the summit. 

 

After a short break it was time for the descent. The first turns were on incredible good snow;this was going to be great! Soon we arrived at the first abseil this is where

the couloir traverses a bit but it´s pretty exposed. I choose to abseil, the others had enough by just holding the rope. From here we got some incredible turns again on a wider section but soon it narrowed again. We managed to ski almost the whole way down but in the end we were took out the rope again to manage the last 60 meters until reaching the glacier, here we had rocks and ice sticking out. After jumping the bergschrund on our skis we made our way back to the Grand Montet mid station and actually managed to get the last bin down together with the staff and garbage. A great ski and great day out with new friends!

summit pic just below the summit...

Mikko ready to put in the first turns

Mikko skiing

Bit of ice to tackle

last abseil before the galcier

 

Grand Paradiso

I just arrived back in Cham after a couple months of work in Stockholm. This time i´m here with a goal. In the beginning of May I will have the entry test for the Swedish mountain guide course. To be well prepared I decided to come a couple of weeks in advance.

Already before leaving I saw that the weather was great but windy. The first day in Cham me and some friends had the idea to have a look at Tour Ronde or Aiguille du Tacul. But it was very windy and the motivation in the group not high enough to push on so we decided to descend the Vallee Blanche and went bouldering instead. At the end of the day we went past Plum´s office a ski binding brand. We went there to sort out some binding issues but it ended with a fully guided tour in there factory. Very interesting to see and they are definitely passionate about their products. Maybe switch to plum next time I need a binding!?

me and Martina packing before the first 700 meters of ascent.

 I heard of Gabriel that he and 4 others we heading for Grand Paradiso in Italy. Being fun to catch up with friends and being quite a good mountain to acclimatize I asked if I could join.

We headed from Chamonix through the tunnel into Italy and went up the valley Valsavarenche until the road ends. From hear we put on our skis and had a 700 meter ascent to the hut Vittorio Emanuelle.  We had to carry our skis once in a while from snowpatch to snowpatch but the higher we got the better the snow. With loads of time and great weather we took it easy and arrived well in time to the hut to enjoy the sun some more before dinner.

Gabriel is avoiding the snow

I can see the powder!

Luke Jarmey, James Sleigh and Tim Oliver

First stop: Refugio Vittorio Emanuele

Summitday:
With cold temperatures we decided to take it easy and take the late breakfast at 7. After some packing and gear sorting we headed of. Our group had grown during the morning because another 3 friends had joined in early morning coming directly from Cham. Being such a big group and having save conditions we soon spread out and everyone was walking at it´s own paste meeting up every once in a while. Switching to and from ski crampons and normal crampons me and Tim Oliver soon arrived first of the group just below the summit. Here we left the skis and roped up for the final section of rock. This section is pretty spectacular from being on a big glacier/snowfield you´re all of a sudden on a ridge with quite a drop on one side. It was pretty crowded on the summit so after the summit picture we started to make or way down.

Me an Tim Oliver on the summit

Crowded on the summit ridge

The ski down was a lot of fun. On the upper part was still frozen solid but an even surface, so almost like a groomer. We had to put our crampons on for a part with pure ice. Further down the sun had done her job and softened the snow to perfect spring corn. Back at the hut we enjoyed some food and an Italian espresso in the sun waiting for the others.

James Sleigh enjoying spring corn

From the Hut we descended together and found some very interesting skiing. Al in al we managed to more or less ski all the way down to the car. We celebrated the summit with a great pizza in Courmayeur, and drove back to Chamonix.
Now the weather turned bad so all eyes are on the weather forecast, we will have to see where the next adventure will be.

Luke Jarmey on it´s way down.

Gabriel showing his determination of skiing al the way.