The calm before the storm

Swiss Meteo wrote that yesterday was the calm before the storm. So we headed over the ridge to Italy, Aosta, to climb a 13 pitch! rock route. What a gas it was to touch this fine granit so close to the road. We climbed “Mitico Vento”, 6b, 500m above the Val d’Aoste.

The forecast is for winter to move in fast. Sunday may see temperatures dip to -11 here in Verbier! Yikes! It is snowing lightly now in Verbier, with 30cm forecasted over the next 24 hours. Storm force winds from the NW will be blowing for the next few days. Looks like the ice may come into shape real soon.

I will be offering clinics for aspiring ice climbers during the next 3 weeks. Give me a call or email if you are interested in joing one of these groups.

This entry was posted in Ice Climbing, Rock Climbing and tagged , on by .

About Hans Solmssen

I am a professional mountain guide living in Verbier, Switzerland. I grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii after my father moved to Hawaii to teach at Hawaii Preparatory Academy. He created a horse program at this high school, located in the middle of the largest, privately owned cattle ranch in the US. Horses were a major part of my life, even playing polo for a few years. I moved to northern Vermont to go to school, and discovered skiing. Little did I know, this would become my life's passion: guiding friends and clients over the mountains around the world on skis and foot. I moved to Verbier, Switzerland in 1982, and entered the Swiss guide's program in '88. I received my UIAGM "pin" 3 years later in 1991. I have two kids, Anya and Kevin.

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