Category Archives: Alpine Climbing

Haute Route Ski Safari

Whenever I disappear into these hills with a group of like minded souls, I come away realising that my time spent with these people is the most important part of my experience. 

I skin up, breaking trail in a total white out, looking at the terrain above me, wondering where my skis will take me, gradually, one step at a time, conscious of the sound of the steps behind me, instinctively feeling my way upward, listening to my left ski as it guides me to where I want to go. The reward of climbing a steep slope without the need to make a kick turn because my skis have married the slope, effortlessly up. Lucky to be with like minded people, who dare to stick their necks out and commit to 7 days in the high mountains, knowing that it could be quite shite, sahara sand, storm force winds, thick fog.

We started in Chamonix, finding excellent spring snow for our warm up day. Then quickly changed our first two days to one, traversing through the col du Passon and onto Trient Hut in one day, a big day as the cloud ceiling went from blue bird, enough to warm the snow climb, then lower down to snow and sepia light with the 3rd sahara sand event of the winter. Next day, over the col des Ecandies, cramponless on snowed-over rocks, hanging hard on the fixed ropes, to Verbier, canceling our plan via the Valsorey, so sad to get weathered off that route. Still reading the forecast as heavier and heavier snow is forcasted, high avalanche danger, visible, weak bridges over crevasses becoming invisible, total whiteout, snow, fog to the top of the Rosablanche, summiting, then catching one ray of sunshine, shining it’s white light down upon us as we ski on lovely white 15cm of fresh snow, then dark again all the way to La Tzoumaz, plan D, go to Italia! The amazing Bezzi hut, 5 course meals, Pierre Georgio’s hospitality, and the forecasted bluebird powder for two days of magnificent ski touring, then back home to Bagnes, finishing with an amazing day helisking off the Petit Combin in January-like deep powder!!!

But I got ahead of myself, because my point was, that being with 5 people, like minded, sitting around a table, every evening, talking about life’s experiences, accomplishments, face plants, family and friends, that’s what this is all about. Taking what you get and running with it. It may not be the Haute Route you thought it would be, but my goodness, the places we’ve been, the suffering we endure (for short periods of time) and the people we shared experiences with , this is what I love about trips like these.

Thank you so much Steve, Ross, Lincoln, Karl and Johan for such an amazing adventure. “Every day felt like two.” So many experiences crammed into 8 days. I’m so happy to have this day off to reflect… Peace Man.

La Sale Pleureur La Luette Traverse

What a summer it’s been! The weather has been perfect. Not too hot so many of the alpine routes stayed in shape well into August. We just had a good dump of snow above 2500 meters so that will help keep the glaciers white as we move in the autumn season.

Fi and I moved across the valley to Bruson. It feels so good here. I can’t get over how quiet it is. We’ve lived in Verbier going on 40 years, so it’s quite the change. So psyched to still have ski in and ski out from my doorstep.

The view of Verbier from our new place in Bruson.

The view of Verbier from our new place in Bruson.

Ton and I did another sweet adventure together, following the Bagnes-Magic Valley border traversing La Sale-Pleureur-La Luette ridge.  What makes this trip so fine, is the feeling of solitude and the outrageous views and exposures above the two valleys. There all sorts of different terrain features, from obscure footpaths leading to the Bivouac Pantalons Blancs, to the solid moves up onto the summit of the Sale. The ridge between the Pleureur and Luette makes for some good route finding on crumbling dirt and rock. Then Luette gives you some relaxed rock climbing to the finish. The gang at the Dix hut have it all figured out with fine food and excellent hospitality.

Hope you’re enjoying your day wherever you are, inside or out, masked or not, and hope we get to play soon together in these mountains on dry ground or slippery. 

Electric Mountain Bike access Mountaineering

I’m completely enamored with my EMTB. I’ve been riding mountain bikes since bringing mine to Verbier with me in 1983, but these electric bikes have opened up a whole new world. It truly is like skiing off-piste in winter. The ride we do in a few hours now, used to take days. I’m getting a fantastic work out, even more than my non Ebike because I love the speed! I just want to go faster uphill because it’s such a new, and literally uplifting feeling.

Last week, we rode to the head of the Val de Bagnes to the Mauvoisin Dam. That’s usually it for the day’s activity. Ride back down and recover. Instead, we then did a via Ferrata while recharging the batteries, had a nice lunch, then rode to the head of the valley to the Chanrion Hut.

We climbed the lovely Ruinette the next morning. The climb starts with a beautiful, remote hike through fields of edelweiss, to some lovely steep moves on gneiss, up onto a tiny glacier, then 45 minutes of rope work along the ridge. We spent an hour on the summit, enjoying what is perhaps one of the nicest views in the Alps. Especially if you live in this Bagnes valley! The next morning, we rode back down the valley in a surreal ambience of drizzle, fog, and mist over the Lac de Mauvoisin. Being on a bike, rolling along, left me to enjoy the scenery as I’ve never done before. Though I was moving quicker, I was taking in more, somehow quite in the present, being more aware of the fleeting moments I was living. There were waterfalls everywhere, sometimes thundering underfoot, sometimes rolling through. We got back to Verbier and still had time for a tour of the Pierre Avoi on dirt and single tracks.

EMTB at its finest!

A Summer of Alpine Climbing

From short-roping along remote rocky ridges, to nice long hikes, day after day, all summer long, I’m  in a new kind of space. Sharing these alpine experiences with new and old clients alike, gives these experiences way more significance.

Ton and I climbed the Grand Darray in early July. What an outstanding climb that was! There we were, a stone’s throw away from the Chamonix valley, where hoards of people populate popular routes, queing to get on the rock, stuffed into large refuges, queuing for breakfast.Thanks to the efforts of Raoul Crettenand, we climbed a super fun multi-pitch climb just behind the hut on our arrival afternoon. Touching this fine, fresh granit, so high in the mountains, stepping lightly up on grippy stone, was an absolute delight.

We spent the night in the tiny Cabane de l’A Neuve, catered to by the lovely Martine, snacking on her scrumptious cakes and enjoying great food so subtly spiced. Breakfast by candle light, we set off at daybreak the next day into a deserted valley, all to ourselves. To me, this is mountaineering: being alone in a valley, onto the peak, to the top, together, alone. We took 1 hour to the start of the route, then 4 hours short roped and belayed climbing on the ridge, choosing left, heading right, placing the toes of my new Scarpa Ribelle boots on big and small holds, opposing hand holds to balance our way up, placing a little “pro” when needed. The descent was so fine, down the north ridge, which is mostly scrambling, a short rappel, to the col at 3400, then left (east) onto the Darrey Glacier, and slip sliding down to the Saleinaz Hut. What a nice day out!

Then a really nice haute route from Chanrion to Zermatt with Jason. Chanrion is an awesome little spot, located way-way up our pristine Val de Bagnes. Hut warden Rene Buémi is handing the reins over to his son Célien to care after the hut. But they were all there, with Nicole his wife, adding warmth and charm to the hut. Crossing up and over the Otema Glacier the nest morning is like a himalayan trek, deceivingly long distances, warping your estimated time of arrival. Down into Arolla for an amazing luxurious night at the Kurhaus Hotel, next day up to Bertol, the most alpin of alpine huts with the gregarious Ann Marie, serving her famous lasagna and chocolate cake, over the Tete Blanche next morning and long, long down to the Shönbuel Hut, then to Zermatt the last day. What a very cool “hike”!

Then bagging the Eiger, Matterhorn and a few more remote peaks, rounded out July and August summer alpine climbing.

What now? Anyone for an inexpensive holiday to Greece aboard a 40 foot catamaran? It’s a luxury holiday at non luxury prices, stopping to kitesurf and eat whenever we can. The price for the 7 day trip will be around €790.00 per person. Have a look then send me a note to hans@mountainadventures.eu to make a plan.