Ross Hewitt Guiding

Emosson Dam Ride

9th Jun 2013by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

Yesterday Michelle and myself went for a road ride to the Emosson Dam from Chamonix. The last time I did this ride was in 1995. We were in a hurry to get back and watch the Rugby World Cup quarter finals between Scotland and South Africa in Wild Wallabies. That day we got crushed, both on the road in 38C and on the field.

Yesterday was much more pleasant with temps in the low 20s, dry clean roads and stunning views over the massif. The feel is coming back for cornering a road bike at 40 mph+ and I’m enjoying both the climbs and downhills. If I don’t get skiing soon I might try the tour of Mont Blanc on the road which is a burly 330 km and 8000 m of ascent. I’ve got about ten days left in Cham before getting stuck into work an have only ridden a handfull of times this year so it may be a bit optimistic! Although I can no longer count on my fitness from a cycle racing career that ended when I switched to mountain sports 15 years ago, there’s a few tricks that you don’t forget that sometimes help you get round (no not EPO!).

2013 – The Winter of All Time

5th Jun 2013by rosshewittguiding2 Comments

Michelle Blaydon, Dents du Midi Refuge

Grands Envers

Grands Envers, Jim Lee and Roger Knox

Requin

Michelle Blaydon, Brevent

Full Moon on Aiguille du Plan

Davide de Masi, Toula

Dave Searle, Helbronner

Michelle Blaydon, Marbree

Luca Pandolfi, Col d’Entreves

Sylvain Renaud, Couloir Cache

Roger Knox, Aiguille Rouge

Hellfire on the Para Face

Dawn from Dents du Midi refuge

Dave Searle, Doigts North Couloir

Skiers in the Vrai Vallee Blanche

Michelle Blaydon, Dent Jaune Couloir

Minna Riihimaki, Midi North Face

Bird, Midi North Face

Davide de Masi, Toula

Going solo, South Face of Courtes

Mid Season Powder Day

Chamonix from Grands Montets

Wind

Ben Briggs in Cosmiques

My tracks, Cordier-Gabarrou, Courtes

My tracks on South Face of Courtes after negotiating full depth avalanche.

Minna and Bird in the Petit Gerva

Tom Grant on the Mallory

Michelle Blaydon

Nonne Eveque Couloir

Minna Riihimaki

Cream in the VB

A moody mothership

Brett Lotz in Eugster

Tom Grant

Mikko Heimonen and Speed Rider

Bird Early on Tour Ronde North Face

Luca Pandolfi, Frendo Spur

Minna Riihimaki – Tour Ronde North Face

Mikko Heimonen on Col du Plan

Sunset from the Charpoura

Mikko Heimonen on Col du Plan

Luca Pandolfi in Cosmiques

Ben Briggs on the Frendo Spur

Max Turgeon on Les Courtes NE Spur

The Finns on Col de la Verte

Bird on the Frendo

Getting close on the Frendo Spur

Bird Early, Frendo Spur

Minna Riihimaki, Frendo Spur

The Frendo Spur

The crew after the Frendo

Tour Ronde North Face

4th Jun 2013by rosshewittguiding1 Comment

My plan to go do West Couloir Integral was scrapped as soon as the Midi announced they were opening late. Being Sunday there was gong to be a lot of attention on the North Face from those on their day off work so we changed to touring kit and headed off to Cirque Maudit for some tranquility and to see what looked good. Tour Ronde looked pretty good so we headed there.

The day wasn’t without a few challenges; Bird must have dreamt he could actually fly so he left his axes at home, my crampon bail snapped at the shrund and Minna had to get there on alpine day wreckers (alpine trekkers). Somehow we made it!

The last time I did this we rapped between the faces so it was a good adventure to take the skier’s left line down the face through the mixed ground. Once again I had the pleasure to ski with Minna Riihimaki and Bird Early.