Drawn to the Dark Side

Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-1

Hotter than the Sahara.Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-2

Its times like these you need spanking paddles on your feet. Born in the Chamonix Valley these preceded poor imitations such as ‘verts’ and enable easy bootpacking in chest deep powder. Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-3

Minna about to cut the snow on the rope.Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-4

Making the turns count in the hanging couloir above the cliff before we went over the marshmallow on the left to the hanging snowfield.
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Someone needs to put in a bolt anchor in these climate change years as the old one on the spur is out of reach with skis on now forcing a tough transition to boots to bounce test the dark age slings. There’s good rock on skiers right that doesn’t have water ice under the snow like old anchor on the rib, perfect for skiing into the anchor.  Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-7Titty deep, you can’t argue with that.Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-8 Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-9 Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-10 Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-11 Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-13

Cold snow lying undisturbed with handfuls of hoar frost, above and below the last layer.Minna Rihiimaki Aiguille Rouge-14After the technical turns in the couloir it was stunning to just let rip down the meadows to Buet.

 

The Italian Job

This week we have been camped out in Italy and skied about 40000 m of vertical in incredible terrain. These are the days I dream about all year, skiing with friends, untracked powder, no one around and the just doing lap after lap. I also had the pleasure and honour of skiing with Italian big mountain ski legends Luca Rolli and Davide Capozzi.

My 5 days riding abruptly came to an end when my ski pre-released and launched off a the cliff under the cables and landing on a ledge.

 

pow-1-3pow-2Luca Pandolfi-1 Luca Pandolfi-2Italians-1 Italians-2 Italians-3 Italians-4Davide Capozzi-1

Mixed Climbing on Mont Blanc du Tacul – Pinnochio

Yesterday I had the pleasure of climbing with my good friend Andy Houseman on Pinnochio which lies on the East Face on Mont Blanc du Tacul. For some reason we haven’t climbed together for 4 years, I guess I’ve been concentrating on skiing while Andy has been doing expeditions. We had both climbed Pinnochio before in 2007 and this time round in was a lot thinner and more sporting but still amazing climbing, some of the best day hit modern mixed climbing I’ve done in Chamonix. It was a mild, windless day, absolutely perfect alpine conditions.  After we decided to ski down through the valley blanche for the first time this year which was sporting but ok.  Pinnochio-1 Pinnochio-3
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