pente raide – Page 5 – Ross Hewitt Guiding

Rond

10th May 2012by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

The day was forecast 40% sun but it didnt look too promising peeking out window from under the covers in my bed. Eventually my conscious starting playing on me for being lazy and we headed up the Midi with hope the forecast was right. The lifty on the bin said we were the first skiers of the day which was slightly surprising as this is Chamonix at the most exciting time of year for a skier and a bin had gone up before us.

Walking down the Arrete the mist started to part revealing a pristine sparkling wonderland with its new coat of pow. I never fail to feel a twinge of excitement going to ski on the Midi. Unlike a ski resort the Midi offers adventure, doubt, excitement (read sphincter twitching fear), risk and reward. You end up skiing in outrageous places – the stuff dreams are made of.

A guide was working on the arrete removing the fixed ropes and expressed concern that we were going skiing. Its not like I haven’t been up the Midi a 1000 times but I guess they have responsibility to warn people of the dangers given the number of inexperienced people that disappear up there questing of into the unknown. Maybe I just looked like a punter walking down rather than skiing. It does always make a little part of me question my decision making and that can be unsettling. I spent a few seconds thinking about it and off we went.

Anyway the Rond was getting better with every run and with a topping of 30 cm made for fast fluid skiing in fresh tracks. Bit by bit the North Facing stuff is coming into condition. Its a shame Grands Montets closed on Tuesday!

Capucin

5th May 2012by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

The latest reset on the Midi had everyone heading for the freeride zone in the Cosmiques and Rond. Will has shin splints and I needed some exercise, so we decided to go tour even though the train was closed with trees on the line. There wasn’t much snow stuck on the south side of the Midi Arrete, so we bailed on the Grand Envers approach and went for first tracks on the low angled pow on the Gros Rognan.

The snow kept changing with aspects and with it our minds on which of the 3 Tacul tours to do. Finally deciding to go to Breche Tacul we got to 50 m from the ridge and were falling into holes in the unconsolidated wind blown snow. That decided it – Capucin.

At the Col I could push my pole completely into the snow and not touch rock. Finding the anchor required a lot of digging with the showel!

There was some good cold snow down the right side which we hugged tightly to avoid sluff activity coming of the sunny side on the left. The skiing was fun and it was great to be out in the mountains after such a long period of unsettled weather. Thanks also the American team behind for waiting and not sluffing us out.

After the walk down to Chamonix it was definitely beer o’clock!

Aiguille du Midi West Couloir

25th Apr 2012by rosshewittguiding2 Comments

Epic snow conditions in the West Couloir this week. Deep consistent snow taking the angle off and especially appreciated especially for the huck over the lower icefall. Trenching our way up to the little col took a bit of effort with snow above head height but worth it in the end! It was especially sweet getting it done after waking up to snowfall outside, and then a small window with the Foehn coming in after and slamming it shut again.

My camera was malfunctioning for some weird reason that I cant figure out (glad I carried all that weight for nothing) so thanks to Luca Pandolfi and Dave Searle for their photos below. All unmarked photos are courtesy of Dave.

Skiing off the bottom of the Rond

Should have got the shovel out.

Ruck-sac off to hack at the snow mushroom.

Luca making the rap off the col into West Couloir

Luca charging

Approaching the choke. Some ice here.

Searler having it.

Me in the open couloir.

And again.

Dave looking good on the huck.

Carrying the SLR not conducive to jumping!

Lots of speed now.

Rond

21st Apr 2012by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

Woke up this morning to unexpected bluebird. Rushed down the Midi for a quiet Rond. Best yet.

High Altitude Darts And An All Time Passerelle

18th Apr 2012by rosshewittguiding6 Comments

I’ve been walking past this one for the last 15 years and its never really looked that appealing with runnels, glazed snow, climbers, dropped objects, skiers, Japanese tourists etc. But when we went up for a quick Grands Envers in a window on Monday I took my usual glance over and was surprised that the snow looked really flat.

With no better plans Dave Searle, Si Christie and myself dropped in the next day. 120 m down a tourist decided to use Si as a dart board. Lucky the ski pole hit him handle first. (thanks!). A little further down another tourist’s ski is protruding out of the snow in the couloir.

Skis on, ready to go, I looked down and noticed the pivot on my boot looked loose and was worried about it coming completely undone. Not much choice but to forget about it at this point!

The snow was unbelievable; soooo deep, very cold, sluffing, fluted and did I mention deep? We all went in with low expectations and came out with massive smiles., the best pow of all time!