For this trip we based ourselves in Cordova, ski touring on the Heney Range and flying with Points North on primo weather days in the Chugach. I was joined by Paul van Lamsveerde, Pete Benson and Evan Cameron.
Tag: Pete Benson
Alaska 2008 – Ruth Gorge
This was an amazing trip into the Ruth Gorge with the Benson twins and Nick Wallis. We were blessed with stable deep sluffy powder and enjoyed skiing in the Japanese couloir the West Face of Barille and some easier tours. Â We built a large snowhouse which was large enough for the 4 of us and made for a civilised dining. At nights the Northern lights shown brightly with orange, reds and greens, although with -30C temps we didnt hang around outside the tent for long. also snuck a couple heli runs in, be rude not to in AK!
En route towards the Moose’s Tooth
Trenching up Japanese Couloir
Rooster’s Comb 
Getting steeper in Japanese Couloir
Japanese Couloir
Orca Lodge, PNH Cordova
Kelly Gray looking after us
Our snowhouse in the Ruth Gorge
Alps 2005
This Alpine trip was fantastic and covered a few areas, starting out in Les Ecrins in January we ice climbed and ski toured before moving North to Chamonix. There we spent one cold day at the end of January climbing the Swiss route on Les Courtes on squeeky neve. Then we headed East into La Valais to ski tour on the Breithorn and Monte Rosa areas, finally finishing off in the Chamonix area skiing some classics like Col de Cristeaux and the Armencettes. 
La Grave Icefalls, Andy Benson on the Lead
Hey Fella!
The Davin Couloir and Les Agneaux 
Quiet Day at the Hut in the Ecrins
Crux Pitch, Vallon Diable
Me After a Stunning Ice Route
The Benson Twins and Nick Wallis in the Ecrins
Nick Wallis above Col de Lauteret
La Verte and Les Drus
Heading off up the Swiss Routes on Les Courtes
Aiguille du Midi from Le Mont
Teams competing in the Mezzalama
Summit Ridge of the Breithorn
The Mezzalama Heading over Castor and Pollux
The Schwarze Glacier next to the Breithorn
The Matterhorn at Dawn from Monte Rosa
At the Monte Rosa Hut
Monte Rosa
Matterhorn
Couturier
Window Shopping in the Argentiere Basin. i.e. waiting on weather
Y Couloir
Col des Courtes
Col de Cristeaux
The NE on Les Courtes
Heading into the Conscrits
Me and the West Face of Mont Blanc 
Ryler on Domes de Miage
Skiing down the Armencettes
Ryler at the Argentiere Hut
Ryler, Wolfgang, Thomas, Jessica and Friends on Col de Cristeaux
Dawn on Mont Dolent
Mark Ryle on Col des Cristeaux and some Glacier Art
Old Skool, Argentiere Basin Steeps on Altitrails!
Mark Ryle on Col des Cristeaux
Ecrins 2004
The Ecrins is a magical place, big mountains with a remote feel and few people there in winter. Arguably its much better suited to ski touring than Mont Blanc range with a lot more terrain in the 30-40 degree range. In total I spent 2 months there with a road trip south to the beach at Nice through the beautiful provencal village Entrevaux. Â
Quiet lanes in La Grave
Ice climbing in Vallon de Diable.
A busy day at La Grave
Kiting at Col de Lauteret
La Grave
Briancon’s fort. Â 
The Davin Couloir
Looking up the Davin. 
Sunsets near Dignes les Bains
The strip at Nice
Entrevaux
La Meije 
Ice in La Grave
Old La Grave
Trous de La Mouche – road trip to Les Aravis
Glacier Blanc Hut
En Route to Domes de Neige des Ecrins
Ailefroide with its winter coat
Cheeky locals
In the Davin
Traversing Dome Monetier
Scottish Winter Climbing
The arrival of snow coinciding with our return from Kalymnos couldn’t have been more perfect and allowed me to get out in the Scottish mountains both days at the weekend. Â On Saturday I was in the Northern Corries with Duncan Patterson where conditions where good on Melting Pot, the top pitch of which was really fun and thought provoking. Today I went out with Pete Benson to Lochnagar with a view to doing something a bit more meaty. However we found the turf on Lochnagar pretty soggy biscuit so dropped the grade somewhat and did Ghost Dance which has a fairly rocky main pitch and is a good choice for a short day. The main pitch is fun with cool moves through an overlap onto the wall above.
The light and views are amazing at this time of year, the sun still with a little power and the contrast between the snowy hills and the autumnal valley colours.
The first 3 photos are Duncan’s. Check out his blog at :Â http://www.duncanp.blogspot.co.uk/
Ross Hewitt Guiding 
