tirsdag den 12. august 2014

Burnier Vogler & Vent Du Dragon


In May I spent 3 1/2 weeks in the alps with my girlfriend and daughter.
Most of the time we used hiking and relaxing in the sun, but for a week Morten Johansen came down for some climbing.

We had everything from full on winter conditions with -20 temps and snow, to sweet spring sunshine.

We started out climbing Burnier Vogler abseiling from the Cosmique ridge, climbing in some of the worst conditions I have ever had in the mountains.

Abseiling down the route




Morten starting out on the first pitch before heavy spindrift began.



Morten leading in the spindrift. I seconded most of the pitch with my eyes closed.


Morten following the 4.th pitch.


After topping out we had to reverse the ridge to get back to our tent. This turned out to be quite difficult in a whiteout with 40 cm of new snow.

We did not sleep much as it was bitterly cold.

Here are some of Mortens photos

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47561738@N00/sets/72157644734580055/with/14213364572/



















onsdag den 7. maj 2014

Chamonix june 2013

In june 2013 Simon Lund Jensen and I spend almost two weeks climbing in the Mont Blanc massif.
The prolonged winter of 2013 had made sure that some of the winter/spring routes were still in climbable conditions.
When we arrived and camped below the Pointes Lachenal, the weather was nice and cold, it lasted about two days and the fohn took over and ruined everything.

We spent the first afternoon checking out the conditions on Goulotte Lafaille: D, AI4, 300 M. which we wanted to get on the next day.

The conditions of Lafaille in the center and the iced up direct start to the Supercouloir.

Making dinner before bedtime below Pointe Lachenal. We didn´t see any other people on the glacier that day.

Before taking of the next day in great weather. I took us about an hour to get to the bergshrund.

Simon approaching the bergshround, as the weather starts to heat up. We overtook two italiens, who chose another route around the shrund. The first pitch up the couloir was pretty horrible with loads of snow and ice coming down.



Simon following the second pitch, I was able to link pitch 2-3 with a bit of simulclimbing to get to the belay. These pitches was also difficult because of stuff coming down the couloir. We abseiled off at the end of the difficulties.


The next morning heading for Gabarrou Albinoni: TD-, AI4+, 500m.


The climb starts with a 300m climb up a 50-60 degree snow slope. We simulclimbed this part.

Simon climbing the first goulotte pitch. He was able to link pitch 1 and 2 with a bit of simul.


Simon following further up. After this pitch there was no more ice to climb, so we descended without having climbed to the summit. The fohn had started to blow on the glacier, so we packed up and headed down.