We, that is David Williams and Gordon Hunter, have just completed a two part ski touring / mountaineering challenge!

 

WE MADE IT !!! 

  

MT BLANC IS CONQUERED AND THE NORTH FACE SKIED  

 

 

Having completed the Haute Route in April, Part 2 of David &Gordon's Excellent Adventure took place over the 18^th and 19^th May. Here’s how we did it:

 

The Approach

 

After a week of acclimatisation in Switzerland we met at the Aiguille Du Midi lift station in Chamonix on 18^th to catch the 9.00am lift to the Plan D’Aiguille mid station. Skis on packs, and a tedious clamber over moraine brought us to the start of a 2 hour ski traverse across steep slopes to the edge of the Bossons glacier, weaving our way through ice towers and crevasses before dropping down to La Junction, the meeting place of two glaciers and a maze of seemingly impassable ice. Skis back on packs, crampons on feet and roped up we passed through this to face the final climb, on skis to the Grand Mulet hut at 3051m, our base for a few hours that night. A 5-hour journey under a scorching sun and deteriorating snow!

 

The Climb

 

The alarm rang at 12.30 am, dry bread and bitter coffee was forced down and by 1.00am we, together with Jim Blyth, our guide, were roped up skis and skins on feet to commence the climb to the summit. We took the North ridge of the Dome de Gouter, known as the Arete Royale. Whilst this is safe from the dangers of Serac falls it is a fine tough ski mountaineering line where a poor kick turn and a fall is definitely to be avoided. After two hours of kick turns on steep exposed slopes, lit only by the light of our headlamps the airy crest of the Arete is reached. Skis on packs, crampons and rope on, a quick snack and we make our way up the knife edge arête a sustained line of up to 45 - 50’ where ice axe was essential. The sustained climbing in the dark is tiring both physically and mentally and it was a relief to reach the easier angled slopes of the Dome de Gouter as dawn approached. Skis back on feet with skins and heads down we climbed on .We had both lost track of time by now and although the dawn brought a fantastic day clear sky and no wind, one of us (answers on a postcard please!) was close to exhaustion. However caffeine gels, Powerade, nuts, chocolate, energy bars and a complete lack of sympathy from Jim brought a revival and by 7.00am we had reached the slopes below the Vallot hut at 4300m. Any thoughts of leaving skis here were dismissed by another of Jim’s infamous looks, we were clearly all going to summit with skis on packs and that was that. From the Vallot hut, once again with skis on packs we follow the ridge over Les Bosses, 2 camel like humps on the ridge, until the final arête, a snow ridge of some 300m, barely wide enough for our feet, dropping away on either side. The sun was out, the sky was bright blue and before we knew it we were standing on top of Mt Blanc, at 4810m (15,782 feet) at 10.00am, 9 hours after leaving the hut.

 

The Descent

 

Strange how after 9 hours of exhausting climbing the thought of the 2500m descent down the north face of Mt Blanc brings a surge of adrenalin and tiredness evaporates. 20 minutes on top, and we set off bindings as tight as we dare. A traverse, skiers left down the north face, over hard windblown snow soon brings us onto light powder, a fast line over an ill covered crevasse and then our first turns. Three of these and we’re breathless, a sudden reminder that we are still at over 4600m. Jim takes off following the obvious line between crevasses and towering seracs and we follow at speed. This is not a place to linger despite the views. This is serious terrain .We are now on a steep couloir, deep fresh snow not quite powder. David somersaults, skis stay on, but his "MCC" hat doesn’t and he picks it up some 150 m below. We pass serac debris at the bottom of the Grand Plateau and ski out to a brief rest. Off again to some tight manoeuvring through crevasses, a belay over a broken snow bridge and as the morning progresses the snow becomes heavier, as do our legs. By now the slope has lessened and we can indulge in some slightly more carefree skiing until at midday we find ourselves back below the Grand Mulet hut, 1.5 hours of almost non stop skiing. Although we feel we’ve cracked it there remains 3 hours of skinning, traversing and walking across ever worsening snow until at 4 o clock we find ourselves back at Plan D’Aiguille for a well earned drink, and the lift back down to Chamonix.

 

 

 

Our thanks go out to our guide: Scotsman Jim Blyth who has  guided all over the world. Visit www.jimblyth.com to appreciate the appeal of ski touring.

 

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