Chamonix-Mont Blanc Massif: June 2009

Amazing trip report! Makes me never want to hike in the Whites again! Goddamn!

-Dr. Wu

Hey gig -

Thanks for writing up such a great report. And thanks to the rest of the team for so much fun and support... that's one spectacular place. It never ceases to amaze me to see wildlife in high places - granted just crows feeding off of the huts, but I swear I saw two flying insects at the Col du Midi (11,500-12,000 feet). And that was before the swirly blood in my eye!

Speaking of, an FYI: A friend of mine is keen on using Ginkgo Biloba for altitude sickness, so I read up on it, tried it out for 7 days a month before the trip, then 5 days prior to leaving started the recommended regimen with good, 'approved' ginkgo. Apparently (didn't make the connection beforehand), it can increase the risk of bleeding, so most likely contributed to, if not caused, the hemorrhage..

I found a pic on google earth that shows the drama of the arete one has to go down to get to the Col du Midi from the Aiguille du Midi tram station. The arete is in front of the station (middle of pic). That's one long, steep drop down!!

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/5988941.jpg

Great trip and report, thanks for sharing. I'm very jealous.

Nice trip report Giggy. Any trip out in the mountains with friends where everyone has a good time is a good trip. It's not always about the objective.

If you like the French huts wait until get to the one's in Italy!!!!

Quote:

"Again, we saw some lack of class from many groups – just plowing on without a care about who they passed. One group stepped on Arm and my rope. One grabbed on to my and Court’s pack as he downclimbed – and trust me – one doesn’t want to lose balance on this knife edge. One guy told Frodo to move - we were like – move where????"

As for the attitude it totally different over there, especially on the bigger name peaks that everyone wants to bag. It's a little better once you get off the beaten path, but still you see a lot of things you generally don't get as much of over here.

On a side note the couloir clearly visible in the two pictures, did you happen to get the name of that one?

Great report and amazing pics! Awesome job on the crevasse rescue and don't feel bad about making the call to turn around. Making it safely off the mountain is always an accomplishment.

I was a little at some of your descriptions of the other climbers. Like you need anything else to add more risk to the situation.

What an incredible trip! Thanks for the great read Giggy and taking us up the mountain with you and the team. Mont Blanc sounds absolutely beautiful - what an experience that must have been to see the sun rise while climbing the highest peak in the Alps.

I would have had a heart attack on that knife edge with people pushing by....but then again I wouldn't have made it past those ladders... I get whoosie just looking at the pics
Congrats everyone!!

Fantastic!

Wow.

I have never done anything remotely that technical or needed to rely on a "team" mentality to that degree. I'm not sure those abilities are even in my nature. But it's what made reading your TR so great...I could imagine what it's like and appreciate the skills and teamwork you all needed in order to pull this adventure off safely.

Thanks for keeping each other safe! Thanks for sharing the story with us, Giggy. I really enjoyed it.

nice photo find, sue.

since i'd rather play with paint instead of working, i drew in our route. blue square was where we turned around.

it doesn't quite show how long and steep tacul is, but you are right. good viewpoint of that ridge!

http://leaf.smugmug.com/photos/586333710_692Xa-M.jpg

Wow, great report and spectacular pictures everyone. Giggy, your writing about the sunrise during the alpine ascent reminded me of my unsuccessful climb in WA, just seeing that sunrise "almost" make the trip worthwhile. It was indeed a very humbling experience.

I'm jealous of all you for the chance and the aptitudes to climb this big mountain and even more jealous that you have such great team to experience all these with. Totally jealous!!

Congratulation and well done everyone! Thank you for sharing the experience.

Woot, what a read, great times guys and gals. I can only see Leaf's pictures here at work though

Darl: no problems with the knee, I take it, at least I didn't see any mention of it.

Jay

Jay H said:

Darl: no problems with the knee, I take it, at least I didn't see any mention of it.

Jay

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Sorry for my delay in getting pictures ready..just got back Mon nite and have been swamped and jet lag!

Thanks Giggy for writing up such a great TR which really describes this adventure so well. It was a trip that we all said we'd be talking about for many years with good friends and climbers that we trusted our lives with!
I was very proud to be part of this team and the hike/climb we did was fabulous in incredible mountains!!

Knee held up great, felt strong the whole trip!

I continued on for 2 more weeks to Zermatt for hiking and climbing and more adventures in the Alps...TR to come in next few days!


Mont Blanc pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/hikerdd13/MontBlancClimb?feat=directlink

Chamonix pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/hikerdd13/ChamonixFrancePics?feat=directlink

To quote Donna, “That was the best trip ever!”

Awesome trip report Giggy! You covered it all.

I’ve done over a hundred miles of glacier travel and have never had anyone on our team punch thru into a crevasse, and we had 2 people do it on this trip. All I have to say is everyone did an incredible job working together as a team and we did what we all trained to do, and no one was injured. Although one person did have to climb the rest of the day with a frozen turd in their pants…

Anyway, this was another awesome trip with some great friends, and thanks to all of you I now have some more incredible memories to reflect back on when I'm 80 years old. Isn’t that what life is all about?

Til’ the next one…

What an amazing trip! Even sweeter is that you all found, befriended, planned, and shared this experience together.


And...happy 10th anniversary, Deb and Guy!

Great trip report! A real page turner! As to the lack of climbing ethics, I have seen the same behavior on climbs I've done in the Cascades, and the folks who did it were from a well known Seattle based mountain climbing club.

dms said:

Great trip report! A real page turner! As to the lack of climbing ethics, I have seen the same behavior on climbs I've done in the Cascades, and the folks who did it were from a well known Seattle based mountain climbing club.

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Don't expect anything from the Mountaineers except for monopolization of certain climbing crags and general gumbiness (give 'em a break, they just don't know any better)... and possibly people falling on you. That also goes for the Mazamas... especially on Hood.

cbcbd said:

Don't expect anything from the Mountaineers except for monopolization of certain climbing crags and general gumbiness (give 'em a break, they just don't know any better)... and possibly people falling on you. That also goes for the Mazamas... especially on Hood.

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The guide I had on one of my trips went ballistic when a Mountaineers group came up from behind us, and unannouced, passed us and then went upslope of us on a very steep ice/snow slope. He echoed your comments about the Mountaineers.

Very impressive, indeed! And scary. Holy cr*p Arm, I'm glad you got out of that crevasse ok. Great shot from within.

A couple of years ago Hanna and I did the Haute Route between Chamonix and Zermatt. It's a great way to experience the Alps for those who aren't as brave as these folks.

Choosing the harder route (not the sure trodden path to the summit) is what mountaineering is all about. Great trip report! - Al

What a well told and interesting story,big mountains coming to life.No doubts you guys would have summited given more time.Excellent crevasse rescue,even better photo!Well done team.