Trip Reports

Chamonix/Cogne Ice climbing 12 to 18 January 2003

On the crux 3rd pitch of Antares, Valsavarench, Alpine Ice - Chamonix/Cogne course
Trip Report

Written by Leader, January 2003

We arrived in Chamonix at the start of our 5-day Alpine Ice climbing course after a week of very cold weather. There were seven of us on the course, with a real mix of past experience and aspirations. Rafael had completed four summer Alpine courses with Jagged Globe last year and was booked on three Scottish courses and another four Alpine courses in 2003! He had climbed with Ed on Mont Blanc the previous summer and the two of them were hoping to extend their experience with some steep ice. Pat had climbed Kilimanjaro, Mera Peak and Mont Blanc, Liz had lots of experience of climbing in the Alps, including doing the same course last year, Fahad had climbed Mont Blanc last year and was keen to learn to lead and Dave, like myself, had done some personal winter climbing in the UK, but no pure icefalls.

Our hosts for the week were four Guides; Jim Blyth, Rick Marchant, Bruce Goodlad and Neil Brodie. This proved to be a great mix of instruction, specialities, personalities and views with the guides rotating each day and the group splitting up to pitch the right routes at the right people and make the most of the generally very good conditions. Luckily for us, the weather warmed up a bit for our week so that the thermometer read approximately –8 Celsius most mornings, which is not too uncomfortable and means that the ice isn’t too brittle.

Armed with our superb Charlet Moser Quark axes and freshly sharpened ‘M10’ crampons, we were ready for anything that the guides were prepared to aim us at. After a day ‘warming up’ in the Chamonix valley and in Trient (Switzerland), with Liz and Fahad lucky enough to bag the rarely-in-condition Cascade Sainte-Marie, we headed through the Mont Blanc tunnel on the 1 ½ hour drive to the tiny Italian village of Valnontey (Cogne). Over the next three days, we climbed a variety of icefalls between the group, from shorter 2 and 3 pitch ‘mixed’ climbs (ice and rock) to classic multi-pitch climbs such as Cascade de Lillaz (250m, grade 3 and Lillaz Gully (200m, grade 4). Most of the climbs in Cogne are located in two valley systems, which provide pleasant approach walks before striking up the hillside to your chosen icefall. Despite the relative ease of the walk-ins, we were careful to be out of the hotel early each morning to be the first on the ice. Following another party up an ice route is not to be advised! That said, with the climbing all being done mid-week, the area never felt busy, but it was good to have your route/s ‘in the bag’ by mid afternoon and enjoy winding down with a beer or Cappuccino (this is Italy after all!) in the sunshine.

We were sorry to leave the comfort and hospitality of our excellent hotel in Valnontey, but headed back to the buzz of Chamonix for a last day’s climbing. For some it was a chance to wind down and work on techniques on some shorter, but more technical icefalls, whilst others went for that last big route to top off what was undoubtedly an action-packed week. The lucky ones (myself included) stayed on for a week to enjoy a big dumping of snow and the delights of snowboarding and skiing! Alpine Ice is a fast paced course where you are guaranteed to do a lot of climbing. The guides on this course are real ice enthusiasts; some are even known to modify their gear to improve performance! But you don’t have to have done lots of climbing before, as there is a real range of routes at all grades and for all abilities. The beauty of the 1:2 guiding ratio is that whatever your level, you can look forward to a challenge, without worrying about your arms falling off!

Tom Briggs, 28 January 2003

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