Transition between indoor climbing and out door rock climbing - and learning to lead

Over the past days I have been helping Dave and Cara to climb outdoors, they have been climbing at indoor climbing gyms for a little while now. We were climbing on bolted route in the Aosta valley and Chamonix;

Cara at the top.... no hard hats required a sit a well cleaned and very safe slab to climb on.

Multi pitch and stance organisation. 

So cool for me to have time with Cara.

Dave on second and cleaning the quickdraws.

Dave's first lead.

Beginners sport climbing in the Aosta Valley,

Here we go, another fun day, clipping bolts and teaching skill sin the sunshine!

Arriving at the crag

Dave belaying Cara

Cara getting into the moves

One cannot climb in Italy all day and not have a pizza!

My birthday weekend

Well its an annual event , sometimes I celebrate it sometimes I don't. This year my daughter joined me and we have had a blast!

H, me and C!

Perfect snow crystals on Cara's hair.

Dave, Cara and Hannah

Mer de Glace, H, C and Dave.

A perfect day for me!

Preparing for Mont Blanc - Grand Paridiso ascent

It's important to give some time for ones body to acclimatise to the higher altitude especially for those of us living at  or not very high above sea level. It usually takes around 4 to 6 days to feel comfortable above 3500metres depending on ones fitness level and body type.  It is also a good  idea to try another high mountain before attempting Mont Blanc. This time we climbed the Grand Paridiso.

Nick climbing the final little rock tower to the summit, thanks for the photo Owen!

Owen, Pauls and Nick on the summit.

Mont Blanc training days

Before climbing Mont Blanc many people come for  few days guided instruction where we cover a vast array of mountaineering skills such as;

How to use crampons and ice axes for ice climbing and general mountaineering, including rope work and how to tie on to the rope and how to take rope coils.

 Paula and Owen scrambling on rock ridges and safely moving together

Paula climbing

Pauls and Nick on the Aig D'Entreves

Glacier travel rope work.

Chamonix days and Mont Blanc

Over the past days i have been guiding for Mountain Tracks and its been a jolly good time with almost all the group reaching the summit of Mont Blanc yesterday but for my own client Patryk who after climbing the Gran Paridiso and doing some other acclimatisation forays felt ill at the Refuge Vallot so  prudently he decided to turn around. We did take in the summit of the Dome du Goutier on the way back down.

The cave exit from the Ag du Midi onto the arete

Early morning light on the Grand Jorasses

Mont Blanc summit and col do Dome

Patryk 

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Mont Blanc with Robert and Adventure Consultants.

We have had a blast on Mont Blanc.

Thanks Cosmin for this Photo of Robert ( on the right) and I  nearing the summit

IFMGA guide Cosmin with his client Jimmy on their return  from the summit as we  ( Robert and I ) were making our way up.

Robert on the summit.

Summit selfie

On the descent, the Vallot refuge in the background