Mer de Glace galcier, ice skills day

Rainy day in Chamonix after days of incredible warmth and sunshine. Still we had good day on the Mer de Glace, doing basic ice skills such as crampon technique and ice climbing.
Below is Basil, 10 years of age showing that you do not have to be an ancient mountain guide to be an effective ice climber!

Basil on the ladders while his Dad looks on!

Happy days after a busy and adventurous day on the Mer de Glace!

Happy days on the ropes.

Interesting work in a superb location with good work mates.

Ski mountaineering and Industrail Rope Access

My life is full of contrasts, all usually rather fantastic. The other day I was ski-mountaineering with a fantastic group of people with Mountain tracks, today I am Baku, Azerbaijan............

The land based oil wells of Baku, you may have seen this previously in a James Bond movie!

Above: a level one IRATA rope access technician demonstrates his skills at the RBG training centre here in Baku.

Just a few days ago I was here and it was also so ace...

Gran Paradis, Italy

With Mountain Tracks we had planned to ski up Mont Blanc but there was lots of fresh snow with strong Northerly winds so instead, we opted to go to Italy and skied up and down the Gran Paradis. The ascent was via one night at the Refuge Chabot and the following day we went to the summit and descended via the Victor Emmanuell hut.
Below: L to R: Klem, Joe and James on the summit of the Grand Paridis

Joe approaches the summit ridge.

Storm clouds on the Mont Blanc mountain range!

Bernese Oberland, an other amazing day

Have had an ace week guiding in the Bernese Oberland. Fresh snow last night gave us a superb ski descent from the Abenflu
.

Fresh tracks and we were soon making our own , this photo taken from the Hollandiahutte this morning.

We had to walk about an hour to get to the road head!

IRATA Assessments in Switzerland

Assessing at Palazieux, Switzerland today where there is very good Petzl distributor and training organisation.

An evening by the sea

A busy little crag tonight.

Bit chilly in the shade, but good company and nice climbing .