IRATA assessment at APPLUS RTD Grangemouth

Traversing using mobile anchors

Chamonix Mont Blanc again, new week with a wonderful client.

Its another week with Adventure Consultants, this week I have a very fit fellow who  is is really good company and has not climbed a great deal but it keen to be in the mountains, gain lots of experience and hopefully climb Mont Blanc.

Mont Blanc

Bo (Motucha) enjoying the services at the Refuge Torino

On the Aig d'Entreves

Refuge Hotel Torino 3371 m.

Irata Friday... Advanced Rope Access, Glasgow

For me it was my first time assessing at this training centre in Glasgow.

All performed well and passed. Wonderful to see another lady pass her assessment, there are no so many women working at height from the ropes. and yet when I get the opportunity to assess  they are always performing to a high standard on the ropes.

Mont Blanc summit 6 September 2018

Ewen and Ross on the descent.

 Impressive view of Aid du Midi  this morning

Ewen and Ross on Mont Blanc summit

I still have to learn how to do a good selfie!

 Mountain guiding with Alpine Guides this week and over the past three days with Ross, Dylan and Ewen and fellow BMG/IFMG guide Stuart McAleese we summited Mont Blanc yesterday in quite poor weather and interesting conditions. We departed from the Refuge de Tete Rousse at 2.45 am and made our way up to the Refuge de l'Aig du Gouter  making good progress and it was dry with very little stone fall on the Grand couloir. From there we continued on to the summit but the weather (just as they said in the weather forecast) began to deteriorate. In thery a big thunder storm was going  due by mid afternoon. Between the Col du Dome and Refuge Bivouac Vallot we met several guides who had turned back with their clients as they had left for the summit from the Refuge Gouter and  informed us that they found conditions high on Mont Blanc very cold and windy. We could  also tell this by their ice incrusted clothing and equipment. Stuart who was guiding Dylan and myself - guiding Ross and Ewen decided to keep going  upward until the Vallot bivouac shelter and make  decision as to what to do then. Fortunately for us as we progressed towards that bivouac hut the sun broke out briefly shining through the think mist. We realised that as the sun was rising the temperatures would rise and perhaps we would be lucky with our summit attempt so kept progressing upwards but with the thought that of it did stay very cold we would turn back and descend immediately. We were so lucky as while the mist did obscure the sun, the winds were not so strong and we all reached the summit. Once there  snow began to fall so we made a careful descent having to navigate at times to find the best trail. We spent the night at the Refuge del' Aig du Gouter where we had a fantastic refuge breakfast and then descended back to Chamonix today.

Ross, Ewen and Dylan

Refuge de Tete Rousse

Valsavarenche and Gran Paridiso climb.

A nice few days but no view from the summit as it was covered in cloud, however a nice time was had.

Travelling up the glacier from the comfortable Chabot Refuge.

  On thesummit with Dylan, Ross and Ewen

The summit madonna had a frosty beard.

A well deserved Panache at the Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele.
with Dylan, Ewen and Paul.

Summit Mont Blanc

We have had a super nice time and so lucky with the weather on Mont Blanc these last few days. The Grand Couloir has become rather loose again with lots of rock fall. We had to wait and watch  as stones tumbled and slid by then time our short traverse to minimise any risk of being struck by falling stones as we made our way across. It turned out well but we were their early in the morning. Speaking to other teams who crossed later in the day the situation had worsened.

A coffee stop at Bellvue

A friendly welcome at the Refuge Tete Rousse

Marina scrambling up towards the Gouter Hut

Nearing the Summit

Alex, Marina and I on the summit of Mont Blanc.

Mont Blanc preparation days

Another fine week here in Chamonix, Mont Blanc. This past week we have been preparing basic mountaineering skills for glacier travel with the ultimate goal of climbing Mont Blanc.Here are the first couple of days.

Early morning view of Mont Blanc

Dent du Geant

Alex and Marina 

Posing around.