Colmcille Climbers

June Chamonix trip with Sandra and Sam, stayed in gites, hotels and camped a few nights, 1st day was a trip up in the index lift and then long snow traverse and easy gully to Col.Then S to N traverse of ridge to summit of the Aiguille Crouchues.2800m. At the top of the 1st gully we met Jack Bergen who was spending a few days in Chamonix on route to MI meet. Small world. Bit wet next day and very windy, lifts not running to the tops so danderred up to the junction which is the rock splitting the Bosson Glacier in half.
Weather still a bit poor with loads of new snow up top but got up the Midi lift, and across the Valley Blanc in pea soup cloud and eventually up to the Torino hut after a bit of a detour or 2 or 3 throught the big crevasses'.

Next day we had a demanding trip over the Aiguille d'Entreves 3600m. Had to ask for route directions at crux and revert to leading without rucksack, but got back onto the snow eventually only to find a huge bergschrund requiring two abs followed by large leap of faith! Very hot with loads of avalanches on the Tour Ronde just across the the valley, few teams were very close and turned back. Great rock for scrambling on.

We then raced back across to the Valley Blanc in mad heat and soft snow but being too late for lift we stayed in the Cosmiques hut. However Sam got bit ill and spent the rest of the evening in bed. Had a few expensive birthday beers, and headed back down to town the next day.

Winds again very high with more overnight snow so decided against Mt Blanc attempt and spend a day in Italy on an exciting via ferretta in Cervinia below the Matterhorn. Another day spent in Aiguile Rouge and back home.

Was a bit early in the season with deep snow hard going some times but great trip.