The Euro ice season’s just around the corner! This will be our 7th winter running courses in the ice climbing mecca of La Grave - here’s a selection of pics to remind us what it’s all about…
It’s been a fantastic season out in La Grave Ice Climbing this winter – easily the best for a few years, with most of the big classics in great nick, plus a few obscure gems.
Rich has been hard at it through the whole of January, sharing many great days out with some regular faces plus a number of new clients. The first 2 weeks of January passed by in endless sunshine - every morning it was just another day in paradise – dry, fat blue ice, no wind and perfect temps.
By mid Jan some of the routes on the sunny side of the valley were starting to look a bit patchy and hollow, but a massive dump of snow during the third week helped to feed the lines and re-bond the existing ice back into place (plus bring the whole valley to a standstill for a while…)
The 4th week then saw a return to blue skies and a perfect week of climbing with regular ice aficionado Dave Horwood. Highlights of the trip (i.e. routes Rich hadn’t done before!) included Verges du Demon (5+, Vallon du Diable) with Jim Bird; Ectoplasm (5, La Grave) a superb Scottish style gully with Will Kumar; Vermicelle (5+, Ceillac) with Jim Bird; Alea Jacta Est (4+, La Grave) with Alastair MacColl; Cousin Hubert (5+, Fressinieres) with David Horwood and Les Visiteurs (5, Fressinieres) again with David.
Many thanks to everyone else including: Margaret, Paul, Matt, Tim, Glenn, John, Sim, Luke and all the staff at the Hotel Edelweiss for a great month. This was our 6th season in La Grave, and with a lifetimes climbing within an hours drive of the hotel, we don’t think it will be the last….
Matt Evenden on Promenade Matheysin, 3+
Paul Brooke and Will Kumar on Mini Moulin, 4
Paul Brooke on the Goulotte de Muretouse, 3+
Rich on Vermicelle, 5+
We’re having an excellent season down in La Grave Ice Climbing just now – I’ve just finished an intro ice climbing week with Jon Graham and Rich is mid way through his 28 day marathon with all comers! It’s a been a good winter with all the main classics formed and seeing plenty of ascents.
Jon Graham on pitch 2 of Caturgeas.
Team climbing the classic grade 6 L’Etoffe.
Jon enjoying Autisme, Vallon du Diable yesterday.
Topping out on Autisme.
Just a quickie on Winter Alpine Couloir Climbing around Cham at the moment – Rich and Craig Booth, plus myself and Andy Collins did the Vogel Couloir on the back of the Cosmiques Arete today. Rich and Craig made the last bin, Andy and I didn’t - so skied down instead.
Due to the constant snowfalls we’ve been having out here recently, careful choice of routes to avoid avalanche danger is essential at the moment (for skiing, as well as climbing…) Rich and Craig had a wild day on the Cosmiques Couloir earlier in the week too, but many of the classics on the Tacul are too dodgy a proposition – so if you’re heading out soon, then plan routes carefully.
It’s been settled and sunny for the last 10 days or so out here, where we’ve been in La Grave Ice Climbing, so most south facing routes are now out of condition. On the other hand, higher and north facing venues have been excellent so that’s where we’ve been climbing by and large, with various visits to Ceillac and the Vallon du Diable in particular – (see pics below).
The weather is now changing though, with a return to snow and much colder conditions arriving over the next few days. Given the amounts of fresh snow due, avalanche risk is going to be a big consideration when choosing routes - so if in doubt, stick to places like Le Pylon or Ceillac and definitely steer clear of the Vallon du Diable next week!
Formes du Chaos III,4 – Ceillac - 27/01/08
Formes du Chaos – climbing the final pitch
Michael Lockyer on Autisme II,4 – Vallon du Diable – today
Just a quick report and a few pics from Rich on the latest climbing conditions down in La Grave, where Rich is running the 2nd of our La Grave Ice Climbing Courses this season:
“Hi Al – done a few rts since new yr for myself, including grand clot – the classic 5+ of the valley with benson to the emparis plateau (500m climbing). Also did supreme dimension with benson.
Last week did following with matt and nik: formes du chaos at ceilac (mega conds, best for yrs), adrenalin rush, martinez couloir, autism in vallon diable, croup de la poufiasse, lead coaching on the moulin and some dry tooling routes. good week.” – yeah – I’d agree with that!
Nik Bertholdt on Autism, in the Vallon Du Diable last week
Rich is out in La Grave this week, running our first Alpine Ice Climbing Course of the season.
He’s just sent a report in that both Ice climbing and ski conditions are excellent at the moment:
La Grave Ice Conditions:
So far this week the boys have done amongst other things, Le Moulin, Pylon and Goullotte Martinez, plus a trip over to Ceillac where they did Holiday on Ice and Easy Rider. Tommorrow they are off to have a look at Supreme Dimension.
Rich reports that Caturgeas, Croup de Pouffiasse and Color du Ciel are all in good nick, plus North side routes around the Grand Clot are all shaping up. It’s been cold all week with strong winds for the past 3 days – so teams are steering clear of Fournel and Vallon du Diable just now.
La Grave Ski Conditions:
It’s the best start to the season for over 10 years – with the La Grave system opening this weekend.A few local guides have been up on the service lifts and report the best snow is currently in the trees, as higher up things are quite wind affected. Serre Chevalier and surrounding resorts are in great condition too.
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Just a couple of pics from this weekend, showing Sim and Luke Spencer getting to grips with climbing at the sharp end! As you can see – with modern tools going leashless is the way forward for continental icefall climbing.
