Marylebone Mountaineering Club Library and Information > Meet Reports

Rocketman's Spring Alpine Adventure Frustrated by appalling weather over Christmas, Rocketman was keen to return to Chamonix for some alpine ice before the summer season. An appropriate window in conditions was reached one weekend at the end of March. By this time the heavy snows of winter had had a chance to consolidate and many of the classic alpine faces had a reasonable covering of stable snow/ice. The easyjet flight booked at 2 & ½ hours notice felt more like a coach than plane journey and Rocket armed with his ice tools soon found himself waiting for his minibus transfer at Geneva airport. The next day, confident that his 3 days nursery piste skiing would leave him capable of ski touring from the Grands Montets to the Argentiere Refuge, with a heavy pack and wearing ice climbing boots, proved to be a pipe dream…Sliding, flapping, rolling and nose diving all over the slope, much to the annoyance of the surrounding skiers, Rocket finally decided to strap his skis to his rucksack and limp sheepishly to the hut. But that evening the day's woes were soon all forgotten as the tremendous views of the surrounding north faces came alive in the evening light. The next morning a reconnaissance trip to the base of the Swiss Route on the N. face of the Courtes proved very useful. The following day, on the summit bid, with a little familiarity, the complex route finding over the bergschrund, could be achieved safely in the dark with a headtorch, and a position high on the face obtained before first light. The steep 'narrows' section at one third height was completed by 8.00am. This was followed by the long and sustained ice face leading and steepening towards the summit. The final 300 foot sometimes constitutes the crux of the climb being steep and exposed with insecure ice. Fatigue and altitude can also play their part. The exit onto the narrow summit ridge is sudden and dramatic and the views from this point are superb. The elation on reaching the top is momentarily something akin to a state of drunken revelry, that is until the reality of needing to descend the peak quickly and safely creeps in. The good thing is you can take your helmet off for a few moments as nothing's going to fall on your head! Descent to the Argentiere basin is down the N.E. slope. Down climbing most of the way on a 55 slope, it was at this point that fear started to creep in. Many people have been avalanched off this slope and it's important get off it as soon as possible whilst ensuring that your movements are always in control, a slip could be messy. Once down and over the bergschrund it was back to the refuge to pick up belongings before setting off down to the valley. Unfortunately Rocket's skiing finesse was no better on the downhill run and missing the last telepherique from the Lognan it was not until 7.30pm that he emerged in the Bar Savoie in Argentiere. The next morning flying out of Geneva to Luton he was back at his desk by 8.30am, albeit a little 'zoned' out! The Swiss Route on the N. Face of the Courtes is an 800m alpine TD. Rocketman