Cham: Part Deux

For my final few days in the zone I let out for the hills with Justin Sweeny intent on getting up a summi or two.  The weather was marginal and as we made our way to the Envers hut it was a miracle we found the way

                       
                                        Justin at the routefinding crux of the approach

                      L' Envers des Aiguilles is an incredible secteur if you like big pointy rocks

                                                      The views are ok too

                                          Spot the climber on the Tour Rouge!

We attacked the Aiguille de La République at 3am and by 9:30 were 2/3rds of the way up

The higher we got, the more snow covered the rocks

This made our feet cold...

Positions = Mega!

     But the weather went southbound

                            We managed a few more brisk pitches

 

Sometimes you just gotta say no...

                                And go back the way you came...

 20 abseils later we reached cappuccino country but with wooden toes and frozen fingers, I couldn't help think this was all just a little sauvage.  Climbing this peak felt more like a Patagonian burlfest than a relaxed jaunt into the 'pine that you'd expect from this region.

Back in town it was properly festive, one guy I met at Elevation 1904 described it as the best corner on Earth.  I thought about it for a second, scanning my rolodex of fun places and then nodded in agreeance.

      Thank you Chamonix!

                                                                     A la prochaine!