The mighty Mont Blanc!

Wednesday dawned bright and clear, another perfect day as we set off from the mid station of the Aiguille du Midi after catching the first lift at 8:10am. From the mid station we traversed up and across towards the Bossons Glacier crossing under the hanging Glacier of the Rhonde, which avalanched massively only last week as a huge serrac calved off and showered the route across the Bossons junction towards the Grand Mulets refuge in which we would stay the night. Our crossing passed uneventful and we were soon past the debris roped up and on our way across the massively active and deeply crevassed Bossons Glacier.

Mark, Liam and Matt crossing through the junction on the Bosson Glacier

A couple of delicate snowbridge negotiations and we were back on slightly more solid looking ground and with crampon on we hiked straight up towards the refuge where we arrived shortly after midday.

After a relaxing afternoon in a very overcrowded refuge, diner and a quick sleep we were back up for a 1am breakfast and ready on the snow at 2am.

From the refuge at 3056m we headed up and across the glacier towards the North ridge of the Dome du Gouter or the arrete Royal, a safe distance from the huge hanging serracs that over hang the petite plateau and regular route up to the summit. Amazingly some people still take the original route oblivious to the immense danger that threatens that route as it zig zags its way through the tell tale blocks of fallen ice.

With crampons on and soft snow the going was a bit slower than it could have been but we worked our way upwards and soon joined the sharp ridge that runs upwards for about 800m and started our climb towards the dome at 4300m.

Ross and Roger on the upper (milder) section of the Arette Royale.

The ridge was steep and exposed, although the darkness hid from view the drops all around, and we made good progress, passing over steep ice sections where a good swing of the ice axe was needed and then plodded our way on up over the Dome du Gouter into the rising sun at about 6am.

Roger, Ross, Andy and Simon take a break between the Bosses on the Bosses ridge, the summit is in the background still over and hour away!

We downed tools (boards) at the Col du Dome and from here with lightened loads set off for our summit push up the Bosses ridge. The sky was once again a perfect clear blue and the temperatures mild for the altitude and the time of year. The team were getting weary and the altitude was starting to take its toll but the pace was steady and step by step the summit was drawing nearer.

Some of the team, Roger, Stacey, Ross and Liam happily on the summit!

At about 11am some 9 hours after leaving the refuge a tired but content looking team finally stepped onto the summit of Mont Blanc at 4810m. The weather was perfect, no wind and the views staggering as always!

So we were half way! and now the long descent to the valley began.

Mark with Liam and Stacey descending the sharp, steep Bosses ridge after a successful summit push.

We made quick work of the descent down the Bosses ridge to eat a quick bite at the Col du Dome as we prepared our kit for the ride ahead.

The first snow fields down towards the Grand Plateau are nice and wide and the snow was pretty nice with plenty of fresh tracks to be had by those with the energy left to get them. The team were pretty weary by now though and for most riding down Mont Blanc is purely a matter of survival. We made good progress and soon were ready to negotiate the tricky and dangerous Petite Plateau with its threatening array of overhanging ice blocks the size of tower blocks. Passage through the maze of icy debris is delicate and some big crevasses add to the feeling of tension. Calm nerves are needed and everyone negotiates the obstacles well and we are soon through the danger and breathing a sigh of relief as we find some good powder turns down the big slopes below heading down towards the Grand Mulets refuge.

A couple of deep looking crevasses with delicate snowbridge crossings and we're past the refuge and roping up to cross the junction through the maze of deep holes and cracks that change daily, the glacier moving up to 8ft a day through the upper section!

After what seems like and endless descent we ride down and across the junction and begin the hard slog back across to the mid station of the Midi where we arrive at around 4:30 some 15 and a half hours after getting out of bed and 14 and half hours on the move.

A massive congratulations goes out to the whole team, Stacy, Liam, Roger, Ross, Andy and Matt and a big thanks to fellow Guides, Mark Charlton and Simon Abrahams.

Today we had a relaxing day at the thermal pools at Bain des Saillon complete with saunas and steam rooms and tomorrow we'll head up the Grand Montets for a riding day off the lifts to see if the storms this evening have dropped any fresh snow for us to play in!

My winter season is coming to an end just as i receive news from Jeremy Jones that the first Wide 168 flagship board will be pressed and on its way to me in a couple of weeks (I'll just have to go up high and try it out somewhere!) and that if at all possible he might pay a flying visit to join us on one of the Splitboard courses next year, watch this space!

I'll have next years courses up on line within the next week or so, sometime after the 7th and then we're all go on taking bookings for next winter 2011!

I'll need deposits for those wanting to join either of the trips, Norway and Greenland pretty quick and then for those wanting to join one of our Chamonix or Alpine based courses again a deposit will be needed to secure your place on the course.

Last years courses booked up very quickly so to avoid any disappointment don't leave it too late!

Of course I've a full summer of Biking and Mountain Guiding to get on with first and it seems a bit strange to be thinking of snowboarding next winter already but I have to say I am already quite excited at the prospect and I hope you are too!

All is good,

Neil.

Powder, sun and Mont Blanc!

Heading up to the col du Tour Noire today in perfect spring conditions.

On Friday for the last day of the BC Intro course we hiked up to the Col du Entreve for what might be my last powder turns of the 2010 Winter. We found great cold winter snow from the Col at around 3800m right down to around 2600m in the Valley Blanche. It was a perfect blue bird day, really hot in the valley and from about 2600m where we joined the VB classic, it was deep spring corn snow. Not a bad last day for the course!

This week is the Summits week which we started again off the Aiguille du Midi finding nice cold fresh snow down to about 3000m from where it turned to thick deep rotton corn snow due to a storm in the night and rain up to nearly 3000m!

Another storm hit last night laying down some more fresh snow and then the skies cleared so the mush all froze underneath. Another perfect day dawned bright and blue so we headed up the Argentiere Glacier and hiked up to the Col du Tour Noire. About 1000m of vertical, so good training for Mont Blanc and very hot! The ride down was really nice as we found cold fresh snow conditions on a firm smooth base, great for carving and for the first time this winter I took my skis for a bit of a change.

Tomorrow we're up early to head up to the Grand Mullets refuge where we'll relax for the afternoon before setting off up the Arete Royal, the North ridge of the Dome du Gouter and then onwards to the summit of Mont Blanc, if all goes to plan. Its a massive day with near enough 2000m of up and all at high altitude!

The forecast is good, infact we're having extraordinary conditions at the moment with summer temperatures so hopefully it will be a pleasant Mont Blanc rather than the cold harsh summits that we are used to at this time of year.

Anyway, I got to go pack and prep for tomorrow so I'll let you know how it all panned out in a couple of days when I'm back down.

All is good!

Neil.

latest news, Summer Guiding and 2011 updates!

Nearing the end of my penultimate week of the winter with one more day of a 3 day BC Intro to go before the Summits week. Here's some news on this week, this sumers guiding and some updates for next winter 2011...Read on!

Yesterday we went out wide on the Rognon Glacier off the top tickets lift at the Grand Montets. We traversed right out under the Aiguille Vert and then worked our way down through the maze of crevasses and serracs. There was some quite neice snow out there and it was a great run in an inspirational backdrop. The snow up top was still winter cold but on the whole we've been riding and looking for soft spring corn and slush to carve about in.

Today we went up the Midi and did a Petite Envers. Again there was some nice snow to start off with due to it being cooler at altitude. we then had some quite icy lumpy tracked snow to deal with for a little way before we hit the softer spring snow lower down. We did Crevasse rescue training on the Mer du Glace before heading back to the Montenver and Chamonix.

Tomorrow we're heading back up the Midi and will tour up towards the Italian side before hooking around and descending the Glacier Noire back into the Valley Blanche. It looked quite good over that side today and is a beautiful tour so it should be pretty good and a great day out!

I've pretty much finalized the calendar for next winter. Its pretty much as I mentioned in my last Blog/News piece so check that out for an idea of whats on offer.

Prices and exact dates will be online 2nd week of April. We've already had quite a lot of interest and quite a few people penciled in on different weeks but we can't take actual bookings for next winter until I've had a meeting with my accountant on the 7th to discuss how things will run next winter as I think we'll be charging in Euros from now on.

I have to say I'm already pretty excited about next winters courses and I'm really looking forward to hitting Norway and Greenland again and getting the splitboard thing working as I think this will really open up a lot of options for BC access, touring and trips for the future.

A quick note to say that I am now taking bookings for Summer Guiding. I Guide in the summer on a private basis and offer Rock climbing, Alpine Climbing and Mountaineering for all levels including Mont Blanc ascents for keen Novices. There's great climbing for all levels here in Chamonix so if you fancy it give Ruth a shout and we'll work out a plan.

Apart from all of this I've just started to hang on my fingers and arms again after a pretty long lay off from climbing due to tendonitis and although obviously weaker it feels good to be hanging again. Went on the Turbo trainer again last night but was probably a little tired after riding as it felt like my lungs were shrinking and my heart was going to pop. Legs were ok though, kind of!

Anyway, all is good in Chamonix!

Neil.

A preview of next winters courses and a peek at the future?

Jeremy Jones filming for his 'Deeper' movie on his Jones Splitboard the 'Solution'. Read on for more news and details!

I'm into my last few days off the hill before I start again on Monday with my last 3 day Off Piste Clinic, followed by a 3 Day BC Intro of the season. This is followed straight away by our Mont Blanc Summits week which should be good if the weather holds. I'm planning a trip through to Italy to tour and climb the Grand Paradiso (the highest peak in Italy at just under 4100m) as a warm up, followed by the big one here in Chamonix, route to be determined by the conditions!

After that I'll be getting out on my bike again as much as possible as I think Mark from GPM10, who I ride and will cycle guide a bit with this summer, has gone and entered me into some big competition which sounds like hell on wheels but obviously, so he tells me, will be great fun!

In between skiing with my eldest daughter Manon (5 'and a half' as she proudly tells me) I've been out on the bike quite a bit this last week and am starting to feel good, so some of the leg work I put in this winter has obviously helped a little. Maybe all that pain was worth it!

I've also been busy putting together the Calendar for next seasons courses and although it's not quite finalized as yet I can now give you an idea of what's in store.

Winter 2011!

I'll start the winter with a couple of 3 day courses Christmas and New year (Tech Clinic and Off Piste Clinic).

These will be followed by a progression of 5 day courses (all courses will run Monday to Friday next year unless otherwise stated) Tech Clinic, Off Piste Clinic and then BC Intro. I might put in a BC Freeride course at the end of Jan to another location here in the Alps following this but haven't finalized anything yet.

Following this we go into a progression of Off Piste through the to the BC courses through Feb with a BC Intro followed by a NEW course, the 'BC Freeride Splitboard course' (more on this in a minute!)

This will be followed by a lower ratio 1 to 3 Advanced BC course (which was my fav course of this winter) to round off Feb.

March will be quite similar to Feb, but starts with a Tech Clinic followed by a BC progression which again includes the NEW 'BC Freeride Splitboard course'.

After this we go into a couple of super trips with an end of March trip to Norway again to explore and ride in the Lyngen Alps, somewhere I've been excited to get back to after our very successful trip at the end of last winter. This trip may also be Splitboard orientated as the terrain there definitely suits this form of access.

In mid April I'm planning a BC touring week here in the Alps were we'll start here in Chamonix and then head off to where the snow is good and do a couple of touring days hut to hut and once again this course will be Splitboard orientated.

Finally, at the end of the winter we shall host the 'Piece du Resistance' as I'm planning another expeditions style trip to the east Coast of Greenland, this time to 'Liverpool Land' further North than our previous location but in the same sort of style with a base camp and touring style of attack! Again the 'Splitboard' style of attack might be in order.

Ok, so this is a quick over view of next seasons calendar to wet your appetites. All courses will be 1 to 6 but 5 day except for trips or where stated otherwise and I hope you'll all find something in there to suit your desires!

Ok, so what's with all the 'SplitBoard' thing!

Well, last December, as some of you might remember, I spent the day riding with 'big mountain freeride legend' Jeremy Jones.

As some of you will also be aware, Jeremy left his existing board sponsor last year in order to start up his own freeride orientated board company 'Jones Snowboards'.

Well the news that I didn't release until now is that during that days riding, Jeremy asked me if I'd join his team on 'Jones Snowboards' as a European test rider!

Obviously after much thought and debate, well a couple of minutes actually as the boards look amazing, I decided to accept his offer and so next winter will be firmly attached to a 'Jones Flagship'.

During that days riding we discussed board design and finally got to talking about using Splitboards for BC access.

As most of you will know, Jeremy has been focusing on using a Splitboard for access in his 'Deeper' movies and so has been working on designing the ultimate Split board weapon quite a lot over the past couple of years. Improvements in board design and also in the binding system that pulls it all together have, he tells me, improved the performance of the ride by up to 40%!

Anyway, after climbing up to the peak Mt Fouchon, above the Grd St Bernard the other day, on Snowshoes in deep sinking snow and with a massively heavy pack, I decided that the 'SplitBoard' just has to be the 'Solution' to this problem (funnily enough Jeremy's Split board is called the Solution) and so have decided to give it another go and am determined to really make it work!

Splitboard access really suits the touring that we do around here and when I tried it before it felt great going up but in the past I have found the boards too soft and the binding system, raised up on a wobbly plate, not great for the ride down.

With the new 'Jones split' and the new improved binding system from 'Spark R&D' though things are starting to look up and if we can make it work it will open up a whole new world of opportunity up in the mountains for snowboarding, which is quite an exciting prospect!

As such, I will be hosting a test fleet of 'Jones Splitboards' here in Chamonix and will base my BC Freeride courses around using them with the possibility of also using them for my 2 trips to Norway and Greenland.

For further info on the 'Jones Snowboards' line visit the Jones site at www.jonessnowboards.com

For further info on 'Spark' bindings go to www.sparkrandd.com

Is this the future? I think it just might be!

Anyway, another beautiful day awaits, the roads are dry and this blog is quite long enough.

I hope you're already getting as excited about next winter as I am and I look forward to your feedback on this proposed calendar.

This years courses filled up fast and again places will be limited so watch this space, prices and details to follow soon!

All is good!

Neil.

Fresh snow on the Grandes Autannes and a Beaugean.

Alistair riding the Grd Autannes with great cold powder!

After a great few days at the Grd St Bernard pass we headed back to Chamonix, pausing at the col du Forclaz to scope out the fantastic looking classic descent off the Grd Autannes. Relatively untracked and with great looking cold snow this had to be on the cards for our next sortie.

Alistair making quick work of the climb up the Grd Autannes.

The bootpack was in great condition and with crampons on we headed straight up getting to the top in just over and hour and a half (which is pretty quick, I've know it take twice as long!). It was a perfect day and from the top we looked out on the Midi des Grandes Glacier (which looked like it might have had a bit of wind effect) and the Bron (which looked amazing!). Quite a few people had headed down the back following the sunny slopes down towards the Glacier du trient exit but we descended of the summit and rode across to the classic descent down into the couloir that runs down from the col du Balm. From the very first turn I knew it was going to be good and a big smile spread across my face as my board slid and carved on fresh cold deep silk like powder. We headed across to the top of the main face and looked down on endless untracked powder! I dropped in and melted as I dug deep and entered the white room as the powder filled the air on every turn. Amazing to find this 4 days after the storm during the busy Easter week and with the temperatures getting so high at the moment. A fantastic day made even better due to the fact that we'd dropped the van off right at the bottom in the morning and so rode right to our ride home.

En route to the Col du Baeugean with Alistair and Tammy.

Mixed weather the following day so we decided, rather than scrape around looking for possibilities we'd have a rest day and then hit the Col du Beaugean in the morning. Clear skies welcomed us, myself and Alistair joined for the day by my friend Tammy (who runs Mint in Morzine). A good freeze under clear night skies made the going easier and we made good time up to the start of the rocky climb up to the Col.

The rocky climb up to the Col du Beaugean.

With good snow the other side we didn't need to do the usual rappel and rode straight from the top finding good cold snow on the North Face the other side. A little lower down the snow was still a little frozen but super smooth and so we got some carving on spring snow down into the Berard Valley.

On our descent we skirted to the right of the big slope that had avalanched at the start of the week (claiming the lives of 3 ski tourers). The slope had slid leaving a crown wall from the slab release that must have spread across the slope for about 150m sliding on a very icy smooth layer, obviously undetectable and highly unstable but right on the convexity of the slope.

The warning signs, fresh snow, strong winds and big temperature rises were all in evidence at the start of the week and during our adventure at the Grd St Bernard we'd had to be on our best behaviour and take our lead from the mountains conditions.

There were many Avalanche casualties during the days straight after the last storm and it is a strong reminder for us to heed the warnings laid down by the mountains and the weather. Today there is a tendency for us all to go rushing out there as soon as it clears and dive on in in the rush to get first tracks but we must listen to the mountain and heed the warnings!

A couple of hot days and good freeze thaw cycles like we've just had should start to stabilize things and give us some good spring corn conditions, although more snow is forecast for early next week!

I've got my first week off now since December and so today I had a quick outing on the bike (my second of the winter). It felt hard but good and I'm keen to get out a bit more if the weather holds out.

Following this, I have 2 three day courses back to back and then the piece de resistance, the Mont Blanc Summits week. There are quite a few tracks down Mont Blanc today (we've just had 2 perfect days of clear warm weather and no wind up high) and conditions appear to be good. I'm hoping to get started on the Grand Paradiso in Italy first and then follow up with Mont Blanc so it should be a great final week of the winter.

I've also made some progress with my idea for a split board touring week and so I'll be posting more info on that and also info on next years calendar later this week.

Keep checking back!

All is good,

Neil.

Mont Fouchon from the col du Grand St Bernard.

Hiking up to the summit of Mont Fouchon, the Monastery from where we started is visible in the background.

Just got back from a great couple of days over at the Col du Grand St Bernard.

With a perfect 2 day weather window on the cards I formulated a quick plan to head over to the Monastery at the Col du Grand St Bernard.

The Monastery at the col du Grd St Bernard.

The Monastery there was first built as a hospice for stranded travellers in 1049, the pass being a major trade passage through the mountains and prone to bad weather and terrible conditions. Over the centuries it has grown in stature and become a fully working monastery catering as always to visitors passing through the high mountain pass at 2469m both Summer and Winter.

last Summer I visited the pass for the first time in ages riding it on my bike the day before the Tour de France was due to pass through a damn site quicker than I did. The first time I passed this way was as a child on one of our annual family voyages around the Alps, my Mum and Dad pointing out the peaks and sites of interest from over heating VW camper van before forcing us up some towering peak which on arrival we could have climbed via a 5 minute cable car ride. Character building stuff we were told!

Having never visited the pass in Winter but heard all about the great touring to be found around this region I have always been keen to get over there and find out what all the fuss was about. With a private guiding week underway and 2 perfect days forecast this was the perfect opportunity to get over there and explore.

Mont Fouchon 2902 is just behind and right of the sharp pointed peak (Pain du Sucre 2909m) in the center.

I quickly set about some research and came up with the perfect itinerary with a peak hidden away just beyond the Col called Mont Fouchon at 2902m.

On Monday morning we headed over to the Super St Bernard ski area (one gondolla lift) where which to our amazement (it being Easter bank holidays) was quiet and a blue bird powder day! We rode the lift a couple of times scoring powder both sides of the single piste before grabbing our touring kit and heading from the top of the lift down into the valley behind and hiking up to the Monastery at the Col. The hospitality there is amazing (although I'm obviously used to the hospitality of the Mont Blanc refuges and the Chamonix valley so anywhere were they say hello and smile at you is amazing in my book!) and we settled in for a relaxing and educational (with a quick tour of the museum) evening.

We woke to choir music and perfect weather and after a relaxed start headed out the door for just after 9. The route first descends following the deeply buried summer road around onto the Italian side of the pass nipping though one of the road tunnels before the climbing begins. Fortunately for us there were a group of skiers just one step ahead (guided by a good friend of mine) putting in a good track. Even so, with fresh snow underfoot and a heavy pack I was still sinking knee deep on every step and with 1000m of up ahead we knuckled down for some heavy work.

About here I started wishing for a split board! Hot work and deep snow!

About an hour into the climb I started dreaming of getting a split board again, the terrain over there definitely lends itself to skiing over snowshoeing and the potential for split board access over snowshoes is amazing. If only they were as good going down as up! Maybe next year!!

Alistair on the ridge just below the summit.

Anyway, we made the summit for about 11:30am, a fine pointed peak with standing room on top for 2 and spectacular views 360 degrees.

The descent was by the way of ascent.

Some of the potential for the descent in more stable conditions, today the avalanche risk was just to high!

There were some pretty good looking alternatives around but with the temperatures rising steadily, a foot or more of fresh and strong winds the previous day the avalanche risk was steadily rising off the scale and safety was priority.

As usual I took very few shots on the descent as I didn't want to stop but here's Alistair getting his fill.

Even so a good big descent saw us with about an hours ascent back up to the monastery and then a quick ride back down to the car at the Super St Bernard lift.

A great day out and a quick peek at the massive potential offered in this area. It's got me thinking about running a split board touring week next year... I've got some ideas for it so watch this space!

All is good.

Neil.

Winter returns to Chamonix!

Wow, loads of snow in Chamonix again and the mountains are looking amazing! At this time of year the snow holds a little more moisture than early season and so it starts to stick to everything and the steep faces start to get a good cover. This is the time of year when some of the extreme lines start to come into condition, its also however a time of year when the temperature can fluctuate to the extreme and so what was good in the morning can be the opposite in the afternoon and we'll see lots of heavy point release slides going off in the days following the frequent April showers over the next month or so.

I've just finished a 3 day Off Piste clinic which was timed to perfection with 3 days of Off piste powder, a bluebird day up the Grands Montets which was great but busy as ever and then 2 storm riding days in the trees at Courmayeur which were amazing!

It's nice to be out riding bottomless fresh again, I quite simply just love it!

I'm now enjoying a couple of days off from the mountains, my first rest period (3 days) since starting out in December from when I've been up riding 6 days a week right through until now and I have to say the last couple of weeks my legs have been feeling it a little. Yesterday I just kind of lazed. Today we had a family swimming trip to a spa pool in Switzerland where there are massage jets and the likes in the pools. Suddenly my legs are starting to feel strong again and I'm half tempted to have a quick session on the bike on the turbo trainer this evening although I know I shouldn't. I've not been on the bike at all this last week although the week before I managed to get out for my first ride of the year after a quick descent of the Vrai Valley Blanche in the morning(not on the bike). My legs really felt it though and I think I put too much in as I was tired for the next couple of days, I'm kind of dreading my next turbo session as I know it'll be hard after a week or so off.

Anyway, winter seems to have returned and there's a lot of descents looking to be in great condition. I have a 7 day Private guiding week coming up. 1 on 1 with a regular client Alistair Davies who rides great and has a great sense of adventure so we should be able to get out and find some great snow to ride. I fancy a quick Grandes Autannes as it looked great as I drove over the col du Forclaz this afternoon. The big bowls above La Caffe which I've never done looked great so I'm keen for that. Everything in the Aiguille Rouge is looking good and then the Breche du Puiseaux in the Peridades is pretty much a 'must do' trip for this coming week plus I have a few ideas for exploring some new spots I've never been to.

Lets hope we get lots of snow and perfect days!

There's lots of interest for next season already so I'll go through the calendar with Ruth and we'll start to come up with dates and courses and should have these online mid April.

Keep checking back here for info and updates!

All is good,

Neil.