18. Holiday on ice...

Just back from an ice-climbing trip to La Grave (Les Ecrins in the French Alps). Good conditions for the first few days (early morning temperatures of about -10C), and some good ice.


Probably our best climbing day was Goulotte de Muretouse (II/3+, 200m ***); this involved an approach up a narrowing gully that had seen a spectacular avalanche. The climb itself gave two good pitches. We saw no-one all day, and were home in time for tea and cake! No Ellson epics!

But, by the end of the week, the temperatures had rsien (-2C in the morning), and the icefalls were dripping. This gave adrenaline-fuelled climbing but for the wrong reasons.


All in all, a good (if not great) trip - no tears, no dropped screws (£50 a pop), lots of cake and baths, some frogs legs and even a little tripe.

Comments

  1. blinky25 January 2012 at 17:20

    Just been looking at the ice-climbing...VERY scary. Rather you than me!

    ReplyDelete

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