Trois cols, France

After the yesterdays "improving" weather, today was going to be great, but followed by more precipitation, so we effectively had one day left ..  we had always talked about the 3 cols route ... effectively the 1st day of the Chamonix to Zermatt route .. but returning to Le Tour instead of stopping at the Trient Hut.

So an early start and the first lift of the cable car at Grands Montets, and before we could get our heads together we were back on the col behind the top station gearing up .. harnesses and glacier gear on, and strapping into our bindings for the first descent. We were surrounded by groups of people who all seemed to be going the same way.

For some reason I had a feeling it was going to be a tough day, and this was highlighted when we had the first argument (well Nick and I - Bryon was fighting the slopes at this early time). Nick wanted to stay high and not loose height by doing a big traverse through the seracs (as if going to the Argentiere hut), whereas I reasoned that going straight down would be easier as it was more used and the height lost was inconsequential. Needless to say after giving in for the sake of harmony, I reserved the right to tell him later he was a prat! We were the only ones on this popular route taking the high option, and by the time we reached the glacier our calves were killing us .. the route was incredibly icy and the tracks were corrugated meaning we were shaken to bits. Having told Nick he was a plonker, we had a debate about abandoning things, as we were already feeling the effects, but Bryon and I decided to see how it went on the col de Chardonnet climb and make a decision there.


Putting the skins on we headed across to the bottom of the glacier coming down from the col.  the entrance is always a little tricky and changes every-time I have been there, but this time involved some scrambling over rocks on the right hand side facing it.

After that it was a case of  following the well worn trail up very icy slopes. At some point up here my ski crampon became loose, and I bent down to sort it out, only to see it disappear down the slope. I suspect some one lower down picked it up and kept it, as I never saw it again ...  the other one eventually went to a needful home - (but that is another story) .. I pressed on with one short step and one confident one until we reached the curve of the initial slopes.

Once the initial slopes were over, we could see the col in the very distance, but with the slope lessening it was just a case of one step in front of another.

Nick was way ahead of Bryon and myself by this point, as we were feeling the effects of the day before and the terrible descent. I do remember as I struggled to the col, Nick bounding around like a puppy, shouting that there was a steep descent on the other side, but it was OK as there was a "fixed" rope in place. I could not care less at this point and just wanted to have some food and a drink. It had been a struggle up the slope and in the hot sun I was a little dehydrated. Bryon was a little behind me and we both sat off to one side to assess the situation and have some recovery time.

We decided to continue (I suspect this was Bryon's competitive spirit coming through!), but only after telling Nick that if was going to keep disappearing ahead then he might as well go on his own or tag onto one of the other groups.

Nick calmed down a bit, but then annoyed the group descending by going down their rope and no even asking. Meanwhile Bryon and I descended by down climbing, as he slope was fairly good and even had small foot holds.

At the bottom it was a steady traverse around the top of the glacier and around a buttress before we could see the next col. (fenetre de Salina).

Round the corner and over the initial hump and the col looked a long way away. but was in reality not too far. The final slopes were too steep and we ended up walking with the skis on our backs before breaking through the rocks to a wide open plain on the other side.


Another pause for food and re-hydration, and trepidation about how far we still had to climb, but peaking around the corner gave the great news that it was almost level and not too far.

Looking back to the Fenetre  de Salina most parties wee heading over to the Trient hut (Bryon and I would do this another day). Only is and a party of soldiers who were off to "faire Igloo" at the Albert Premier hut went over this last col.

On the other side of the col was a short descent down loose rocks to the glacier before a long, long traverse around the top of the glacier and around to a point just below where we had surfaced when doing the col de Passon the year before.

By now my legs were really tired, the traversing had been the bitter end after all the climbing. and we still had to descend to Le tour!!.

The initial descent was OK, albeit rather slowly with many stops to recover aching legs, until we had our last argument with Nick ...  his interpretation of the guide book which he had memorized stated to keep left on the descent, so being the strongest at this point he was leading. Now I know his skills at reading the ground are not good and I should have stepped in before we made the criminal error of "traversing" left rather than "keeping" left. and we ended up high on the shoulder well above where we should be and steep dangerous slopes below preventing us from going back.

Just what we needed when feeling tired and exhausted. A number of others had made the same mistake and we kept going across until we could traverse back right, below the top rock band, then down a steep gully, until we could traverse still further right. The danger was not over as the snow was now very soft and sluffing was a real concern, but after heading through some bushes and shrub covered bits we had a final steep gully to get back on the right route.

From here it was an easier path to get back to the Vormaine lifts and the safety of the pistes. from where we could look back at the close encounter.

This was the final year we would be with Nick, but it did make the next time we had to deal with situations like this, a much more controlled affair.

The route had been a good one, and we would be back in the future, and the memories  still remain.

Grands Montets, France

Back to Grands Montets for the day....  for a rest day  .... we needed to find out how the snow had consolidated over the last 2 days whilst we were away.

The snow was well tracked, but there was a fair bit of loose stuff on the top .. this lead to some very enjoyable exercise, and we spent a long day testing our selves and the mountain on all the "usual" routes.

Bryon in mid air (almost)

Strahlhorn, switzerland

Early start, today's route is described as a long flog in the summer; we were hoping that using skis would make it more interesting and also speed the descent.

The first section was to "ski" down onto the glacier.. it was a more of a traversing descent, but in the dark using head torches.
Once down on the glacier it was a just a matter of following the well marked trail heading up the very slight incline of the glacier.

The trail went on and on, and the skies got gradually lighter

still heading for the col, the summit is the one to the left of the col.

Eventually we reached the final slopes as they steepened up to the col

The col is the traditional route from Zermatt to Sass Fee and gives views down both valleys.

From here we turned left and took the gentle slope heading ever upwards.

finally we could could determine the last slopes and the summit

The last steps and along the summit ridge would be done on foot, so we deposited the skis just below the rock band

The ridge was relatively wide and an easy walk to the high point.

The skiing back down to the col was a lot like much of the off-piste runs we had done at Les Grands Montets. We were soon back on the glacier, and looking back up to the col

There was a large party rising from the col which had come up from the Zermatt side.

Down the glacier was a long run reminiscent of the Valley Blanche. As we were coming down the clouds were gathering and closing on on the tops.

One last look up the valley, before we put the skins on and climbed up the slope to the hut. it was further than I remembered from the morning, and we were all very exhausted as we approached the hut, slowly one step at a time.

Back at the hut we had a quick rest before heading off down the rat-trac to the ski area. From here, whether it was the pisted surface, or the addition Oxygen of the lower altitude, but we very quickly got back to the car. The weather was closing in all around.

After the night we had spent in Saas Grund earlier we chose to keep driving back to Chamonix and hope the weather had improved.

A quick meal in a restaurant in Argentiere and we were back at the camp-site in Les Praz. The snow had all gone and everywhere was dry. Time to recover from 2 days at over 4000m.

Allalinhorn, switzerland

The next morning, we headed into Saas Fee and parked in the multi storey car park, and then on to the lift system to take us up to the top of the glacier. This involved taking the two stages of the main lift to Felskinn, and then the Metro Alpin to Mittleallalin..  a strange underground train that was damp and dripping, with the seats angled and staggered.

At the top station we exited out to the top of the piste .. a wide open area, where several parties were busily "warming up" whilst some inappropriate music was blasting out of tinny speakers.

We edged past then heading across the pistes trying not to loose height until we reached the point where we would leave the marked trails and head up to the col.

There were several parties around us, as we headed diagonally upwards to the steep section below the col.

The steep section did cause us a few palpitations especially as we performed a number of kick turns at delicate points.

The col brought some cooling breeze, and a fantastic view towards the Matterhorn. We also took to opportunity to grab a quick breather, before pushing on to the summit.

From the col the slope started off fairly wide and open over a number of false summits.

Finally at the rock barrier we made a ski depot with all the other parties, before heading for the summit on foot.


We paused for photos at the summit, and the great views.

Back to the ski depot, and then we were on the way down. the top slopes were relatively simple, and we had no difficulty with the wide slopes.

From the col the key section was the steep part, which was hard and icy when we ascended, but in the hot sun had softened so when we got to it was a kind of heavy powder, and we skied it with technique number one ... single turns.

Once back on the piste we headed over to Felskinn and over to Eginnerjoch, keeping high so as not to have to put the skins on. From here there was a rat-trak path to the Britannia hutte ... very horizontal and involved a lot of poleing and we eventually put the skins on.

The further down the track we went the heavier the cloud and mist became until we could hardly see where we were going, and glad there was the track.

Eventually the hut appeared out of the mist, and we thankfully headed for the refuge.

This had been a day for making up for the last time I had attempted the Allalinhorn, and I had reached the summit.