Descent pic

Here is another picture from the descent - maybe from 07:00 in the morning from approx. 4 500 m. People are still ascending to the summit over the Petite and Grande Bosses ridge - also known as the "Dromedary Humps". Actually dromedars only have one hump - the nickname originates from an old misunderstanding according to the guidebook.

The big snowy field behind the "Grande Bosses" hump is Dome du Gouter. Doesn't the horizon look a bit curved in the background?

Summit picture

Here is the summit pic from Friday morning, pretty dark huh? And I am not the only one who thinks it is cold at the summit... Fortunatly the wind was weak. I turned down shortly after this picture since my fingers were turning numb.

Shadow of the peak

Summit! Woke up at 02:30 and dressed up. After a quick breakfast I turned on the headlamp and started walking in the dark at 03:20. The other persons which had breakfast started atleast 10min later but they never catched up - I kept a high speed on the frozen snow. The slope looked endless and every 15min I took a candy to get some quick carbo-hydrates. The wind was moderate and my feets were not cold as long as I kept moving. My watch stopped working but approx. 06:20 there was no longer a higher place to go! It was getting light and the siluette of Matterhorn could be seen in the distance. Spanish guys at the summit were waiting for the sunrise, I asked them to take a picture of me before I descended. It was bitterly cold and I wanted to cross the Grand coloir before it was too late. On the descent I met all the people going up, on the sharp ridges I kindly stepped aside when I found a good spot. On the way down I took this picture - the shadow of Mont Blanc in the sky at sunrise! Last time I saw this was in Russia on Elbrus, another big mountain. Descended in 2 hours and finally came back down in Chamonix. The ascent and descent from Gouter hut took 5 h, guidebook specifies 5h 30min for ascent only. Maybe I am at fit after all ;-)?

Gouter hut

Had breakfast at 07:00, My throat feels very dry, probably a smaller infection. Left some excessive things and scrambled up 650 m in 2 h. There was no major stonefall but I passed several memorials from earlier fatalities. Recently there were 2 persons killed on this section. Took a short break at the hut (3817 m) and continued to 4150 m for acclimatisation. The pic is from the way down - glacier looks good. Start for summit tomorrow at 03:30. :-)

Hut Tete-Rousse

After the hotel breakfast I read the latest meteo - weather will be fine the next 3 days! B-) Packed my small backpack and left the other luggage in the hotel. Went to les Houches by taxi but cable car was closed for the season, but after a short walk I reached the other lift in operation. By cablecar to upper station and then a walk up the rocky terrain to the hut at 3167 m. Finally above the clouds again! :-) Tomorrow Gouter hut and then summit!

Chamonix

Arrived in Chamonix without trouble (bus was cheap but infrequent). Did not find an Internet café with memory card reader - action photos have to wait. :-( Met Peter and Sophie, they have had a nice climbing time. Will probably climb Mont Blanc the normal route tomorrow without a party ('solo') but I bet that I will not be alone on Friday morning.

Crap...

I have not taken any picture with mobile since last update but it has been far from boring. Since I do not know how to update the blog without sending a new picture - have another hotel room pic! ;-) The trip to Courmayeur went fine - met Joseph and Daniel on Saturday and made camp by a river when we lost sight of the path in the dark. Next day we reached the Gonella hut at 3050 m after a long scree on the Miage glacier and a 500 m (altitude) advanced scrambling. This climb was not for the faint hearted... Pitched tent at 20.00 on a small platform we carved out with the ice axes and had a sleepless Sunday night. No summit attempt as we were tired, we had heard the glacier was badly crevassed and most important - a storm will arrive on Tuesday. Today we downclimbed and I am now in back in town. Will try to upload pictures from my camera tomorrow.

Mont Blanc - again

Going to Mont Blanc again! Made a decision about this recently - last time the weather defeated us! Will go with Daniel again plus companions, will meet them in Entreves tomorrow. Picture is from the hotel room on Arlanda airport (classy but expensive!). Flight to Amsterdam and Geneva leaves at 06:30 on Saturday, will meet up with US woman Sophia there to share car to Chamonix. All ahead!

End of trip

After a slow descent yesterday we drowe to Courmayor. Road to the mountain closed due to avalanche danger. This morning it rained and this weather will continue for 3 more days. Mont Blanc will be impossible in this weather. Daniel and I parted some minutes ago, I will relax instead. Like the ducks on the trolley in one of Milano's streams.

Long trek

Picture from ascent to camp at 4000 m on Sunday. Monday we ascended to 4460 m before the whiteout conditions forced us down. We are now at 3000 m and plan to return to the valley today.

Morning at 3000

Late start and difficult snow conditions. Last night we were very exhausted. We have aim at a smaller peak.

In Staffa at 1800m

Colm never showed up and I have not slept at all tonight -too long story to tell now when we will climb Monte Rosa.

On my way

Having lunch in one of the better restaurants in Kastrup airport. Flight almost on time - this looks good. Well, people stared at my backpack but this is normal.

Things are packed!

The strike at SAS was announced to be over just some minutes ago, this is most welcome news! It has been a hot afternoon and during the day I have packed in all the stuff into the backpack and hand luggage.
25 kg:s in the backpack
10 kg:s in the hand luggage
I wonder if I will get through without extra fee for overweight (20 kg:s allowed)? The luggage will become 5 kg:s lighter if I dress in the Scarpa Vega boots and Gore Tex pants/jacket and fill my pockets with stuff. I doubt my fellow travellers in the nearest seats would like the smell... Daniel is on the way and I now have Colm's phone number. I look forward to the journey tomorrow! No photo today, but the backpack is a true monster...

Time to pack - too many things going on

Sorry for the poor picture folks but it is getting late and mobile cameras are infamous for their sensitivity to darkness. Made my best to clean off the task list at work to get a good end of the working week. Colm will join us in Milano and this is great news! Fired up my Optimus Nova stove in the afternoon and it went like a clock - good thing. Brief discussion with Daniel on what to bring, he will leave Budapest Thursday noon.

To the bad news, I spent over an hour to print out the maps of Monte Rosa Ostwand and Mont Blanc Italian route. The final results looks good though! Still thousands of things to pack. Will I really need all this stuff, it is more than 25 kg:s already?!

If things weren't bad enough there is a wild strike at SAS going on in Denmark. I will land there on Friday to change to a SAS plane for Milano. Hopefully the conflict is solved by Friday afternoon.

Time to get to bed, I will get up early tomorrow instead to pack the rest when there is daylight. Maybe I can think of something to leave at home while at sleep?

Good morning Schnappi!

This is the start of my new blog,what could be better than a picture of a ferret emerging from the bed? Here I plan to write about distant travels primarily to mountains. Let's hope that my sony ericsson K550i can cope with the thin air and cold... On Friday I will fly to Milano for some alpinism - Monte Rosa and Mont Blanc! I have one participant guaranteed with Daniel (Hungary), will Colm (Ireland) find a flight so that he can join too? This will be most exciting.