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2 weeks in chamonix 7-Aug-2007 At 9:49:32 AM Robb

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quick trip report and link to photos.
just spent 2 weeks in Chamonix in the french alps doing some rock and alpine climbing.
photos here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rob_baker/sets/72157601263330560/

A day after arriving in Cham the weather looked good for the weekend so decided to head up Mont
Blanc. Some acclimatisation would have been nice, but went anyway. walked the few hours to the tete
rousse hut 3200m then after a few hours rest I left at midnight in a tshirt, was at the goutier hut by 2
am and past the crux climbing. I donned a shell jacket for the windy summit ridge and was on top by
6am. after a few naps on the way down, i was back in town by 3pm.
after a rest day, i headed out with a few crew from the campsite to do cool ridge scramble. 10 minutes
from the campsite and 600m long. no harder than grade 10 i guess and doable in sneakers. lots of fun.
its called Via Corda Alpine and fully bolted by the french authorities.
My english mate Ross from Sheffield had just completed a cool triathlon challenge in a 5 person relay
team. Swim the Channel, ride to cham then climb mt blanc.
Now I had a partner, we climbed a fun 6 pitch route on the Agulle de l'M with a 2 hour approach from a
secret hut bivi.
the next good spell of weather, we managed an ascent of the classic Frendo Spur 1200m with a good
sprinkling of snow. A cold bivi ensured the beautiful snow ridge was hard in the morning. a beautiful
well recommended climb.tough descent though. 10 minutes in the cable car and we were back int eh
valley eating ice cream.
Next day we headed up to Envers hut for some stunning multipitch granite routes. Good friends from
adelaide stevie and katie had already been there for a few days. did two classic routes in 2 days. Guy
Ann. 6a+ 350m and le Piege 200m 6b+. amazing granite in an amazing place. then crammed the golf
full of 4 people
and all their gear and headed back to calais and under the tunnel to sunny england. must get back
soon......