The climbing and mountaineering thread...

[Bill]

I have no idea how this'll go! I thought it would be good to share plans and experiences...

I rock climbed for years in my teens and twenties, with an occasional trip to Scotland in winter. Then had a lull while I got fat and out of shape and have started again now the kids are getting older and capable of doing a bit. And in the last few years have discovered the Alps (Which was a bit of a wtf were we thinking not to have tried this sooner moment.)

I have a couple of weekends in June planned, one to Wales and one to the Alps, plus a family holiday in the Italian Lakes and Dolomites for some via ferrata and climbing.

I'm just looking at ditching my ageing DMM Raptor ice axes and going leashless if anyone's been through the same.

Cue the tumbleweed...

[Bill]

bearman68 said:

Bill, you are me. Except I do less.

I'm not sure that's possible! (ETA doing less I mean... Last year I did one weekend in the Lakes.)

How old are your kids? Mine are 11, and 8y-o twins. The twins are a bit more wary but my eldest is utterly unflappable.

Edited by Bill on Saturday 23 March 20:14

[Bill]

bearman68 said:

twins.

Why would you do that?!?

The main limit is my wife as she worries when she isn't there and has wobbles when she is. We were on Y Gribin last summer and everything was fine until the mist lifted a bit and she realised how high up we were. And when she started to go the twins started too.

[Bill]

lowndes said:

First photo taken in ’70 is the Cassin Route on Cima Ouvest.

Fair play!

I'll see if I can dig out some old pics too.

[Bill]

GravelBen said:

Would like to get into steeper stuff again but need to get the fitness back to a more respectable level first.

I help out with the Scouts and we went to the bouldering wall in Poole a few weeks ago. One of the leaders is 21 and while I kept up briefly I soon faded and he started taking the piss out of ageing trad climbers. I was trying to do the maths about our respective ages for a quick come back, but worked out I'd done all my beast climbing and had started getting fat before he was born.

[Bill]

Labradorofperception said:

As to the question about leashless- I run leashed Aztars for the Alpine and lower grade mixed stuff. Leashless for the steeper ice. What I found was that I had to really nail my footwork. Once I had honed in on that, my grades went up and I found it less tiring on a WI5 than a mid grade gully on the Buchaille.

Interesting you still use leashes on easier stuff. Is that just because you can't easily convert them to leashless, and have better tools for the steep stuff?

I got caught out on Gardyloo Gully years and years ago as it had a steep section of ice at the top. Never having done anything anywhere near that steep or technical before i plugged my way up it, but in hindsight the leashes were a massive hindrance while placing gear. AIUI most of the time it isn't that bad, and I guess these days you'd be better prepared due to the internet, but it's made me think. Reading around I can't see any occasion a leash is an advantage.

My "back in the day" photos have been relegated to the loft, so here's my first proper alpine route a couple of years ago. (Cosmique Arete, not that you can tell...)

[Bill]

Labradorofperception said:

Useful stuff

Brilliant thanks.

The Cosmique was ace, we had our photo taken as we set off down to the glacier too. Little did they realise what rank amateurs we were.

[Bill]

Embarrassingly enough, I've only recently "discovered" the Alps now I'm in my forties! I remember people coming back from school trips and talking about either the rain or the heat, and the early starts and long snowy slogs that put me off.

I did spend three months of my gap year in Yosemite though so it's not all bad.



I'm not as blonde or skinny any more.

ETA off to Wales and the Alps next month for weekends, Idwal and hopefully the Aiguille de Tour.

Edited by Bill on Tuesday 21st May 10:54

[Bill]

I'd love to say I know where those were taken. I do have one similar to the first but I think the view is wrong for Half Done.

[Bill]

I don't remember it looking that hard.

[Bill]

It's all good IMO.

[Bill]

CamL said:

Conditions are looking good if you are coming out in June. There is still a lot of snow high which may well mean that some of the snow/ice faces that have reverted to high angle loose rock by June in recent years are actually in nick.

This photo taken about 5 minutes ago looking across to the peaks just to the north of Arolla - Gd and Pt Dents de Veisivi etc. (shadowy bit right of centre) Will be off for a bumble tomorrow so will see more.

Cheers. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high.

I meant to record Free Solo (our internet in pants) so will have to find it on 4seven or whatever the repeat channel is.

[Bill]

speedyguy said:

Anyone for Everest today
Seen the stories of it before almost as bad as Snowden now on a weekend for numbers queueing to the top.

https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/...

That summit ridge photo is insane!

[Bill]

And Rockfax has made it to android so everything is free until the end of June.

[Bill]

Just got back from Cham! Not the best weather-wise but it was a learning experience...

We stayed in the Albert Prem hut, got caught out in a thunderstorm on Friday. Then had a snowy/rainy start on Saturday which ruined the conditions so had a bit of a play on a snow gully until the heat made it scary.

Sunday was a bit more successful but we missed the tracks up to the Col De Tour, mainly because they were barely there as the col was (we assume) tricky. So trudged up the Tete Blanche and did the Petit Fourche in fantastic sunshine which was spectacular, if a bit tame.

I'll put up some pictures when I get a mo.

[Bill]

That's very cool. I had all sorts of plans, but she got me drunk in a restaurant.

I'm struggling to make the pictures small enough.

[Bill]

View down the valley on the first evening, looking over the old/now winter hut.



Late to the party due to snow in the morning. Ab'd off after this due to warmth and avalanche risk. Shouldn't have started up it, but I bet Rob he couldn't manage a pitch swimming.



View of Aug du Tour in the way down in the slush. ETA thinking about it, Tour is just out of shot to the left.



Easy rock at the top of Petite Fourche.



And the view!

Edited by Bill on Friday 5th July 16:57

[Bill]

Cheers, it's all good stuff. I'm in Arco at the moment with the family doing some via ferattas etc with the family. It's a bit hot though so not as much as I'd like.

The goats are taking full advantage...

[Bill]

Anyone one else feeling a bit edgy? I just missed out on a weekend ski touring last month, and should be either skiing or walking/climbing with the family this week. Got some plans for weekends in June that are looking doubtful, one in the Lakes and one in the Alps. And I can't go down the wall. Even mountain biking is limited due to the need to be sensible, and kayaking is out.

This thread is a tonic though, so I'm going to dig through some old photos...

[Bill]

Sorry, got busy and walked the kids to Dancing Ledge. Will have a hunt for pics...

McGee_22 said:

My daughter has taken to climbing all the trees in our garden as well as onto a first floor roof that catches the sun. She's also increasingly bugging me about ordering some wood and rope to make a tree house between three large (18" diameter) beech trees that sit in a 15' triangle from each other.

It's a start!