A year ago while climbing in the Rockies, myclimbing partnerasked, "Where would you go to learn "alpine climbing"?
My quick answer was Chamonix. Every good alpine climber that I have admired over the years has spent some time here. And I have always thought that what they learned here was a major influence on their climbing careers.
I've been here 12 days. In that time we've had 40cm of snow, in two dumps. And as much as I know alpine climbing is all about conditions, I've generally ignored that and climbed anyway. Wallowing in cold dry snow has followed. While wearing all the clothes I own. A few interesting lessons for me already.
No Neve to be found here :) There was however lots of waist deep snow being shed off thehard, dryice.
It could be worse. But at the moment this has been the onlyresult of being slow on route. Bivy in the WC on the Midi station. Breakfast and a coffee in town followed after the first lift down the next morning. If nothing else climbing in Chamonix is sureal.
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