Alps 2010 - Up to the Envers Hut (Day 1-2)

I've just got back from a couple of nights in the mountains for a rest day so here is a catch up so far.  Chris and I set off from Telford straight after work, heading to his aunty and uncle's house near St Albans.  First thing Saturday morning we were up and heading towards Dover.  The trip was ok, I think we arrived at Chamonix about 7:30pm having left at 5am.  The drive is a long one with not much to do but read and play with the camera, a 10-20mm lens I hired especially for the trip.  Its taken some awesome photos so far, despite being a pain to lug about and get out to take photos with.

Too much time in the car!

When we arrived at Chamonix we were ready to get the tent up and hit the hay so we could get out the next morning but as we arrived the campsite was fully booked.  The Mer de Glace campsite is probably the best in Chamonix with easy access everywhere (you get a free rail ticket), good free showers, laundry facilities and free wi-fi :)  After talking to the owners they told us to come back early the next day, so we scouted around looking for somewhere to doss.  Chris found a chalet that was still being built but nearing the end of construction so we go the sleeping gear out and spent the night under the verandah.  We were up early the next morning to try and get a space and found a the Dru peering at us through the clouds.

Le Dru through the clouds at 6am

I had to wait in a queue at the office until they opened at 7:30am, the lady at the campsite sorted us out with a pitch and we got the tent up sharpish.  As soon as we had it up we packed our bags and headed back to Chamonix station to catch the Montenvers station up to the Montenvers Hotel at on the side of the Mer de Glace glacier.  We met a Scottish lad called Graham who we got chatting to, he asked if he could rope up with us across the glacier.

Montenvers Train Station

This drops you off at around 1900m (around 900m gain from the town of Chamonix).  We then headed down the via ferrata style ladders around 100m down on to the glacier.  If your not good with heights, you wouldn't like this!  There were also some ropes to descend hand over hand if you preferred.  We took the 3 sections of rope at the bottom in preference to the ladders.

Chris on the via ferrata ladders from the Mer de Glace

As we got to the glacier we saw a marmot which was so tame you could of stroked it!  Chris got up a personal with the little fellow :)  Once on the glacier we walked for a little while before deciding to rope up.  We didn't bother with crampons as the surface was quite soft because of the baking sun.  I led across with Chris in the middle and Graham at the back.  We marched across the glacier, jumping some crevasses and walking across a narrowish ice bridge (about 2ft).  It was pretty good fun walking into the mountains along the glacier, and the fact that it was dry (no snow) meant it was fairly safe going.

Chris and Graham getting ready to rope up on the Mer de Glace

After following the glacier around a bend the crevasses worsened before it straighten out and the glacier got steeper.  There is a large red arrow on the cliff face to the left hand side which marks the ladders, similar to those from the Montenvers.  There is lots of loss boulders, scree and sand on the edge of the glacier which require good balance before getting to the foot of the ladders.  Graham had a bit of a stumble which knocked down a lot of rubble, missing Chris lower down.  There was then a very short slightly overhanging section of ladder.  

Chris above the Mer de Glace on more via ferrata

After following the ladder to the top there was a winding path which we followed before another few shorter sections of iron steps and handles before finding the path again.  By this point I'm not sure if it was altitude or heat or what but I was blowing a bit and the last winding section up to the hut was tough!   There were plenty of marmots to keep me amused while taking a breather.  My fitness hasn't counted for much and lugging up a heavy sack full of metal climbing, sleeping and cooking gear as well as food didn't make it any easier.  The Envers hut at 2523m is worth it though, nice and clean with proper working toilets and some of the best food in the Alps I've had :)  Talk about a room with a view....

Envers Hut (2523m) perched above the Mer de Glace

Chris on the terrace of the Envers Hut

We set up our bivi gear outside the hut against the stone wall, I was shattered and got off to sleep around 9pm I think.  I only woke at about 2am to see some climbers leaving, one of which is in a Petzl Scottish winter climbing video (the one called Marshal?) see below.  

The stars are so vivid at this height with no light pollution.  I was too tired to take any pictures and went back to sleep.  The half sleeping bag and belay jacket worked really well, so I was pleased with that.

ISCF Bouldering World Cup @ Sheffield

Waiting for a build....

I'm conscious of the fact I haven't blogged for what seems a while, I'm at work waiting for my software to compile so I've got chance to put a few thoughts down.  I've been feeling like my running has been lacking a little recently and I've been doing trad climbing more and hence not pushing myself as physically hard, this coupled with the fact that I feel like I've been eating too much (portions and red meat in BBQ's) and I've been feeling a little blue.  I went to the AlpKit Big Shake Out as I mentioned in my previous blog and I intend to put some pics up from the the final of round 6 of the ISCF World Bouldering Comp later when I get chance.  I drank quite  a bit of booze (not getting hammered or anything but too much none the less) over the weekend and felt aweful early week with a bad stomach.  I tried climbing at Ippikins with the club and did crap which got me down even more.  I decided that I needed to kick it in to touch and did a duathlon in the gym.  I was aiming for 10k run, 20k bike and 5km run but didn't have time so settled for 4.1 mile run, 10km bike and 5km run which I did in under 1:30 and blew the cobwebs away.  I got cramp on the treadmill on the second running session but ran through it and since my calf has been a little tender but its nothing serious.  I exercised the following lunchtime by doing a mile run, a mile cross train and a mile on the bike.  Nothing serious but a good stretch.  I then met Daz and his mate at Newport for some Bouldering which wasn't bad but I haven't progressed at all - I need to get on it a little more really.

I'm hoping to get some cardio of some form tonight, perhaps a run or swim but I've got some other things I need to do too.  It's only a week until the Alps and after 2 hard days of training I don't feel quite so frumpy as after the weekend.  Maybe it's in my head?  I've been looking at the Ultra Running Man book which a friend lent me.  It's getting me inspired again.  I think I will start a weights program when I return from the Alps and get a finger board too.  I also had a go on the AlpKit FigFours at the Cliffhanger festival and I'm definitately going to buy a pair when I return.  

Alpkit FigFours

I've got plans to up my mileage (with a plan to run an ultra event hopefully - well trott).  For now I can't look at any more Alps stuff, it's getting kind of boring - I just want to do it!  Bored of pictures, stories, routes, books etc.

The compiles finished...... photos of the ISCF Bouldering Comp soon :)

Mind the birds!

Neither Chris or I could climb on Tuesday as we both had less exciting but more pressing things to do but I managed to get a cracking run in at lunchtime.  I was aiming to do a sub 50 minute 10k and jumped on the treadmill at lunchtime with a gradient of 3% and ramped the speed up to 7.8mph.  I sustained this really well but really started to cook towards the end and had 3 short walks (literally a couple of steps), but by the time I was at 5 miles I was absolutely busting for the loo!  I managed to get to 6 miles but couldn't risk the extra 0.2 miles and jumped off and ran to the loo.  I managed 46:31 for 6 miles so I'm really chuffed.  I think given a cooler day I could do 10k in less than 46 mins which would be excellent.  I'll have to try that on a flatish road or grass circuit when it is cooler.

Anyway I picked up Chris from his house yesterday and we headed to Pontesford.  There are some Peregrine Falcons nesting so the crag is heavily restricted.  First off Chris lead Oak Tree Wall Direct (VDiff), between us we have a lot of gear now as my DMM Dragon cams arrived (I'm very pleased with them!  £115 for a size 2,3 and 4 from http://www.theoutdoorshop.com which is quite a bargain :)  Chris set off up the route with enough gear to free climb El Cap!

Chris leading Oak Tree Wall Direct (VDiff*)

I scampered up and got the gear out and was thinking about my next climb.  I thought I'd like to try the HS 4a Eliminate G route but to be honest I wasn't really feeling it, it wasn't inspiring me.  I got the iPhone out and looked at the topo from http://www.westmidlandsrock.co.uk/.  Because of the restrictions on the wall due to the birds nesting I thought it would be best to go and have a go on the Pontesbury Needle which is at the bottom of the crag.  There are two severe routes on it as well as a couple of moderates and a couple of E grades.  I picked Hawthorn Crack (S 4a*).  The climbing wasn't too bad once committed but it did take a little time to make sure I was confident about linking up the moves which in the end were fairly static.  Because the crack runs up to the right you can push yourself back against the wall to find stability and in doing so and blindly pulling up the rope I ended up clipping the rope from below another piece of protection.  I didn't realise this until after I'd finished the route, I think it would of still been effective but less than ideal as it would of put strain on two bits of gear in a kind of pulling fashion.  I used mostly cams on the route (mainly because of ease of placement but you could get away with much less gear than what I took, in actual fact having a lot of gear in small places is a hinderance).  I was pretty pleased to top out, it's a nice route but the first part is very broken and just a scramble - the crux is one move but well protected so nice for a step up in grade for VDiff leaders.

Me leading Hawthorn Crack (S 4a*), approaching the crack

Me leading Hawthorn Crack at the crux

Chris seconding, just reaching the crack

Chris seconding, pulling around the bulge

I'm off to the AlpKit Big Shake Out which runs along side the Cliffhanger festival in the Peak District over the weekend with my family (Kate, Grace and her mate) so I should get some photos to post of various outdoor activities including the World Bouldering Championship.  I'm really looking forward to it and am hoping the weather is kind to us.  

On a seperate note; all in all the cardio and climbing are in a good state so I'm hoping the Alps should go very smoothly in a couple of weeks time :)  Here is a description of the route I'm most looking forward to   attempting in the Alps on Tour Ronde (conditions/bottle permitting!).  I think I have got everything I need now apart from a bit of tat for abseiling.

Bloody Roaches

I had half a day off work today for my first visit to Roaches for my first taste of Gritstone.  I got there about 4ish I think and found Daz, Allister and Emma on the route next to Valkyrie which looks even more impressive in reality than in any photos I've seen.

I after they finished I paired up with Daz and I led Yong (HVD 4a **) which felt ok for the grade once I was used to trusting the friction.  I took Daz's and Chris's cams up so and placed about 5 I think.

Not sure what the guy is on but Yong (HVD 4a **) runs up the twin cracks from the bottom left corner of the picture

After this Daz and Allister went over to climb on Hen Cloud and whilst there are a few routes there I want to try (namely The Arete) I thought I'd stay with Emma and try something a bit more taxing and see what all this Gritstone business is all about.  We headed over to do Ackit (HVS 5b **), struth what a route!  It's a layback crack that goes around a buldge and then another tough crack to layback and get over.  Emma got up to the bulge but didn't have enough smaller cams and after a few good goes and a fall she had enough.  We set up a top rope and I tried it.  I finished it but what an absolute strain, I didn't make it look elegant in the slightest but what a cracking route and a great introduction to Grit, drawing some blood!

Me belaying Emma just below the first crux on Ackit (HVS 5 **)

After this ordeal (haha) I was sweaty and out of breath, this is different climbing and I really like it.  I kept thinking about Dom Whillans photo on his DVD with his sunglasses, beanie and fag while I was doing it and imagining him saying man up lol!

Don Whillans!  Reputation for being a hard nut and famous for routes at Roaches

After we got off I wanted to lead something and suggested going to Hen Cloud but instead Emma suggested Sifta's Quid (HS 4b *).  I started off and thought the route was going to be easy!  I originally intended to climb inside the hole but couldn't quite get through with all my gear and helmet on!

Me disappearing into Sifta's Quid (HS 4b *)

I quickly decided that I would have to go over the top and which point I realised it wasn't going to be that easy!  I faff about stepping up and jamming and coming back down about 4 or 5 times before I got it right as I couldn't get friction for my slab on the outer wall whilst doing the crux.  The trick is to push down with your palm and sort of shimmy up it.  I ended up using the front of my left shoe too but as soon as you get your right foot up you're golden :)

Graham at the crux of Sifta's Quid

After this route I was feeling a bit beat up and knackered.  Emma suggested setting up a top rope on Chalkstorm (E4 5c **) and I thought I'd be able to do it on a slab as I've been feeling confident on them recently but I found even on a top rope with how knackered I was feeling a bit chicken so I came down. Emma then did it as did Graham.   All in all a cracking crag and I can't wait to get back to bash myself up some more!  Given I'd done the Welsh 3's on Sunday I was pleased to finish the harder routes, oh and I saw one of the lads we'd walked with on the last leg on my first route!  Small world eh?

Welsh 3000s

I'm going to (try and) keep this short and let the pictures do the talking!  We didn't get to Pen y Pass until late but blasted up to the summit in 1:30, arriving at 1:30am.  Chris had bought a full on airbed because he hasn't got a Thermarest yet and I haven't laughed so much in a long time as when we walked past about 20 people sleeping at the summit and pulled out his airbed and start blowing it up noisily, huffing and puffing for 10 minutes much to the dismay and grumbling of those trying to get some shut eye!  We got a few hours kip, it was a very windy night and awoke at 5am.  We took photos and got the jetboil on the go and by just after 7am I'd had a cup of tea, a cuppa soup and a packet of pasta and was packed and ready to go.  I was a bit gutted that I'd knocked on my mates Forerunner 310XT during the night and wasted a quarter of the battery!  We bounced down Snowdon, over Crib y Dsygl and over Crib Goch in no time at all.  It was good fun coming down the scree slope and before long we'd descended to the road and was at Nant Peris were my dad was waiting.  I changed into shorts and dropped the bivi gear off and carried on with just a hyrdation sack.  By this put the sun was getting higher in the sky and it was getting warm!  The pull to Elidir Fawr was a long one and Chris was feeling the pull but motored on to make the summit.  He doesn't know this but I made a bit of a mistake (he does now) and we didn't need to go up the next summit (Foel Goch) and could of instead took the less steep path to Y Garn!  Sorry mate!  We dropped down by Llyn y Cwn and stopped were I had run out of water.  Chris got half a bagette down his neck which gave him a second wind and we steadily climbed to the top of the Glyders.  We over took a bunch of bimblers coming down to the col to Tryfan were we met a couple of guys from the Wrekin Mountaineering Club who kindly offered to refuel us!  We made the summit of Tryfan which was much easier than I thought it would be but I guess its not all the way from the road at Ogwen!  We dropped down to Ogwen where my dad was waiting again.  I got a bit of pasta on the go and he did Chris some dirty spanking gorgeous Pot Noodles :)  I tended my feet as I had a blister on my toe.  I popped it and got a Compeed on it.  I thought this was a bad idea when we set off but it soon settled down.  We headed up the path to the cottage and started up Pen yr Ole Wen.  My dad said at least it will be getting cooler as we left and those words were ringing in my ears on the trudge up where it seemed the hottest part of the day.  We stopped a couple of times in the shade to have a drink and as we reached the shoulder a couple of lads who were also doing it caught us. We had over taken each other a few times since the Glyderau so we decided to walk together for the rest of the route.  Once we'd gained the height we made good progress over the last 7 miles.  The pull up to Carnedd Llewelyn and the trip out to Yr Elen being the hardest bits.  The last three are very simple and I was on the summit of Foel Gras just before 9pm.  It took us just under 14 hours, I wanted to do it in under 10 hours which I think I could manage but given the heat of the day and the fact this was Chris's first endurance type event I was happy.  It was certainly something of a baptism of fire to the whole endurance thing for Chris and he did awesome to romp through the pain.  We dropped down into the col between Foel Fras and Drum to Llyn Anafon and down the track for a couple of miles where I was finally pleased to see the car.  When I got to the bottom my old man was nowhere to be seen and after calling for a while he hadn't appeared and I was worried.  I then heard him shout back from over a ridge where he'd gone to get a signal for the phone and take some pics of the sunset.  Chris was off to sleep not long after we set off, I remembered my dad had a bottle of ale in the car so at Bethesda I got him to stop and I cracked it open.  15 min after finishing the bottle and I was out like a light and didn't wake until Llangollen.  We got home at 2am and my dad was had to be up at 4am for work.  What a legend, a massive thanks to him as without all the water we'd of been up the creek!  Big well done to Chris for his first, very successful long distance event!  I've been thinking about a double crossing as well as another attempt for sub 10 hours.  Maybe not this weekend though :)

Keep it short eh? ;)

Looking down Llanberis Pass on the ascent of Snowdon on Saturday

Me, comfortable on at the bivi with the Jetboil on the go

Chris tucked up in his bivi bag on his massive airbed haha!

Chris at Crib y Dsygl with Snowdon in the background

Me overlooking Crib Goch

Looking back at the Snowdon Massif on the way up Elidir Fawr

Elidir Fawr from Foel Goch

Chris taking 5 on Y Garn, Tryfan in the background on the left and Glyders to the left

Looking out to sea from the summit of Pen yr Ole Wen

Chris feeling it on top of Yr Elen

Me on the trig point of Foel Fras after a long day!

Welsh 3000's

I've not been running since Wednesday and I've been feeling a little rough today so I'm going to hit the steam room on the way home from work, I think because of dehydration from the weekend so I've backed off the running for today. Part of my plan for Alps preparation is to try and trot the Welsh 3000ft peaks (all 14, 15 or 16 of them depending on what you believe). I've sketched this GPX route up using Where's the path? and hosted it at GPSies, two free excellent resources which I use a lot. It follows the route as laid out by http://www.welsh3000s.co.uk/ which is probably the best resource on the internet that I've found. I know the route fairly well but the Forerunner will help keep me on track if the clag comes in.

I'll be climbing tomorrow, but given the club are at Llanymynech I'll probably have to go indoors unless I can talk someone into going outdoors locally as the drive from Coventry isn't worth if for a single climb! I'll be back to running tomorrow and then a short one perhaps on Thursday. I'm looking at starting on Saturday night with a Bivi on the summit of Snowdon and should have my dad in tow for support in Llanberis, Ogwen and then at the end.  I should be doing the route with Chris whom I'll be tearing it up with in the alps in 31 days :) My boss at work said he'll get me a pint and a packet of dry roasted nuts if I do it in under 10 hours, I think they will be mine!