SkiSickness

While I've not been climbing much this summer, my French camarade and French Extreme Steep Skiing Legend, Guilhelm Martin Saint Leon wanted me to "train him" because he had never really climbed "adventure terrain". He suggested the Arete des papillions, and I must say I really like butterflies. I was convinced.



Even though I recently relocated to Lausanne, CH paying less than 20 dollars for a kebab also sounded appealing.

The arête des papillons is a cham classic. If you walk to the closest buttress of the aiguille du midi, you'll find it in all of its 10+ pitch splitter glory.

After our 40 minute approach, Guilhelm lead the first few pitches which were in the 5.5-5.8 range. The rest of the pitches were in the 5.7-5.9 range with a crux at 5.10. I lead the remaining 7 highly enjoyable and exposed pitches. The descent is made with one 50m rappel at the breche of the voie normal. After that one downclimbs two miles of death couloir onto a glacier that is no longer there.

Le debut.




Oh Hai, http://www.skisickness.com/post/viewtop ... t=84&p=411.


Nearing the 4th tower.


Nice sidewalk.


Looking towards the Dru.


The glacier that couldn't.

An east coast Italian from Park City, Utah who is currently living in Switzerland climbed some French granite having made the trip in his Kia while blasting a drum and bass set recorded in one of the biggest discos in Tel Aviv.

awesome!

Good to see you're alive and did some fun stuff. Excellent Cliff's Notes, Drew.