Let's not get all sentimental though, the access here seems to funnel people in the easiest to reach, best lines. Obviously. On a shitty year like this, where we've probably received a total of about 125 inches of snow (voire maybe less), it has been fun to get out and do stuff that you don't know about, where the approaches are long and crowds are non-existant. You might even run into something unexpected. Like a lost brit dressed in a teletubbie suit offering candy.
This week started off with an expedition up the Trient bassin, a large plateau glacier that defines the franco-suisse boarder and tumbles down into the valley carrying the same name. Driving up from Lausanne, I often look up the valley, catching glimpses of its characteristic massively-wide couloirs and impressive icefalls.
Starting in the small hamlet of Trient we began the long slog up the valley basin. After long forest trails and a tumultuous serac band, we finally break out into the alpine bowls near the Trient Glacier.
The Trient bassin is ridiculous. Note copt couloir in background.
The snout of the glacier here is about 750 feet higher than in 2001.
Copt couloir. Live to die another day.
Looking into the top of Pointe d'Orny, above the Trient hut. The line has gained a few notches due to laughable snow-cover.
Guys, I think we need to find the other couloir. This one doesn't look quite good yet.
Jonathan dropping into the top, couloir steepens slightly in the middle, then eases off to about 43 degrees for 800-1000 meters. Yes plz.
The top was horrible, but then all of a sudden, it was transformed after about 100 meters into the most velvety pow.
Jonathan lower down.
It attained freeride rating.
We arrived back at my bagnole just in time for dark ~18:30 these days. Excellent route, will ride again.
The next day we had a failed adventure on the col de la bouche that involved two via-ferratta systems, about a 1000m of windboard, and 4 rappels down a frozen ladder system. We won't talk about that.
Et ensuite, Team Ginabelle wanted to do something in the Aiguilles Rouges, something that would be good snow. We elected the E face of the belevedere, a steep line typically offering good snow. While we didn't decide to take it from the summit due to treacherous looking windboard, we found an excellent couloir that offered sheltered snow from below the summit. Highly enjoyable. It's a great thing they've installed a train and bar at the bottom of every line in the Aiguilles Rouges.
Just above col de belvedere.
Liz getting some excellent slough into my camera bag.
So steep brah, like 80 degrees. You wouldn't even believe.
Yank down low.
Sluffies.
Mer de traces.
It was a rewarding three days even if it was a fail sandwich.
