It has been strange not being able to update the site regularly. Thinking I would have plenty of time and access to the net in between trips, work etc was a bit ambitious. However it can only be a good thing that I have been spending my time out there having adventures instead of writing about it.
A quick update:
SPANISH PYRENEES
My trip to mainland Europe in spring started with a ski mountaineering adventure in the Spanish Pyrenees with my wonderful amigos from the Basque country.
The Team:
The original plan was to do a crossing of the Spanish Haute route but the weather was pretty bad for the first few days and therefore we decided to do day trips starting in the Aneto/Maledeta region. Our first day we climbed Posets in wild conditions but what a wonderful mountaineering outing! It has this superb wee ridge that leads to the summit and if only the weather would have been better the descent would have been a dream!
At the end of our first day we found our wee dos for the next 3 nights in a little cabana pretty much the equivalent of a Scottish bothy with a wonderful open fire. The second half of the party arrived later that night and wee all celebrated our reunion with gathering huge tree trunks and some good drams in front of the fire place! Indeed I brought some good old Whiskey over from the bonny Highlands which went down a treat!
Day two the weather was pretty wild, snow blizzards and plenty of wind. We managed to climb one of the smaller peaks opposite Posets, Pico de la Maidera which we ascended twice as the descend was so sweet! Not just the descend..the climb up was beautiful through the forest. Free 'rice' all the way on our descend!!!
Day three saw us going in a simular direction as the day before but it had stopped snowing and the weather was stunning! Still a good battle through the wind. We climbed the peak next to Pico de la Maidera. Nice ascend and a good lower descend but the top section fairly tough to ski due to wind affected snow.
The winds was a struggle but gave us some amazing scenes!
The descend......a decent bit of slab! not pleasant for skiing.
Day 4 we decided to have a real mellow one and just go for scenery. We went up on the other side of the valley. The lower part was a big steep boot up with skis on the packs through wild boar country! Higher up it changed in this amazing boulder field, one great maze!
We stopped on the ridge for a bit of sunbathing and a descent pick-nic! Before descending down to the valley.
On day five some of the team had to get back to work and so four of us remained. We traveled further west to give Garma Negro a try. Absolute wonderful peak and a fantastic area but unfortunately we started to late and we only made it to the top of the main access gully. It is an area with huge slopes above you and a lot of rock. Due to the warm weather the avalanche risk was big and we turned round after topping out of the couloir. Initially we tried to ski out right on the terrace but the big cliffs below us got steeper and steeper and the avalanche hazardous slopes above us bigger and bigger. There is no easy way off this part. We ended up descending the access couloir with it's avalanche rubble...neck braking/ leg braking material!!
On day six we went for Bissourin. The weather was stunning and so was snow. This peak is an absolute gem with just a great descend. There are many options for ascending this peak. Despite the good weather we got disorientated and made it an extra long and somewhat hairy ascend. The snow on ascend was hard and the slopes steep. But worth it all the way!!
Unfortunately that was my last day in the Pyrenees and we traveled to Durango for a bit of food and beer before saying agur to my friends in Bilbao.
WILDSTRUBEL
My 2nd part of my Alpine adventures was with clients in the Wildstrubel. I was working for Pyrenean Mountain Tours with guides David Maret and Richard Dupont. It is one of my favorite ski touring areas.
We had pretty bad weather which made it an eventful and full on trip. I did the same tour last year under totally different conditions and the huge amounts of snow this year and the iffy weather made all the ascents and descents differ from last year. A lot more technical but also a lot more sweet powder!!!! Because the weather was bad we were the only visitors in every single hut with exception of the last one.
We started from les Diablerets. I love this place for it's off piste eldorado although we didn't venture off piste this very day as the visibility was nil, the snow heavy and the wind furious.
All week we were challenged by the weather. Plans had to be constantly adapted with high avalanche risks and bad visibility the majority of the week. Eventually we finished in Kandersteg.
VANOISE
Back in Geneva I met up with friends and we made our way to Chamonix. Here picked up Mark Ryle and continued on the next day to Pralongnan de La Vanoise. It was a warm day and we were late in starting. The plan was to do the Grande Casse but when we got to the foot of it we changed our mind as it was late and there were avalanches going off everywhere. We headed for the Col de la Grande Casse and descended down to Champeny. It was by far one of the nicest descends I have ever had... Stunning scenery, beautiful weather and powder virtually from top to valley!! It was amazing. The next day the weather turned nasty on us again and we didn't do a great deal. On our 3rd day we skinned up to the refuge de la Vanoise again in bad weather. Richard Mansfield was there with clients and we had good banter. We hoped to do the Grande Casse the next day but the weather was just too bad so we went for a long skin to Pointe de la Rechasse ... and descended down into the valley and all the way down to Pralongnan. Another adventure finished. I was pretty knackered after 3 weeks especially since I didn't really recover from the chest infection at the start of the trip.
ZANDVOORT - AOSTA - ZARAUTZ - BILBAO
Back in bonny Scotland saw me to work again until the beginning of May. Then I was off to Holland for a Basque-Dutch wedding on the beach of Zandvoort in my home country together with Unai.We went on a road/ski touring trip to the Gran Paradiso to finish of the touring season. Followed by sunshine, sea and beaches in the Basque country. Beach, snow, sea and sunshine..what a contrasts..couldn't get any bigger but what a great combination!! It was amazing!!! Gran Paradiso was so quiet and what a beautiful place. I was still struggeling with my health but was determined to make the best of the time we had out there. We did the Gran Paradiso, La Tresenta, Pica Galicia... Next spring we would like to go back there and do a crossing from the Vanoise into the Gran Paradiso. It is an wonderful area with tons and tons of possibilities. On the last day I couldn't talk anymore as I was so ill. But what an experience. The refugio Benevolo and Vitorio Emanuelle are fabulous. Lovely guardians and lovely food. If you would like any info on the above trips please don't hesitate to send me a mail. We drove to the Basque coast to finish of with sunshine, rest and catch up with the rest of my Basque friends...
THE SUMMER
When back in Scotland it was fabulous to come back to still beautiful snow conditions and the night after I came back I skied Aladin's couloir with George. Wicked!!
The weather remained very good for a few weeks and the remainder of May I had a good combination between work and play. June was jammed with work and so was August. July I worked only two weeks and the rest I spend adventuring with Unai. The weather was sheit but the rest wonderful!!! September saw me going back to the Basque country for a few weeks and Unai and I surfed and mountainbiked and mountaineered our way across from Biaritz to the Picos de Europa and back. It was brilliant. The Basque country has got so much undiscovered goodness, it is just amazing.
Since I have been back in home I have steadily been working until now and it has been wonderful to see the change of season. Winter has arrived in Aviemore. It has been cold over the past week and the first snow has hit the 'Gorms. Hopefully it continues and we will be in for a great winter again.
Wednesday I will be going out to Holland to spend time with my family and will be back in the country on the 19th October. Get in touch folks if you want to go out climbing, skiing, biking anything...an opportunity in the fresh air won't be missed!!
A selection of the summer play photos
