Rich and Rare; Autumn Ice Conditions

Dropping the first pitch of the Grand Envers, photo courtesy of Cedric Bernardini. These recent bountiful snowfalls have filled in crevasses at altitude and have plastered the steep granite walls of the Massif with sticky white ice. Alpinists have been busy gorging themselves on goulottes and mountain walls. The last few months have seen numerous ascents of the North faces of the Grand Jorasses, Les Droites, the Grand Pilier D'Angle, the East face of the Tacul, the NE Couloir of Les Drus and the North faces of the Cham Aiguilles. I was lucky enough to find the rarely formed Rouse-Carrington (on the N face of the Aiguille de Pelerins) in superb condition.