L'île aux Razmokets - Vallon de Bérard

cragging
A fast 12 pitch 621 meter bolted climb with easy grades up to 5b+. Climbing with Toby we managed to overtake a party of three on the approach path which takes around 25 mins from the Bérard waterfall and buvette. Once on the crag and ahead of the first group we were left the whole wall and valley to ourselves. We managed to summit just as the rain started with the direct abseil back down the route. Perfect autumn easy climbing with no crowds. Charlie Docherty

Les Dômes de Miage

With 2 days off I decided to head up to the refuge Durier at 3369 metres: the most remote manned hut in the range with the intention to attempt Les Dômes de Miage Traversée, which has been on my wish list after many years.

Setting off from the top of the Bellevue cable car from Les Houches in glorious Chamonix Autumn sunshine, leaving the crowds of Mont Blanc climbers behind. The path descends below the snout of the Glacier de Bionnassy then rises up to the perfectly formed Col du Tricot a 3 hour gentle walk. There I met a couple from Briançon walking from their home to Thonon: an impressive mission.

Next you take the high mountain path that leads to the refuge du Plan Glacier at 2700 metres using via ferrata and scrambling for 3 hours. The Glacier de Miage is easilly crossed about 300 metres wide then it is a scramble/climb up for 700 metres to the hut. The rock here is particularly loose and there is no metal or wire in place for protection so a fall could be fatal. Nearing the top there was some new snow which required more care. On reaching the unmanned hut? I decided against using the tent as the wind was picking up and it was brutally cold.

During the night the weather deteriorated and on awakening at 4,5,6,7,8 and 9 am to more and more snow with winds up t0 8okm per hour there was no possibility of attempting the Traversée, stuck in the hut for the day waiting for the weather to break: it did not, so much cold sleeping was had. That night and the following morning it was snowing again heavily and the temperature was -15 with now 40cm of fresh now, but the weather broke about 11am and I could see the vallee for the first time. I decided to descend rather than spend another few days in the hut, the descent was on my limit of downclimbing on changing losse snow and ice and the serac, rockfalls and avalanches did not help, but finally made it down to the Chalets de Miage and Le Gruvaz then Contamine where my good friend Alun Gwilym picked up a rather exhausted and soggy Charlie at 8pm. On this adventure the weather forecast was 50:50 so next time hopefully will catch the better weather and take a climbing partner.

Midi - Plan Traversée, Charlie D Docherty & Sandra

A Chamonix classic high mountain ridge route that is accessible from the Aiguille du Midi and returns to the lift station, located between heights of 3673 metres and 3842 metres. Graded AD III, with slopes up to 40 degrees and usually takes between 4 and 6 hours. We decided to go for a sunny day in August which was particularly busy but we overtook many slower groups on the steeper ascent sections. The route starts down a spectacular set of ever narrowing, and sometimes corniced, snow ridges, and then weaves its way on both the north and south sides of the ridge through various mixed rock and snow sections. Route finding is mostly fairly simple and the general direction is along the obvious ridge to the NE of the Aiguille du Midi and towards the jagged row of Aiguilles. The route is as follows: Descend from the tunnel exit at the telepherique station and follow the snow ridge to Point 3626. The ridge steepens and crosses some rock sections to reach the to the Col du Plan at 3475m. Continue the traverse along the rock on the north (Chamonix) side and up a colouir to gain the snow field on top of the Rognon du Plan. Traverse the rock on the Rognon du Plan and then descend through a series of small rock gullies / diedrals to the abseil point above the Col Supérieur du Plan. (3535m). Abseil down and then follow the snow ridge up to the base of the Aiguille du Plan's rocky summit. An easy scramble leads to the top. Return is the route in reverse. Gaston Rébuffat rates the route number 21 of 100 in his book "The Mont Blanc Massif. The 100 Finest Routes" the exposure is quite high on some of the rock sections but you are rewarded with amazing views, a fine day out!