Mini French TR

Our last few days in France were spent in the Ecrins National Park, south of Chamonix. We almost bagged the highest 4000meter peak in the area, Barres des Ecrins, but it was cold, we were psychologically crushed still from the news about Mark et al. and it was a very exposed, low 5th climb to the true summit. The weather was super clear but incredibly windy. Instead we opted for the easiest 4000er hump to the immediate west (name?), where we had a good view of the German and Austrian bad-asses completing the route we had originally planned for.

We headed down and out that same day-a super long glacier and trail slog. To shift gears and remember how to rock climb we went cragging the next day on a big sport wall with a few nice 5.6-ish cracks, a nice corner and some (icky) face/slab climbing. I felt good and refreshed back on the rock again and chose for the next day a monstrous multipitch route called Fissure d'Ailefroide, a route pioneered by LaChenal (France's Fred Beckey!) who got the first ascent on Annapurna way back when. Now, very importantly, Jill and I haven't climbed trad for real since our last trip to the amazingly beautiful Red Rocks, Nevada 2 Aprils ago-and we launched ourselves out on this 9+ pitch 5.9/10a trad route that thankfully did have some bolted anchors (or partially bolted). It was super tough, fun, scary, exposed, heinous and, very thankfully, mostly in the shade. The route climbed uncountable chimneys and some really nice cracks and took gear very well. The temps in the sun were well over 90 F (34C). I got my chimneying down pat on the climb...but was so absorbed I didn't realize until back at camp that I (once again) broke my Cebe prescription glacier sunglasses :(Crap! I just got'em fixed in Chamonix for 10 Euro!!! Anyhoo, t'was awesome to be back on the rock (granite, too!) and the walk off was fast, though very exposed with a via ferrata type steel cable to help you through a really nasty, loose, exposed section over a bottomless gully. We nailed the route with literally extremely little beta (info), no climbers, perfect weather, awesome views and the only real hangup was that we didn't have our radios and all the chimneys cut off our belay commands and frustrated us on both ends... Needless to say I bought more rechargeable batteries today for the next leg!

We're off to Italia tomorrow. Got two new tires on the car (moneypit) this morning and we're slowly packing our gear for our next adventure in the Dolomites-where, as usual, we plan to be as safe as possible.

I stopped by English First today, too. No money for me that they owe from early June...but I have classes lined up as soon as we return around August 14th or so. I have some returning'continuing students-fortunately my favorites!

Anyhoo, take care all y'all!

J n J