Colin Posted February 5, 2006 Posted February 5, 2006 Climb: Aiguille du Midi-Chere Couloir (North Face) Date of Climb: 2/1/2006 Trip Report: A short trip report from abroad because this is the type of day you can only have in Chamonix... 7:45 - Wake up. 8:15 - Walk two blocks to the Aiguille du Midi tram base. One Camelback pack, with crampons, 1 liter of water, and 2 peanut-butter-jellytime sandwiches inside. Icetools in hand. 8:30 - Catch the first tram up to Aiguille du Plan with friends going skiing. 9:00 - Start hiking (underneath the cables of the upper tram) up to the base of the North Face. 10:00 - Put on crampons and start climbing the Chere Couloir (about 1000m, with bulges at about 75-80 degrees). 12:00 - Reach the sunny ridge near the Col du Plan, and begin walking up to the Aiguille du Midi summit. 12:15 - Pass parapanters who decided there was too much wind to take off. Skiings walking in the other direction to head down la Vallee Blanche. 12:30 - Pass through the metal gate at about 3,800m and take off crampons. Walk through tunnels in the summit area, passing the tram to Italy and photo-snapping tourists, to the tram station back to Chamonix. 1:00 - Take the tram down to the Col du Plan and then down to Chamonix. 1:30 - Walk two blocks home and eat lunch. 2:30 - Go to French class. 6:00 - Class is over, head to the bouldering wall. 7:45 - Bouldering wall closes. Go home to eat dinner and later fall asleep. Approach Notes: ski pass, telepherique Quote
UW_climber Posted February 5, 2006 Posted February 5, 2006 wow, tough to beat that! & congrats on Patagonia as well Quote
TimL Posted February 5, 2006 Posted February 5, 2006 (edited) Colin - Do you know how long that route stays in shape? Could you recomend any other moderate ice or mixed routes in the area? What is the Cosmique Arete like? Thinking of heading up there maybe in April around Easter. If you decide to travel down south give me a shout. Edited February 5, 2006 by TimL Quote
curtveld Posted February 5, 2006 Posted February 5, 2006 (edited) 2:30 - Go to French class. Nothing like a little conjugation after a day in the mountains, eh? Good day's work! Edited February 5, 2006 by curtveld Quote
Colin Posted February 6, 2006 Author Posted February 6, 2006 Indeed, it's a different scene here. No slide alder, no logging roads, no tents... A really cool way to experience the mountains, but I wouldn't want it to be my home range - no suffering leaves something to be desired... Tim, I don't know how late that route typically stays in shape, but the first ascent was in August (although that was in the 70's when ice was still plentiful). I climbed the Arete de Cosmiques the following morning, and it was in nice shape - mostly nice neve interspersed with relatively dry rock. There is still plenty of ice in the Range in April and May on the North faces, although the crowds start to become an issue around mid March. Quote
ken4ord Posted February 7, 2006 Posted February 7, 2006 Indeed, it's a different scene here. No slide alder, no logging roads, no tents... A really cool way to experience the mountains, but I wouldn't want it to be my home range - no suffering leaves something to be desired... I don't know I might be able to get use to that type of climbing. Good work. Quote
W Posted February 7, 2006 Posted February 7, 2006 One Camelback pack, with crampons, 1 liter of water, and 2 peanut-butter-jellytime sandwiches inside. What about the banana, and the...two cookies? Don't study too hard amigo. Quote
Stuart Posted February 7, 2006 Posted February 7, 2006 Colin Good to hear your getting stuff done. I guess if you're in Cham, there's a chance that you'll be leaving some winter routes in the Cascades for the rest of us. Time for nit picking - Chere is on Tacul, I think you mean North face of col du Plan??? Next to Fils a Plomb?? Mega-jealous Stuart Quote
joel20 Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 Who teaches French in that town? Do they have a website? By the way telepheriques are indeed aid. That particular one allows you to walk with your skis/board over to Mont Blanc du Tacul climb about 5-6 pitches of what may be grade 5 ice, descend, ski down the vallee blanche and take the bus back to the bar. Have you done the Frendo Spur yet? It's something that I've been wanting to do since I went there last march just didn't have a partner to do it with. In any case at least someone is enjoying life at the moment. Quote
Winter Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 There's more than one Chere Couloir... Bill he wasn't referring to the Chere you met at Sassy's last weekend. Get over it already. Sheesh. Quote
klenke Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 Hey Colin, which one is Chere Couloir?... Quote
NYC007 Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 there is a chere on du tacul and on the left side of the north face of the Midi, dont remeber which one but I thought 2 couliors over from the Frendo, which is the ridge with the snow arete near the top. Quote
Stuart Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 Oops, my mistake . Haven't got the guides in front of me, but my addled brain thinks NYC007 has it right. Quote
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