Official Piolets Jeunes Video

EA St-Julien - Alpinism weekend around the Cosmiques

In the mountains we have to adapt, between the weather, the group, all of the travelling, and it often turns out as a pleasant surprise! Mountain sensations guaranteed for this first day! Between the sun, the clouds, the fog, it's maybe better for one's first descent of the Aiguille du Midi in the direction of the Vallée Blanche. Not having to see Chamonix can help to overcome the dizziness... Then we take off for the Laurence ridge as a detour to the refuge. For some it's somewhat of a "routine", and for others, it becomes the express learning of « How to put your crampons on », the progress in the snowy and sometimes narrow ridge, the progress on a rocky ridge, and the comfort of the refuge !

We arrive on the terrace of the refuge, and enter to witness its warm welcome! We all settle down, we start playing with cards, a Jungle Speed, before and after having supper. We find the group of the CAF du Léman who are planning to do the Gervasutti route at Tour Ronde. Among them, 2 participants and a parent engage in a conversation... The altitude has its effects, but in a moderate way, everybody goes to bed relatively early, as the next day is a long one. 

On Sunday morning, beautifu weatherl!!! After sleeping like a sloth and spending an excellent night, we begin equipping ourselves. The progress we made the day before, considering our level and the number of participants limited due to the Fête de l'Oiseau and the one of Viry, the Arete des Cosmiques is possible. The teenagers are motivated. The weather is going to be awesome.

The ridge is in wintry conditions, well covered with snow. The freezing did its job and facilitates our progress up to the abseil. Then the progress becomes a little more mixed, asking a little adaptation from the teenage alpinists. 

We protect the traverses, and this asks a little more time from us... The ridge is well known to be very busy, everybody tries to get first at the top of the hill.

We make a pause just before the final part to eat something, allowing us not to be under the ice projections by the other parties. The last part is on the Chamonix side, before arriving to the ladder leading to the Aiguille du Midi.

The exit offers us a magnificent panorama on the surrounding summits! So many routes to explore! A real playground!!! Then, the hard return to reality... Waiing lines, tourists and the heat! We had 28 ° in the valley. A little rest before finding the team of the CAF du Léman, who help us by taking a few teenagers for a ride to avoid having to ask the parents to come! 

A big thank you to Elise whose good mood is really contagious! And without whom this outing would not have been so much fun!

EA St-Julien - Bivouac and climbing weekend in the Aiguilles Rouges (Video)