Pauls alpine training trip - First day in the mountains

Weather was perfect for todays plans, after popping to the local supermarket for food we were soon waiting in the que with all the tourist for the cable car to the top of the midi, being un-acclimatised The thought was in my head about the headache I knew i was going to get after a few hours at altitude but with us only doing the cosmiques I wasnt to concearned has I planned on being down for lunch, we arrived at the station at the top and soon geared up.. this was it, pauls first steps out into the unknown, and of all the places it was the exposed ridge of the midi, he did really well and moved down the ridge confortably and was happy with the exposure, we stopped a few times lower down so I could get as many pictures as I could for him.. we took a steady walk on round to the foot of the route where we lost a few layers of clothing and refuelled on water.

Conditions were probably the best I have ever had on the cosmiques, the skys were blue with only the odd cloud on the horizon, we moved pretty fast moving together on the rope until we came to the more exposed tougher sections were I placed the odd bit of protection... we done this for the most of the route only pitching the crux and last exit chimleys, I was a little pissed at the fact the crux is no longer a crux with the amount of hacking some twat has done giving perfect crampon slots to basically walk up the wall, why ruin such a great route?

Anyway we finished on up to the summit where i could see the look of amazement and acheivement on pauls face which was a pretty good feeling for me.. I congratulated paul on his acheivement before heading back down the valley to shift the headache and introduce paul the double americain express burger... which amazingly he managed to eat every single bit... christ...

Weather is looking good for tomorrow so we are going to head up again and do the Traverse of the pointes lachenal. we will need to be quick though as we have to ready to leave for the airport by 6pm..

Pauls first steps into the unknown

At the foot of the Cosmiques arete

Moving up the first snow sections of the route

Me near the top of the snow slopes before gaining the ridge

Paul traversing the first tower

Taking in the veiws

Coming off the first abseil

The classic cosmiques shot

Paul coming up the crux section of the route

Paul on the exit chimleys moving towards the summit

The face expression says it all

Me in the famous Cosmiques shot



Me on the crux of cosmiques which is now ruined due to
 Man made crampon placements

 More photos to come when we can figure out how to get them off the camera....