Chamonix with the Young Alpinist Group

This was my first trip with the Young Alpinist Group setup by Tom Livingstone. The group is made up of ten members and involves various trips and collaborations over a three year period.

Our first trip to Chamonix started with some amazing weather, the first day was spent doing an avalanche training course. The following day we went up the Augille du Midi and went for quick run up the L'Arête des Cosmiques. After an early night in a little wooden structure nearby Tom, Michael and myself went and did Supercouloir, an incredible line up the East face of Mont Blanc du Tacul. We then got stuck in the top Midi Station the next day because the weather was too bad for the lift to run.

The rest of the trip required some more careful planning due to the large dumps of snow. We skied and attempted a few things, often wading through chest height snow to try and get to routes. On the last day we made good progress up the Terray-Rebuffat on the Augille does Pelerins. Unfortunately spindrift avalanches turned us around two pitches from the top, partly from concerns of being knocked off the route by them and also concerns over the loading of the slopes below the route which was our way out.

All in all an excellent trip, lots of skiing which is a major bonus for me, two runs down the valley blanche in wildly different conditions and some good mixed climbing.

The trip and Young Alpinist Group is supported by Mountain Equipment, Petzl, the Alpine Club and FATMAP.