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Ski Touring Equipment – How To Dress In The North
Going on a pure ski touring trip with focus on the downhill skiing and wondering what equipment to bring? Which clothing setup will work best, and where can I save weight without compromising the quality of skiing?
This article is based on our experience and on the equipment that works best for ski touring in Lyngen Alps. However we use more or less the same items when ski touring anywhere from Japan, to the Alps, to Svalbard.
Cogne Ice Climbing Conditions Jan 2013
In general there was less ice then what I have seen the last few winters in Cogne at this time of the year. The recent warm weather has made the ice white and thin in most places that are exposed to the sun. Heavy traffic has also contributed to chopping off the ice from certain pillars and cigars.
Still there is lots to climb on the west side of Valeille (rive droite) as well as far into Valnontey.
The Needles – From Nature To Rock Climbers
After an hour of pleasant cross-country hiking, the canyon between the Sorcerer and the Witch Needles opens up to you and hits with a striking beauty!
Overlooking an alley framed by vertical, neon-green to white, granite walls. There is no need for a guide book to find the classic climbs. The perfect lines of cracks and corners are drawn out for you right there in the rock.
Portjengrat & Weissmies Traverse
The most popular mountaineering route accessed from Almageller hut is the Traverse of the Weissmies (4023m), a classic 4000er in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. But before, once at Almageller hut, we recommend to climb one of the region’s most spectacular attractions; the Portjengrat. Much more demanding both in difficulty and length.
Grepon-Mer De Glace – A Pearl Among Classics
In the middle of the complex south-east face of Grepon unwinds one of Chamoinx’s greatest classics; Grepon-Mer de Glace, D, 850m, first done in 1911! Now days it’s sometimes done in one day return from Chamonix, ascent via Montenvers train and cable car down-load from Plan de l’Aiguille. We did it a bit more old-school, carrying bivouak gear, setting off in the afternoon and spending the night on a large ledge 200m above the petit Trelaporte glacier.
Arete Ryan – Aiguille du Plan East Ridge
The East ridge of Aig. du Plan rises from a series of massive bergschrunds, off Glacier Enverse de Blatière, in the heart of Les Aiguille des Chamonix. This prominent ridge line was first climbed in 1906 by Lochmatter brothers and Ryan, later on alternative starts were added in adaption to the varying conditions of the glacier. Arete Ryan is a mix of slabs, cracks, chimneys and horizontal line-dancing. Solitude, exposure and wildness!
Powder Skiing and Northern Lights
Our life in Northern Norway is all about good snow, happy people, nice accommodation, and closeness to the beautiful nature. Sharing memories from Lyngen with some moving pictures. Already in spring we start to prepare for next season up there.
Chamonix Ski Report Feb and Mar 2012
From Siberian cold to summer warm, we skied everything from dried out powder to spring snow in February. In March, the valley turned to spring and we skied corn snow on south faces, while north faces still offered powder skiing. Enjoy the 3rd and 4th video episode of Chamonix off-piste skiing.
The Air Pollution in Chamonix
Chamonix, the outdoor mountain sport capital of the world, and an idyllic town of 12.000 yearly inhabitants at the foot of Mont Blanc. Well away from stressful and grey big-city-atmosphere, breathing healthy mountain air and value what is really important in life… Dream on, that image is about as a false as the smiling doctor on a Lucky Strike package. The sad reality is that it is that we choke on air pollution!
Powder Skiing Early Season 11/12
Skipping the pre-season in Chamonix this year and going straight for mid-winter powder skiing during most of December! Since it started it never really stopped. The general snow cover is better then ever and we especially enjoy all the skiing on the lower half of the mountains, exploring new variations that are seldom skiable but now full of fluffy snow on a thick base.
Ski Touring Trips to Lyngen – The Best Setup
Lyngen and northern Norway has become our favourite ski touring destination. We love the quality of the snow, the solitude, the silence, the views, the fishing, the food… Over 10 years we have discovered the best ways to experience the ski touring in Lyngen and share it with all levels of ski mountaineers.
Rock Climbing Geyikbayiri Turkey
So far our search for the highest quality of rock (and of life in general) has led us from Chamonix to Kalymnos via Arco and Finale Ligure, and we have now reached Geyikbayiri. Here we enjoy the calm country life in the green mountains above Antalya in southern Turkey. A place where you can focus 100% on your climbing, and eating of course!
