Photos from the top
1) Nick setting off on the final Pillar on Shiva
2)Shiva Ligham in the sun
3)Argentiere Ice Falls looking good
4)Bracey sending pitch 3
5) Cascade du Dard looking in fat conditions.
Do you want ice with that?
The Ice conditions in Europe are looking great, there has been a prolonged cold period which has seen the formation of some great ice routes.
2008 ended on a high with an ascent of Casade Du Dard (III 6 180m) with Jon Bracey. This is one of the classic Ice falls in the Sixt-Fer-A-Cheval area and a much sought after climb. It’s climbed in 4 pitches with a couple being full 60m rope stretchers. The first fell to me which was a grade 5 wall of ice which proved to be a long lonely lead to a ledge system. Jon dispatched the 2nd and me the 3rd before the crux top pillar. Jon picked his way up through the mushroomed ice before launching up the vertical ice. It was a great lead and my forearms were screaming at the end when I pulled over to a grinning Jon belayed in the top trees. The rap down was simple and we were soon back by the car drinking hot juice, a great way to round off a wonderful 2008.
New years day saw myself and Jazz drive back to the UK after a days skiing at the Grands Montets, returning the following day (it’s a long story!) and it was a very tired me that woke at 6.30 to join Nick Bullock to climb Shiva Lingam (III 6 200m).
Shiva is one of the hard classics of Chamonix and a route we had both wanted to do for years. We approached from the bottom and stashed our skis before running up the easy snow and first couple of pitches. I found mine a little unnerving for some reason and had to have a wee word with myself, but I soon came to the cave belay beneath the monster top pitch. Nick battled his way up with some pretty (read bloody) steep technical ice in a long 40m pitch. There was all sorts on it from funky hooking to drop knees, brittle ice and delicate fringes, it was a pitch that had everything and for once I was glad I wasn’t leading. The final groove was a delight, mainly as you could bridge out with your feet, resting the nuked arms. We topped out into glorious sunshine before rapping to the skis. The ski down the galcier was kinda fun through a river bed and boulder field but we soon reached the lower section where the Cremerie is (which is looking fat) and then to the car for tea and medals.
The ice is super good right now with most things fully formed in the Chamonix area so there is no better time to sharpen the tools and get a flight booked for some fun.
