Page 21 - 2006 AMA Summer

ANALPINEAPPRENTIC D
By Roger Smith
The aim of the exercise was “to give cadets the opportunity of introductory mountaineering in the alps under qualified instructors” - and that’s exactly what our ten-strong party did for two weeks at the beginning of August while based at the traditional Savoyard Gite Auberge 'La Bagna' in Les Praz de Chamonix. Mixed weather conditions prevailed throughout our stay but by careful planning we were able to carry out purposeful activity every day.
The blend of activities - high mountain mixed (snow/rock/ice) routes; rock- climbing on valley crags; via ferrata climbs on steep limestone faces - combined with a mountain bivouac and a sleepless night in a mountain hut gave party members a comprehensive introduction to alpine mountaineering in its many forms.
We kicked off with a day of training on the Mer de Glace just below Montenvers which provided the opportunity for everyone to master the art of safe movement on glacial terrain as well as the rudiments of crevasse rescue.
Next came a full day mountain walk from Le Buet station (just above Argentiere) to the Col
de Salendon. This gave all the party ample opportunity for finding their mountain legs while also ventilating lungs at a modest altitude altitude.
The two via ferrata days - one at Samoens and the other near the Col de Columbiere - gave us breath-taking exposure on steep and overhanging limestone, Himalayan style wire bridges with nothing but air below our feet, aching biceps muscles to ‘die for’ and a real sense of achievement whilst always safely “clipped in” to harnesses by way of short “Zypher" leashes!
On the days when the weather was unpredictable we were unable to venture high so honed our rock-climbing skills on the “bolted" valley crags.
La Chavants, at Les Houches, provided a welcome introduction for all the party to the delights of lead climbing whilst at the Vallorcine slabs everyone sampled multi-pitch climbing and abseiling.
Approximately half-way
through the trip we abandoned the comforts of the Gite 'La Bagna’ for a night and took an afternoon cable-car and
charlift up into the heart of the Aigulles Rouges where we found a suitable bivouac site just below the Aiguille de Belvedere, our objective for the following day. The settled weather that had been
forecast was slow to arrive and not before we’d been liberally peppered with hail! The sky
did eventually clear and the temperature dropped to -5 celsius! But what a magnificent dawn and sunrise over the Chamonix Aiguilles perfectly reflected in the Lac Blanc.
We had the route up the Aiguille de Belvedere completely to ourselves - pleasant rock scrambling took us in a 'round-about' way to the summit where a complete 360 degree panorama awaited us.
It took us three attempts - owing to the vagaries of the weather - to get up to altitude in order to try our hand at some “mixed” climbing. Perfect conditions accompanied us up the Grand Montets telepherique to 3297 metres. Conditions under foot were surprisingly icy especially on the bergschrund and all the way up the East face requiring ice-screws for protection and flexible ankles and resilient calf muscles for upward progress!
No trip to the alps is complete without experiencing a night in a mountain hut. We chose to
Via Ferrata du Mont, at Samoens
Scrambling on Aguiite de Belvedere
ARMY MOUNTAINEER 19