Page 16 - 1995 Mountaineering Club Bulletin

our evening meal and to prepare equipment for the following day. Meanwhile the Leader and Deputy Leader visited the local police to inform them of the team’s intentions.
Sunday 2 April
The mam ski-mouniaineenng training day before leaving the valley.
La Batise has a room provided for “hors sac” clients, and this was used for the comprehensive briefing and instruction that marks the start of all ski mountaineering expeditions. The RNWSA equipment; skins, harscheisen, pieps, shovels, ropes etc were also issued, and with these loaded into our rucksacks.we returned to Bonneval. This time, though, we avoided the ski lifts and began skinning up the pistes, practising kick turns and angles of attack until a secluded slope was found to continue the practical train­ ing. This included digging a snow pit to examine the pack struc­ ture and strength, avalanche theory and rescue using Pieps direc­ tion finding equipment.
Further up-hill skinning then followed, but this time on a steep­ er slope and moving as roped parties. Having reached the top the off-piste ski down in heavy afternoon snow was further com­ plicated by the heavy rucksacks we had to contend with. As well as improving the forward toppling momentum this also added a great deal to the marks awarded for artistic impression.
Monday 3 April
The first day o f the ski-mouniaineenng lour; and climb to the Refuge du
Carro (2759m).
After some last minute packing, and then a bit more repacking, the party left Bonneval (1800m) at 0950 and we made our way up alongside the River Arc for 6 km before striking up hill towards the Refuge du Carro. The slope is South facing, and it was an extremely hot day. This, together with our lack of hill fitness, made it one of the hardest days.
By 1600 we had all arrived at the Refuge, and were greeted by
the delightful gardianne, Melle Muriel ANSELMET. She allo­ cated us our dortoir, and we unloaded our gear before savouring the last of the sun’s rays. After an excellent evening meal, the evening was rounded off with the traditional game of liar dice. Distance covered 9km.
ANNUAL BULLETIN
Top of Pointe de Galise (3343m) Wed. 12 April
THE ROYAL NAVY & ROYAL MARINES MOUNTAINEERING CLUB
14
Tuesday 4 April
Traverse of the Glaciers Evelies.
la Haute Maurienne to the Refuge des
An early start with an 0400 shake, breakfast at 0430 and on the move by 0510; a good hour before sunrise. There followed a steady climb from the refuge up to the Col des Pariotes (3034m) arriving there at daybreak. There were fantastic views from the Col but all was not well. Several members of the team were suf­ fering from the effects of altitude, rubbing boots and blisters, and would find it difficult to complete the challenging day ahead. The group was large enough to split safely, and so the Leader continued with a group of 6 while the Deputy returned with the remainder including those in distress.
The main group then locked into down-hill mode and skied onto the Glacier des Sources de l’Arc. This was traversed, whilst try­ ing to maintain height, towards the Col de Trieves (3010m). There is a narrow weakness through the cliffs that form the Northern side of this col, and despite the use of harscheisen the slope was too steep to ski. With skis lashed to our rucksacks, and wearing crampons, we kicked steps up the snow-covered snout of the Glacier du Mulinet.
Once on the col there was time for a bite to eat before traversing the Glacier du Mulinet and climbing up to the Col du Grand Mean (3214m). From here it was down hill all the way, and we enjoyed a superb descent of the Glacier du Grand Mean before skirted around the steep side of Mont Seti and on down to the Refuge des Evettes (2590m). The 12km that comprise the tra­ verse from The Refuge du Carro to the Refuge des Evettes are