Page 25 - 2010 AMA Spring

The following day, Maj Kev Edwards demonstrated his great ability to see into a window of opportunity, by kicking the train- ing up a gear with an early morning call and a climb to 3800m via Aiguille du Midi cable car and on to the Cosmique Arête.
The Cosmique Arête is one of the classic routes above Chamonix and there was some congestion in the lower parts of the
people on the route and we realised that if we were to catch the last cable car down, we would need an escape plan. A series of lowered descents and scrambling on what can only be described as ‘cat litter’ resulted in the CO and Adj being bruised and blood- ied by falling rocks. On reaching the glacier floor we had to make a quick move of 300m of height gain in decreasing visibility and 50mph winds. What is tricky enough during
less. Concentration of the highest degree was demanded if the group did not want to take the express way down to Chamonix via the side of the mountain several hundred meters below. With Crystal Maze like timing, running through the corridors of ice, heavy breathing and jumping of barriers, the team just made the last cable car down.
In order to get a true feeling for summer
route as the local guides heaved their clients up any way possible to speed their progress; our guides adopted a more British and courteous approach. The route proved to be a fantastic introduction to mixed Alpine mountaineering as we came to grips with our crampons on rock and ice. The good weather conditions meant we encountered many more
good conditions was rendered challenging to all, non more so that LCpl Dunlop who decided he would attempt it with one crampon (!) the other having broken and
Alpine mountaineering, no expedition is complete without an overnight stay in a refuge. For us, this would be in the Albert Premier Refuge on our way to the Aiguille du Tour (3500m). Having climbed to the refuge from La Tour ski station at the end of the Chamonix valley we took a welcome rest and hearty meal in the hut’s communal environment, and then climbed into a 24 man room, 4 bunks with 6 places, lying next to a stranger you haven’t even seen in
the daylight. In these dormitories ear
rendered
use-
ARMY MOUNTAINEER 23