Page 11 - The Light Blue Volunteer Journal 2022

Ex
CHAMONIX
BLUE
After a long 12 hour drive we arrived at the Campsite Mer De Glace in Chamonix.
We unloaded all the kit, pitched all
the tents, established an admin and cooking area, and then tucked into some delicious pizza.
This Adventurous Training package allowed for Officer Cadets to participate in 3 activities which included Rock Climbing, Mountain Biking and Via Ferrata.
Via Ferrata
All Officer Cadets were given the chance to experience Via Ferrata. Via Ferrata
is the Italian for “Iron Path” and they
are protected climbing routes usually located in the Alps. Via Ferrata routes were used in the First World War in the Austrian / Italian Alps, allowing soldiers to move about at high altitudes in difficult conditions. To know the activity, we
were participating in had a very strong military connection and serious historical purpose made it an incredibly special and worthwhile experience. Via Ferrata includes clipping into steel cables and walking up ladders, across rock faces and wire and wooden bridges. It teaches you to trust your equipment as the only things keeping you safe are your actions
and the equipment. The exposure and heights experienced on the Via Ferrata were jaw-dropping and for those scared of heights, it was a challenging opportunity but incredibly important.
Rock Climbing
We started at Le Fayet, a small beginner’s crag. It didn’t take long for
us to learn the figure of eight rethread and stopper knots as well as belaying. Although the morning began cold, it didn’t take long for the French sun to arrive and start heating the rock and blinding the belayers, which put our teamwork to the test early on. The grade 4s on the right-hand section of the crag allowed us to gain confidence with the granular gneiss and gave everyone the mental and physical courage needed to start our week of climbing.
We all managed to find challenge in
a tricky overhanging section of a 5c – it was great to see so much resilience and determination. Most of us agreed that we found climbing enjoyable due to the problem-solving and mental flexibility required when under the stress of being very far off the ground. It was lovely
to see the unity and teamwork during this climb as everyone shared the tips and tricks they used to get to the top. Our failures became an opportunity for communication and personal growth
- One thing doesn’t always work for everyone, especially with our height differences. It turned out that this climb was a great icebreaker, helping us get to know all the Officer Cadets on a much deeper level.
As a break from climbing, we got to experience two days of Via Ferrata. As
THE LIGHT BLUE VOLUNTEER 11