Page 21 - 1998 AMA Summer

A 4000 Metre Peak Before Lunch
little over thirty minutes. The second and equally inspiring section of ridge soon leads to the rocky pinnacle of the Aigu­ ille Rochefort. One modestly difficult move (I would be reluctant to solo it in big boots!) allows access to the shattered rocks above and thence to the summit.
Unless you have planned to tra­ verse the mountain, (by far the most aesthetically pleasing option) you will now face the somewhat dismaying prospect of retracing your steps. I say dismaying because the throng of people coming in the oppo­ site direction makes the experi­ ence somewhat akin to crossing London Bridge in the wrong direction at rush hour. Do not delay your departure as the situ­ ation only gets worse with many parties attem pting the traverse quite late in the day.
W ith luck, patience and an iron nerve you should find yourself back at the Salle a Manger between nine and ten O’clock. Many parties now combine the
Weissfluhjoch-Davos
http://www.slf.ch/slf.html
University of Calgary
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Aiguille Rochefort with the Ordinary route on the Dent du Geant, which does not come into the sun before ten in the morning. However if this is not your intent it is probably best not to linger here for too long. The majority of parties will now
Capt Paul Edwards on the summit of the Aiguille de Rochefort.
http://casual.enci.ucalgary.ca/users/facuity/johnston/arps.html
Scottish Avalanche Information
http://www.sais.gov.uk/ Avalanche forecasts and weather.
British Mountaineering Club
http://www.thebmc.co.uk/
Scottish Mountaineering Club
http://www.smc.org.uk/smc/
Cyberspace Snow and Avalanche
http://www.csac.org/ Links to many info centres.
Canadian Avalanche Association
http://www.islandnet.com/snow/
Nova Online
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/avalanche/ Public television documentary on avalanches.
http://www.netway.net/caic/
Westwide Avalanche Network
http://www.avalanche.org/
Good statistics, weather, forecasts, links.
Weather, links, accidents.
Avalanche Information Web Sites
Swiss Avalanche Institute.
Northwest Weather and Avalanche
http://www.nwac.noaa.gov/
Colorado Avalanche Association
be traversing the ridge and this is an opportunity to descend to the glacier with little danger from climbers above you.
During the short downhill plod across the glacier you get an excellent view of the other
peaks that are easily accessed from the Torino hut such as Tour Ronde, the Grand Capucin, Mont Maudit and M ont Blanc du Tacal. You should reach the hut in time to plan your next summit over a long lunch
Electron Microscopy of Snow Crystals
http://www.lpsi.barc.usda.gov/emusnow/
Couloir Magazine Online
http://www.couloir-mag.com/
M eteo France
http://www.meteo.fr/
French Ski Information
http://www.nsl.rmcnet.fr/gazoline/accueil
Many good links
to Avalanche Centres.
Army Mountaincer
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