In this post I want to show you an adventure I had a few years ago (2014), at that time I spent a lot of time in the Alps, climbing ice falls during winter and many peaks during summer. In autumn and spring I usually did rock climbing and trekking, for fun with friends and training.
I remember the summer of 2014 very well because it was one of the worst weather summers ever, it rained continuously and that meant a lot of snow on the high mountain. So it was difficult to climb because of bad conditions everywhere.
I was giving hopes up for the season…when at mid August a friend (Franz) called me, he was an expert alpinist and he knew all conditions around the Alps, he told me about a climb he had in mind for long time, the north face of Aiguille de Bionnassay, in the Mont Blanc Massif.This beautiful mountain is known for the estetical ridge on the summit, the north face instead is less frequented by climbers because it’s quite challenging, it requires the so-called “piolet traction” , a special technique for climbing steep walls using crampons and ice axes.
Besides, the best time for climbing north faces is late spring and early summer, not in August for sure, but because of all the bad weather and snow falls (north faces need snow for good conditions…..) of that strange summer, the result was: perfect conditions for the north face!
So the day after we drove to Les Houches, a famous skiing area in France and our adventure began. I’m with Franz and Mara, a very brave woman and expert alpinist.
Just a few minutes of walking and the environment changed completely, in this picture you can see our north face in the background.
There are other mountaineers on the trail, in fact this is also the main access for the normal route of Mont Blanc.
The base camp for the normal route of Mont Blanc where we spent the (short) night
Here the north side of Aiguille de Bionnassay
As many times before, we went for a recon because the following day we would leave in the night time, with the headlights, and there is no trail there.
The little French villages at night, seen from the base camp.
If you want to be a mountaineer, you have to be willing to sleep three hours a night! So at midnight we descended a steep slope and we approached the glacier. For these kind of routes, it’s important to leave very early.
As we thought, we were alone on that route, all mountaineers were direct to the easier normal route of Mont Blanc.
In a couple of hours we are finally at the bottom of the north face
Franz in the middle of the north face, a severe but exceptional environment.
Sunrise with menacing clouds
Step by step … always focused and alert!
Approaching the summit ridge, it’s almost done
Summit! Mara balancing on the ridge. Emotions that you can never forget.
Picture published on National Geographic Magazine October 2014
Franz enjoys the summit too!
Delicate passages leaving the summit
I will never forget this climb, and I'll never forget my dear friend Franz who accidentally fell in mountain two years ago.