September 1 - 8th 2001
Day 1
Lac Blanc
Got to Chamonix around 1200 checked weather and had lunch. Got the 1430 cable car from Les Praz. Walk into Refuge Lac Blanc from La Flegere cable car, time 2.5 hour, height gained 475m, distance 2.5Km.
Day 2
Belvedere
Refuge to col du Belvedere with crevasse rescue technique practice on way up, got part way up Belvedere from col, decided to return down at 1400. Returned to hut in 1.5 hours from taking crampons off. 8.5 hours on the hill. height gained 500m distance 2.5Km.
Day 3
Down to Flegere 1.5 hours . Up Aiguille du midi after lunch at 1330. Left tunnel onto ridge (very exposed!!) 1420 , ridge only wide enough for one way traffic had to wait a long time to go down. Cosmiques hut by 1545 ish.
Day 4
Retreat
Big storm early morning, whiteout outside. Prospect of staying with nothing to do on the off chance weather would be OK next day was last option. Hut announced lift running 0930, which triggered mass retreat.
Left Cosmiques in whiteout and knee deep fresh powder at 1000, finally reached tunnel 1130, thank god for the GPS, 4 Italians very grateful for it also, they would not go on ahead wanted us to lead??!!
Gave up on the idea of doing Mont Blanc du Tacul due to weather and consequently unable to acclimatise for Mont Blanc, also Goutier fully booked and no guarantee we would be able to squash in.
Temperature on col du midi during retreat -4.
Day 5
Rest in Valley
Rest and review of options at OHM (office of high mountains). Booked Albert Premier CAF hut to do Aiguille du Tour Friday weather looking to be OK.
Day 6
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Up to Le Tour, gondola to 2230m round to Albert Premier via Chalet de Balme and col de Balme. Left cable car 1000, lunched at col de Balme refuge (the pits, no bonhomme !!) but the chips were good. Reached hut around 1700. Not up to the previous standards but food was better (no pigs jowls!! ).
Day 7
Aiguille du Tour
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About one foot of soft snow above hut.
Up at 0500 not sure why!!?? but all those doing peak got up then. We left after it got light at 0700 (the last to leave!) on glacier and geared up at 0730. Col du Tour by 1000. Last bit to top became a scramble, exposed and steep not helped by the snow. Top 1145, cloud came in half hour before reaching summit which was a bit of blow as weather and views were great till then. Back same way as up, at hut 1630, had cup of tea and paid bill left 1650 finally reached car 1945 very steep and tiring last 2K.
Total distance 12.5 Km; time 12hrs 45 min; height gain 840m; height loss 2046m.
Hut to peak return 8Km; 9hrs; 840m up & down.
Hut to car 4.6Km 3 hours down.
