The strident call of my alarm dragged from my down cocooned sleep, 5.00 am, never my best time!
I opened the door of the tent to peer up the valley hoping that the night storms would have cleared the sky and there would be the promise of a clear day. This was necessary for the long 13 pitch (400m) route that was in the forefront of my mind for today.
“’what’s it like then?”” came the voice (Bertie) from the sleeping bag next to me.
“Looks a bit dodgy, the cloud is high up the valley but heading down slowly!”
“What you going to do?”
“Not sure I replied” as snuggled back down into my pit!
As I lay there I ran through the preceding days, the late arrival to the campsite at Ailfoide, north of Argenterier le Besse, just outside Briancon in the Dauphine Alps. Our arrival after our hassles of sorting out our vehicle transport and finding something to eat had meant we arrived at one of the best campsites in the world after midnight. The clear sky, the fantastic Milky Way, greeting the group as we crept around the campsite trying to find a space.
We had risen in the morning to be met by hot sun and clear blue sky’s, the campsite is based in high Alpine meadows surrounded on all sides by mountains, the base of these peaks are sound granite slabs that sweep skywards for thousands of feet. This granite bowl contains hundreds of superb rock climbs both short and looooooooooooong. After a morning of shopping, stocking up on essentials and gaining our bearings, we had headed to the rock slabs near the campsite. As one group, we recovered the basics of belaying and introduced concepts of leading on bolts and lowering off from the top. The group gained confidence rapidly operating independently on easy routes and seconding harder routes set up by the staff. They quickly gained the skills needed for slab climbing and under supervision grasped the serious skill of retying and lowering from the top. As the group filtered back some group members climbed some harder routes.
The evening settled into what was to become the usual pattern, re-hydration and the sharing of stories of daring do!, the slow preparation of food and lots of banter, a de brief of the day and an outline of tomorrow, washing up, showers, cards and Frisbee and then bed.
The second day saw us on a steeper section practising the skills necessary for multi pitch climbing, most of the long routes necessitate an abseil decent, these can be as little as 2 but often more like 6 or 7. To climb efficiently and safely the teams need to be slick on the stances and descents. One major problem on abseil descents being that in normal mode the instructor would safe guard the descent with a separate rope, this is not a real alternative as the finding and rigging of the next abseil station can be awkward so its imperative that the instructor goes first, this then leaves the 2 pupils 50 metres above you still attached the stance. The solution is to ‘stack’ this means attaching the pupils to the ropes before you leave and then control their speed from below, this is both awkward, uncomfortable and unnerving as you are reliant on sensible behaviour from above. These skills were practised and different scenarios covered both to help with independence and to cover problems that could occur. All this and climbing as well, the day passed quickly and skills learnt and honed as a real bonus those that had struggled with their footwork yesterday made great strides ( no pun intended, well perhaps a little one)
The third day saw the pattern of the rest of the stay, despite some serious storms, one group of 4 pupils and one staff would go on a via ferrata, (quickly nicknamed ‘ferreting’) while the others would split into pairs with a member of staff and attempt long climbs.
The climbers had started off on 5- 6 pitch routes, with a walk off descent from the top, gradually getting used to the exposure and techniques without the pressure or worrying about a long descent.
So far I had done two ‘ferrets’ and one multi pitch route of 7 pitches (with a walk decent). Unfortunately Tigger had re-damaged her knee halfway through the first ferret! Fainting and one leg on a Via ferrata is not the best thing to do, some perseverance and help with a rope and a change of descent had meant all had returned safety. The next day the knee had held out on the climb despite almost being squeezed through a karabiner (Tigger not the knee), the knee had been rested the next day. This was fortunate as we had been caught in a storm on the decent and it had turned into a skating rink, not the best place to be, attached to lots of metal as the storm closed in!
We had been entertained over tea though as Bertie, along with Craig and Joe had been caught in the same storm high on a route. The bonus was that we could see the entire route from our shelter as we cooked tea. The rain had not been forecast and rather then face the complicated abseil off, they had pushed on attempting the last 2 pitches in the sheeting rain, there was a path winding down from the top. The entertainment had a slight tinge of concern as we lost sight of them in the cloud but as Biggles and started to head out to find them, they returned wet but happy!
All of this passed through my mind as I gazed at the slabs looming above the tent, long route and brave the weather? Could Tigger cope with a 6 abseil decent? Also a descent in the rain would be ‘entertaining’ to say the least! The plus side was I knew Tigger well, also her partner was SG (Super Girl, she who could do no wrong) whose climbing was great, had a fantastic sense of rope work, was incredibly reliable and had climbed with me on many occasions.
With no decision made the tent door was ripped asunder and Tigger’s face beamed into the tent, “morning” the voice shouted. As my brain struggled for a pithy reply, a cup of tea was thrust into my hand, ahh 18 months of training had finally paid off. I peered out of the tent there was SG making breakfast and both rucksacks (prepared the night before) were ready to go! Crawling out of the tent and stealing Bertie’s tea, breakfast was eaten in the cool of the early morning (as the sun had yet to arrive) while I shared my concerns and alternatives.
6.15 am and we headed out of the campsite, as we passed my tent I placed the empty tea mug back in the tent.
“Heres a brew”!
“Thanks” the voice mumbled…..
I told Bertie my plan, “ good luck…………take your phone!”
As we padded through the sleeping campsite, the only other life came from like minded climbers aiming for an early start and hoping to miss the weather, soon we were climbing steeply through the pine trees, at one point stepping over some hardy folks who were bivving rather then camping. Left with our own thoughts we slowly ascend listening to the chaffinches and the alarm calls of the marmots whistling around the forest.
We approach the base of our route looking for the start. As we slowly gear up at the base, the tell tale line of spaced bolts lead up into the distant, as we quickly grab a bite to eat and work out what we are too carry, Monsieur guide pops out of the trees,
“Bonjour”!
Brilliant following me closely all day, what fun!
Guido eyes up my two 11mm 60m ropes and I can see him thinking “oh oh beginner”
I eye up his skinny 8mm ropes and his 2 clients with their hired boots, and think “hope he does not fall off”
“Can I go first” he asks”
“Will you be very quick” I ask in my perfect French, Actually a cross between the policeman of Allo Allo and Yodo (quick you will be, obiwan!)
“But of course he says”!
15 minutes later …………..
Probably not the best decision, as his 2 clients bimble upwards slowly and awkwardly.
I set off as soon as is polite by guide standards, as we share the same first stance, he looks over and smiles, not so much of a beginner I think he thinks.
Wow that was interesting think as I smile back, as the steep start and 40 metres of drag had almost pulled me off.
Guido clips out of one of the two bolts on the stance and indicates with a Gaelic nod. I clip in and set up the belay, (as soon as Guido has set of I clip into his bolt as well.)
As a well oiled team (!) the girls and I signal to each other without the need for calls. (Due to earlier discussions about the parties amount of noise often corresponding with their inefficiency, the girls had taken this to the point of extreme!)
At this point a lot of French shouting ensues as the two French clients get in a huge tangle on the stance as they prepare to leave! Merde.
As Tigs ( to much spelling in Tigger) and SG reached the belay, Guido having reached his next stance, and the 2 now untangled French clients set off, not to shabby thinks I this Guido, (hard to get yodo out of your head once he starts!)
“lots I like” SG utters. (See.) Which is actually high praise indeed!
Quickly the girls transfer the quick draws and we turn the ropes over and I set off.
Smoothly three pitches disappear and we keep pace with the Guide. The sun has a watery feel and is not as warm as I would like, the north wind is present but not a real pain yet.
Another party of French arrive (how can I tell from 120metres? well they all go to the toilet, Ah 2 blokes and 1 female!) As we reach he first difficult pitch wet and very exposed, the party below are a pitch and half behind, another Guide……..Cant the French read weather forecasts I think as I watch the clouds push down the valley towards the campsite.
The campsite has slowly come to life and they seem to have no wind, as they breakfast at leisure (I can see all this from the various stances on the routes) Some drift of to the slabs on the other side of the valley and then a car disappears on a ‘ferret’
Pitch follows pitch and the climbing is varied on immaculate granite, truly a ‘classic’, we climb fast with one eye on the deepening clouds, swapping gear and positive comments on the stances. A fantastic route and a stunning and serious climb
SG is climbing well and belaying better then some of my peers, who I have climbed with longer then she has been on this earth.
Tigger looks ok and her confidence grows with every pitch, soon the huge slabs on our right loom steeper and steeper, the overlapping roofs on our left look imposing in the deepening gloom. We are committed now to make one of the abseil stations at the top of the climb, as the route would not longer be easy to ‘bail off’, and it would upset the unsmiling guide who cant quite catch us up.
I am now quite concerned about the weather and it looks like we may get wet! My twitchyness increases as I spot another pair of climbers high on the slabs on our right.
We are all making for the same abseil station at the top of the routes! That will be fun, waiting for 5 French climbers to abseil in front of us and three behind in the pouring rain, even better as we have to ‘stack’ every pitch. We complete the last hard pitch as the wind increases and the first heavy shower hits us, Yippee!
Two easy pitches remain and we will reach an abseil descent I know. At this point it’s a waterproof time and option B, as we reach an alternative bolted descent, I explain that we will head down this way as being in a traffic jam of climbers in the rain and as its our first proper stack, a better option as there will be less pressure!
The girls remember well and despite having to climb all over them to clip in I am soon off, first station reached, two bolts linked together with bits of rope (tat) rather then chain as on the other route. The rain has stopped but the cold wind has increased. Soon SG is with me as Tigger slowly edges down. The map of the routes shows the next abseil point 30 metres away, as I head off down I spot a station to my left but too soon, I carry on as the wind tries to blow me off the slabs. It becomes apparent that that was the station, but more like 25m .Do I climb up (bit of a pain) or continue to the next one, as I think I can see it. Off I go, there it is, good job we are on 60m ropes, the tat is real ‘tat’ and I replace it with some new shiny blue rope, the myon ( the piece of metal like a karabiner that one threads the abseil rope through) is old but ok!
SG is soon down “We not abseiling off that” says SG (ha some doubt at last), and Tigger, confidence growing all the time is with us too. Now this could be interesting, the abseil route has descends through some scrubby trees and the wind is gusting wildly, there is a good chance they will get caught (the rope not the girls!) and entail some real jiggery, I explain this to SG who as always exudes positive vibes.
We slowly pull the rope down and it manages to miss all obstacles despite the best efforts of the wind. I now notice SG’s legs, not that I have not noticed them before but they are now blue!, we now struggle hanging in the middle of 1000’s of feet of nowhere attached some bolts and ‘tat’ trying to put more clothes on, but its truly cold now, but at least its not raining.
I head off following my nose as the guide book appears less then accurate, 40m and over some overhangs I find some tat linked to some only slightly less dubious pegs, not great I think and after some major Peter Pan manoeuvres I head on down and find a stance and to my relief think I can work out the next three abseils. Its still cold and windy but now we are into an obvious route and we will be able to get down.
An hour later our feet are on flatter ground, its warmer and the squalls seem to be blowing out, just to remind us of how luck we have been to grab this great route, a boulder dislodged by he last abseil being pulled down bounces passed us and into the trees.
We scramble back to our sacs and head gently down, ice cream and coffee. After a bite to eat back at the tents the girls want to do some single pitch climbs!!!
Only four more days of climbing left!
My thanks to my fellow instructors, Bertie, Biggles and the group Sally, Joe, Craig, Zoe, Millie, SG and Tigger
Fiacaill Couloir
