Sierra Trip Reports

Dates: Wednesday, September 7 – Thursday, September 15, 2011

Locations: Geneva, Chamonix & Annecy, including the Arête des Papillons – Aiguille du Peigne, Chamonix

Synopsis: Sarah and I headed over to the Swiss and French alps for an amazing trip, including first-time visits for each of us to Geneva, Chamonix and Annecy. I was extremely fired-up to visit Chamonix, THE Alpine Climbing and Skiing Mecca. While in Chamonix, I was able to link up with Tahoe-local Ben Mitchell for some climbing. Ben is an AMGA/IFMGA guide from Truckee that guides in Chamonix in the summer months (as well as for Alpine Skills International in Truckee in the winter and Points North Heli Skiing in Alaska, among other guiding pursuits). Ben and I climbed the classic Arête des Papillons on the Aiguille du Peigne in Chamonix.

Most importantly, the trip was a perfect combination of relaxation, sightseeing/photography and trilling adventure (including paragliding from the Plan Praz station heading towards the Plaques du Brévent) with the most amazing travel companion in the world!

While this TR does contain some amazing climbing and paragliding shots from Chamonix, I also just wanted to showcase some of the amazing sites and views presented during the entire trip in chronological order.

Geneva, Switzerland

After a long flight from the States, Sarah and I arrived into Geneva with the sky bursting with color – a sign that we were in for a great trip.

Even while walking through Geneva the first night, the pending trip to the mountains was fresh on our minds.

We spent a day in Geneva – a beautiful city filled with pride and color.

A walk through the Old City offered great details into European architecture.

Sometimes it’s the small details that really capture you though…

Obviously, no trip to Old Town Geneva would be complete without an abundance of these two key ingredients:

Sarah relaxing on our first day, enjoying local Swiss wine.

At night, Geneva really transforms and is the lights and sounds seem to come to life… both in the Old City:

… in the New City:

…. and in the sky itself!

Chamonix, France

Although the drive from Geneva only takes a little over an hour, Sarah and I decided to take the train to Chamonix (approximately three hours) for a more scenic route that we could enjoy. It was a great ride and we arrived in Chamonix with excitement and great weather awaiting.

Upon our arrival, we quickly headed over to the Aiguille du Midi, the famed cable car to the top of the Aigulle at 3,800m with amazing views of the Mont Blanc massif and the Swiss and Italian alps.

The first cable car takes you to the Plan de l’Aiguille at 2,300m, which later served as the beginning of the short approach to the Arête des Papillons on the Aiguille du Peigne the next day (more on that later).

The cable car coming to the Plan from the Aiguille du Midi.

The views from the top of the Midi are spectacular. The Mont Blanc Massif:

Heading out onto the glacier:

Looking out towards Italy:

The next morning Ben and I caught the first Midi up at 8:30, which was a pretty cool experience as it is just filled with climbers and para-gliders heading up for the day. Our route was the Arête des Papillons on the Aiguille du Peigne.

Taken the day prior, the Aiguille du Peigne is seen here, with the Arête des Papillons being the “spikey” ridgeline starting at “5:00” on the invisible dial and working up various towers on the ridgeline until about half way up the Peigne. To put it in perspective, the ridgeline of the Arête des Papillons is half in shadow (on its left) and in the light (on its right), and exactly right of the large smooth face in the center of the photo.

If you were to pitch out the entire climb, I would suppose the Arête des Papillons would be about 10 pitches. Ben and I essentially short-roped or simul climbed the entire route to the last tower, and then rapped/descended back to the Plan de l’Aiguille. It was great rock and I just couldn’t stop thinking about how a route like this in the High Sierra (e.g., Venusian Blind on Temple Crag) would take a 4-6 hour approach hike, but in Chamonix it takes 20 minutes!

Ben working up the Chamonix granite on the Arête des Papillons in the earning morning shade.

The North Face of the Aiguille du Midi. Ben had climbed the Frendo Spur, a mixed rock and ice route up to the summit of the Aiguille du Midi, the prior week in about five and a half hours, climbing about 1,500m.

The Arête des Papillons was an amazing route, with third and fourth class moves in between towers of moderate and vertical crack climbing. It reminded me of the West Ridge of Conness, with the Towers of the North Ridge worked in about every 10 minutes. Absolutely awesome route!

Ben working up the route further:

The higher you get up, the more spectacular and sustained the climbing became – with some great vertical crack sections. Ben leading into the light:

After topping out the route, we rapped off the final tower and worked through the tallus back to the Plan. After a very quick decent, we were sitting on the Plan bar, having a beer with our route off on the distance. Did I mention the climbing access in Chamonix!

Seriously, I cannot get over the quick access to unreal climbing in Chamonix. The weekend we got back from Chamonix, I headed with Jon to climb the Northeast Couloir of Mount Gilbert and Matthes Crest, both of which involved huge approaches and descents car-to-car. Simply put, climbing in Chamonix = climbing way more routes.

In true Chamonix fashion, following our climb Ben headed over to the paraglide launch spot behind the Plan mid-station.

Nothing like climbing a stellar route and then flying home! Here Ben takes off with Mont Blanc in the distance (Sarah and I would do this from another take-off location the next day).

Another cool thing worth mentioning about Chamonix (and frankly, Geneva and Annecy as well) was the flowers – they were everywhere and in full bloom. Every house, square, road median, etc.. contained professional looking gardens. It was amazing and absolutely everywhere you looked.

The next day, Sarah and I headed up to the Plan Praz station heading towards the Plaques du Brévent for some paragliding (tandem with guides). This was the first time Sarah or I had ever done such a thing and it was amazing. Each day in Chamonix, you look up and there are literally hundreds of these throughout the day flying all around the sky. The views were incredible of the entire Chamonix valley and surrounding area and you are literally flying around (not slowly falling) as the updrafts keep you high up for as long as I think you really cared.

After some brief instruction from our pilots, we strapped in and ran off the Plan Praz take-off zone. Amazingly, you instantly gain altitude for the flight and are moving much quicker in the air than you see from the ground.

Sarah soaring off, with the second shot showing the perspective to Chamonix.

Sarah with the tail of glacial run-off in the distance. I was very proud that Sarah did this, and frankly, both surprised and enthusiastic as we briefly discussed whether we should try and she was gun-ho for it!

Sarah with the full Aiguille du Chamonix and Mont Blanc in the distance.

The alternate view, looking up at the Plaques du Brévent.

After a fun landing, we finished our time in Chamonix with some hiking over by the Mer de Glace:

Although I could not help continuously staring up at the prominent Les Drus, which was unreal and appeared to offer some epically serious alpine climbing!

We departed ways with Chamonix, both blown away by the town and I cannot wait to go back!

Annecy, France

Lake Annecy is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe – and I tend to agree! The water was an amazing turquoise and it was surrounded by the Alps.

The area around Annecy is quite well known in the cycling circuit as home to some of the more strenuous portions of the hill climbing in the Tour de France. Sarah and I did some cycling in Annecy, but no hills were involved – there is a great bikes-only road circling for 40km around the entire Lake. We rented bikes one day and road for several hours on one-half of the Lake.

Annecy itself is a beautiful town – with Old Town Annecy comprised of narrow roads and a canal system that is reminiscent of a smaller Venice. When we arrived, a great farmers market was set up throughout the narrow streets of the Old Town, with amazing food:

After some great meals, cycling and swimming in the Lake, Sarah and I finished the trip walking around Annecy – which was beautiful. I will just offer a sampling of pictures that can capture the beauty more than my crude writing: