Petit Viking

Last tuesday I climbed together with Bernd the Petit Viking. It is an alpine ice route in the Argentiere bassin in Chamonix. The day before we took the cable car of the Montet to make a really nice ski descent to the bottom of the glacier and after that we walked on skis with too heavy backpacks (as always) to the Argentiere hut. This approach made me really happy, outdoors, on altitude, in the cold in a really alpine enivronment - love that.
After a good night in the winter hut we started at 6 o'clock in the morning. Instead of 2 hours it took us 3 hours to reach the bottom of the climb. Anyway, as we arrived we saw that the bergschrund was open but climbable. The last two winters it was normally really difficult to cross the bergschrund. So we were lucky.

our route is the thin ice line which goes pretty straight up on the left side of the picture


I lead the first pitches to the bottom of the first steeper wall. Then Bernd took the lead and it turned out that the ice quality was excellent. It was less steep than we expected and it was really fun to climb. After the first steeper pitch it gets easier and after some easier pitches I got the last final steep funnel to climb. I was in a good mood and kept climbing until the 60m rope forced me to make belay on two ice screws. During that pitch I had some serious spin drift which made it more interesting.

the bergschrund and in the background the first steeper part



 the first steep pitch


great views to Les Courtes and the Argentiere glacier




abseiling

We climbed 10 pitches. The route finishes in a col close to the Domino. We did not climb the last two easy pitches because it got late. So we had to abseil down again and then ski out first to the hut and then back to Chamonix were we arrived at 6 in the evening. Great route, normally it is too cold in january for climbing up there but sometimes weather gives you a chance - take it!

facts: alpine ice climbing, WI4, 500m, the belays are on pitons and slings, no bolts. Crux is normally the bergschrund. Best way to get to the start of the route is by skis. To the left of the route are some harder routes like the Charlet-Ghillini. The Northface of the Courtes looks a bit dry at the moment but the Droites (Lagarde/Ginat/Jackson) will be in good shape in a few weeks.