Ettringen Episode 1 2019

Last weekend we started our crack season in Ettringen, so happy to be back with Marieke and Mike. New sectors and routes for us at the Steingarten, Schatzinsel and Greenhorn.
Absolut must climb the finger and hand crack on the far left at Schatzinsel, Faustrecht at Greenhorn and some other pretty cool hand cracks....

Chamonix

Last alpine ice trip is three years ago when Jeroen and I climbed the north face of Les Courtes. Since then either the weather had been unstable or conditions had been insufficient or both… With the hot summers and dry autumns it is getting more difficult to find routes in condition and worth climbing it. 

Last week Jeroen and I were lucky enough to recover the old alpine winter feeling although we could not finish our route (Mallory-Porter on the north face of Aig. Du Midi). We set up our tent at the plan des aiguilles and next morning startet at 6 AM. At 8 AM we were at the start of the route. The steep first snow gully was pretty filled with soft snow and after 1 hour we made traverse to the right where conditions improved a lot. Steep neve brought us to the rocky section (4b). It was really nice rock climbing for 25 meters or so. We took 4 cams with us what is absolutely sufficient for this section. 

We continued but were faced with increasing wind that forced us to hide behind rocks… further up it looked much more severe and we decided to retreat. At the cable car station we got info that the Midi cable car did not go the whole day because of wind up to 100km/h.

A bit disappointed but more important to me: revival of the alpine ice feeling, the winter climbing, camping in the snow, everything worth the trip! As add on we climbed in LeFayet and Servoz. We'll be back.

 

 Le Fayet

Servoz

 

Cogne - early season ice

Before christmas we had our season opening in Cogne. Conditions were ok on some ice falls and it seems that this season may become very good since a lot of falls start to grow like I had'nt seen for a while - happy!!

day 1: Patri droites and gauche. Droite was steep and not always easy to place protection.

day 2: Candelabro del Coyote and first pitch of Tutto Relativo. First pitch of Coyote cool cauliflower ice, second pitch was steep and interesting to climb... the pillar of tutto relativo looks good from the valley but it is still thin and wet!

day 3: Thule, nice climbing, second pitch wet, in the afternoon we were climbed at the mixed sector between Lillaz and Cogne.

day 4: it was warm during the night and we decided to spend climbing in the mixed sector, cool climbing spot.


Patri approach

pitch 1 Patri




Patri droite et gauche

Patri de gauche

Patri droite climbing..

 

first pitch of Coyote

 

first pitch of Coyote

 second pitch of Coyote

.

 first pitch of Thoule

second pitch of Thoule

 mixed arena

Techno Party Ettringen

Three really nice techno days in Ettringen.
C1-C2, but also some A2 climbing on Knife Blade Runner in the Arena.
Last day we think maybe first ascent of the big roof to the left of Girlsclub A3. We also tried Girlsclub on toprope. Scarry idea to do the sky hook moves on lead, we still have to get used to it... anyway, once again so nice to be in the Eifel in autumn...

Ettringen Rehab III

Getting in shape again...

a nice day climbing in the sector Arena and Krokodilsrücken in Kottenheim. Next day in the Westkessel and Schlangenloch...

Ettringen Rehab II

Marieke and I spent another great autumn day at the Dornental. Beautiful colours and nice routes. My lower back is improving quickly as my climbing and especially my off-width climbing skills!
Great.

Ettringen Rehab

After my lead climbing fall in august I reached a milestone ;-) Last weekeind I climbed some easy routes in Ettringen on lead and the harder stuff on top rope, thanks to Sven!
Happy!!!