Skiing and climbing photos – galleries from adventures and expeditions

Harold & Maud, TD+, goes straight up the 250m south face of Point Lachenal, next to Mt Blanc du Tacul.

Early morning we walk down from Aig di Midi in our sneakers and crampons. Going light and fast we are the first party on the route. Me on the first pitch.

Once on the wall, it is difficult to get the big picture, and a small drawing is all you have to guide you up the enormous granite wall. You need to have a good feeling for route finding.

Water is melting on the ledges high above and the cracks on the second pitch is quite wet. It gets dry higher up where the wall becomes steeper than vertical.

From the 4th to the 6th pitch you have to lean back to look up the wide and flat main wall. Luckily it is split by perfect cracks all the way.

We are getting nice views of the Vallee Blanche and Dent du Geant.

Tom coming up to the 4th belay.

Some belays have to be built with our cams, nuts and slings, others are bolted. Either or the climbing is very safe and well protected on solid granite with amazing friction.

Tom is getting some good hand jams in the cracks.

Setting off on the crux pitch. Steep and sustained, we both have to fight a bit...

Next to us someone else is enjoying the Voie Contamine. The Rognon in the background.

After the crux we reach easier ground, but still a lot of excellent and challenging climbing left.

After 3 more pitches we are up on the ridge, we continue to the snowy summit of Pt Lachenal. From there we have just about an hour walk back to the Aig du Midi cable car. We finish in time for a late lunch down in Chamonix.

/Eva

See guided alpine rock climbing for more climbs.

Also Alpine climbing courses for learning how to climb cracks and ridges in the mountains.