 Poster: A snowHead
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Mont Blanc the mountain of eternal snow – it’s the last few days of May and most skiing has been closed for a month or more.
Team ready!
Starting out for our climb involves a walk down the ridge from the summit station on the Aiguille du Midi and short ski round to the refuge Cosmiques.
1 am alarm comes very quickly; you don’t feel like breakfast but it’s necessary.
Out the door and skis on, a short slide brings us to the base of Mont Blanc du Tacul, skins on the base of our skis and up we go.
Pre Dawn
A few hundred meters up and it gets steep and firm, change to Crampons and skis on our backs.
Two hours grind further on and we are on the shoulder, changing back to skis to slide over to Mont Maudit – it’s still very dark.
It’s time to rope up as dawn approaches, it’s chilly but not cold, there is a perfect stillness in the air as the light changes.
The Shoulder of Maudit is a steep but short, fixed rope, axe as well as the crampons. We are rewarded by an amazing vista, deep into France, Italy and Switzerland.
Maudit Panoramic
A short decent brings us to Col Brenva, things have changed and got harder. There is a stiff breeze trying to freeze us, we are feeling the effects of Altitude and one of my crampons has collapsed.
Kimberly and Col Brenva
We eat some food, tie and strap my crampon together, and start up the final slog.
Broken Crampon!
It’s not very far in terms of distance or height from Col Brenva to the summit of Mont Blanc, but it’s the toughest part of the climb – how hard a gentle slope can feel when the Altitude, and cold are biting away at you.
Last Steps...
At 11 am, having been on our feet for just over 9 hours, we’ve made it. It’s a beautiful sunny day and we can see (almost) forever in every direction. Anything higher is a long way round the curvature of the earth.
Summit Team - Glen and Kimberly Plake and me!
Me on the summit!
Smiles, Photos, Snack and it’s time to ski.
At 4807m there is a lot of wind, hence our first few turns are on hard snow. A little lower and we have powder to play in. Amazing to ski with everything below and nothing above.
Glen Plake
Seracs tower above us, beautiful but menacing, our snow changes from powder to smooth, refrozen silver and finally to spring snow as we approach the Grand Mulets Refuge.
Kimberly in the Powder!
Me in the powder!
Below the Mulets we rope up, keeping our skis on to enter the Junction of glaciers and cross onto the Bossons.
Below the Mulets
Traversing the Bosson glacier
Skins on, a bit of scrambling and we are on the slushy traverse below the Aiguille du Midi – not far now – two short descents, some rough loose scree scrambling and a short walk brings us stumbling up the Mid station of the Aiguille du Midi 23 hours after we passed though it on our way up.
Final Slope...
The stumble back!
Many thanks to Glen and Kimberly Plake my intrepid ski and climbing partners on this rather special outing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Top work. Shame you had to go skiing with such hacks 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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win!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Impressive stuff
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Idris, Wow, well done, brilliant photos, what an experience and what a day! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Class!!!
PS. Is that "Idris" as in "Vibram sole on alpine boot"?
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noice! - two of you on Plums too eh, good to see - I knew GP was a user/ambassador
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Nice one - did the same route a few years ago. You were quicker than we were!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Excellent.
Thanks for sharing.
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Fantastic, and amazing photos.
Great post, thank you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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At first I though, "bug me, Glen Plake posts on Snowheads!".
Good trip report. How hard was the route finding on the descent?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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Epic stuff, and great photos too! I was supposed to be doing this this year but reproduction got in the way...
Pffft! Reproduction. A poor substitute for real achievements like this.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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altis, err, yes, that was a while back - things have moved on a little - but watch this space
galpinos, not really, 100 odd tracks on the face, but plants of side stashes to be found
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Poster: A snowHead
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Idris, great to see your skis are going the distance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Idris,
Fantastic - thanks for the TR.
Maybe next year... 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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So I was reading that thinking "Blimey that bloke looks just like Glen Plake!"
Top stuff!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Piccadilly, me to! I knew the face and at first the name "Iggy Pop" sprung to the fore ... until the penny dropped 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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nice one
Made my day
thanks
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Idris, brilliant TR, looks fabulous.
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Idris, the 2 lines on the last picture, are they your "Up n down" routes? if so which is which?
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My favourite snowheads TR ever!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Frosty the Snowman, red up blue down I reckon
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Brilliant
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thank you thank you thank you  This is just amazing.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Idris, A question - I see you've got water bladders for drinking water, do you replenish them with snow or bottled water? Was just thinking logistics and super keen to do it, I take on a lot of water and just wondered how much you needed to carry etc?
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Markymark29, the hut will fill you up with melted snow before you set out
I am like you and it can be difficult balancing carrying enough water to keep you going without getting weighed down by it all. Generally I limit myself to 2l but it would be tough on a long day like Mt Blanc
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You know it makes sense.
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Markymark29, I carried 3 litres of water myself - Glen and Kimberly had 2 a piece and we all had just enough.
Snow is not an option at this hut or this route - the altitude ensures it's too cold.
Arno, The Cosmiques hut is a private hut and only sells expensive bottled water 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Idris, hmm... mind you, the melted snow isn't exactly a bargain for what it is!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Idris, Another question - I'd really like to do this maybe next year, or one following, have been thinking about it for a few years. I reckon skiing down wouldnt be an issue, and fitness getting up there also not a biggy...i'm on a major boot camp food plan to lose 10-15kg ready for summer biking in the Alps, but my ice climbing skills, rope/ ice axe, and general mountaineering skills are not up there, is there a guide system or training camp you could suggest, I guess the Cham guides would take you up for a fee but I'd want a good level of skill before getting to that point. Also is there a major issue booking the hut? Would welcome your thoughts.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Really enjoyed looking at these photo's, I climbed this route on foot not skis, way back in 1983 only we descended the Glacier du Miage into Italy.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Markymark29 wrote: |
| [b] is there a guide system or training camp you could suggest, |
The BMC run Alpine introductory courses either at Plas y Brenin or Glenmore Lodge.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Inspiring stuff.  Thanks for posting.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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OwenM, cheers, will look at these
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Wow !!! Skiing with Plake - how cool is that !!
He's my hero (and being a cycnical old 50yr old, there's very few of them)
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Markymark29, lots of British IFMGA Guides run courses which would set you up for this. Jagged Globe run intro ski mountaineering courses which cover a lot of the skills needed, as do Dream Guides, Alpine Guides, High Mountain Guides (popular search engines are your friend for all of these), and many independants too (pm me for more reccommendations). The 3 Monts route is relatively basic mountaineering but definitely worth being comfortable on crampons with axe in hand...
Cosmiques hut can get very busy particularly on weekends in the spring (even more so when the forecast is good) so aim for a midweek trip...
@ Idris great pics as always - maybe catch you for some summer skiing this year again.
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| Quote: |
I reckon skiing down wouldnt be an issue
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Skiing the North Face direct from the summit is very dicy. Big seracs, bigger crevasses. Pre-knowledge of the route essential. OP had plenty of tracks to follow (!) but there were none at all when we did the same route.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thank god I thought for one moment those people who make £500 fountain pens had brought out a ski range.
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Idris, great TR, thanks. Those skis your using aren't the ones you planned to make out of your ISPO stand are they?
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FAQ
