For the second year in a row I worked on the Arcteryx Alpine Academy here in Chamonix. It’s a great event and involves many guides including a strong contingent of British Mountain Guides. So it turns into a good mini guides social too!
I did two days this year, starting off with “Advanced Technical Alpinism” where we headed up to the Aiguille du Midi and climbed and practiced various alpine techniques such as short roping, short pitching and moving together. We were followed around the hill by an Arcteryx photographer, and so now I have some good photos of myself guiding.
The second day was a little more mixed weather wise. I was on the “Multi-Pitch Rock Climbing” clinic, and we stayed low in the valley, heading to the local climbing venue Les Gaillands. The weather came and went and we got some pretty heavy showers at times. We battled on through though, and got lots of technical training done which the boys were keen for. Some belay setups, abseils and a mini introduction to self-rescue.
Yet again it was a good weekend, and I heard nothing but positive feedback from the guides and participants. See you next year.
Aiguille du Midi arete
Descending the Aiguille du Midi arete
Arete Laurent
Arcteryx offical photographer
Fellow British Mountain guide Kenny Grant mid flow
Abseil setups
Slightly soggy, but still happy
