A great few days with the Burns family here in Chamonix, on a return trip after last years visit, this time with Ewen along for the alpine action as well.
We had a good but long day traversing from the Swiss refuge Cabane d’Orny, over the Trient Glacier up to the Aiguille du Tour before heading past the French Albert Premier refuge an on down to the Chamonix valley. It was a mega hot day, and despite the early start it soon got super warm and we were down to the thermal base layers and re-applying sunscreen every half hour.
Both Ewen and Georgina did a good steady job of scrambling up the summit blocks of the Aiguille du Tour, which looks pretty intimidating from below. We spent just a few minutes at the top, as we still had a long way to go, and time was ticking on. The crevasses on the way down to the Albert Premier refuge are quite impressive, and watching alpine “runners” trotting about with no ropes on baffled the Burns family quite a lot….
After refreshment at the refuge, we slogged our way down and across to the lift system at Le Tour. It had been a long hot day, but a hugely satisfying one. Both of the young ‘uns were asleep in the back of the car pretty quickly!
“Warming up” at Les Gaillands before walking to the Cabane d’Orny
Early start from the Cabane d’Orny, 4.30 breakfast.
Sun coming up on the Trient Glacier – always a good time of day.
Looking up towards the Aiguille du Tour
The last section of scrambling up to the Aiguille du Tour
Rock climbing with Alastiar in the Aiguille Rouge above Chamonix
Via Ferrata above Passy
