Learning the Ropes in Chamonix. Crampon Skills

The last test we had to pass before we were ready to move on to the high mountains involved learning basic crampon skills and ice-axe placements.

The Chamonix valley is famous for its glaciers whose glacier tongues advance almost down to the valley floor.

The usual spot for learning crampon techniques is the Mer de Glace which can be reached by a cog railway built more than 100 years ago. Using this cog railway we went to Montenvers and enjoyed the spectacular views over the Mer de Glace. However, before we could were able to put our crampons on we had to climb down the famous ladders from the Montenvers stations to the glacier surface. This glaciers is retreating continuosly since its last big advance in the 19th and therefore the glacier surface is some 200 hundred meters below the Montenvers station.

Down at the glacier surface we practised various techniques using our crampons as well as the ice axes. French guides developed these techniques for save travel with their clients back in the 19th century. Some of these techniques are still used until this day.  After becoming familiar with our crampons and ice axes our guide finally decided that the four of us were ready for our first ‘real’ alpine trip which should be a climb up the Montblanc du Tacul (4248m)