Snow time ...

Oh the weather outside's delightful,

But the icefalls look quite frightful,

Oh don't be such a tease,

LET IT FREEZE, LET IT FREEZE, LET IT FREEZE!

Although it's hard to imagine, having just arrived in the Alps from the sunny Costa Blanca, we are slightly distressed by the warm temperatures. Today was almost 10degrees! And overnight, we don't think it really froze at all.


This is not good news if you want to climb ice. Not good news at all.


However ... we did manage to climb a beautiful line today. Perhaps a little damp in patches, but nevertheless three pitches of easy axe-swinging fun in a great location. Jen tried out her much improved axes, now with extra horn, thanks to Mark's early Christmas gift (which included installation, too).

Ooooh! Check out the horn!

AND more snow is on its way, and then winds from the north to follow. Many of the icefalls have formed, others are getting there, and hopefully the refreezing cycle will kick in. A little bit of melt that then refreezes can make the ice more solid (as long as the melt doesn't destroy it completely, of course...)