FYI on content?

 

If you come here often, I suspect you will have noticed a distinct lack of new content lately.  Good reason for that.  I've been skiing and climbing in France and Switzerland for the past month with another to go before returning to Seattle. 

 

This trip has allowed me to test some theories, get to see and use some of the newest gear to best effect and so far, only scare myself spitless a few times to date.  But the trip isn't over yet!

 

Best part of the trip, and there have been many,  is I am already fully booked for Chamonix in  March and April of 2015!  

 

If you find the upcoming changes and newest content to Cold Thistle (and I have many planned ) interesting, entertaining and fun be sure to let me know.  I am pretty stoked about it all!  If next winter is any thing like the last 6 weeks.  2015 will simply be amazing here at CT!

 

Things should start happening in late May.  Stick around and see what you think!

Grivel Twin Gate?

Ya, I have seen a lot of fluff and faff in the climbing world.  When it comes to bits and pieces stuff comes and goes.  The bad or complicated stuff simply binned early on.  We all have some I suspect.  And really wish we didn't.

OK, skiing is fun. Now back to climbing ;-)

Easy goulotte climbing?  My favorite!

 

BG&E

Beyond">http://vimeo.com/78417409">Beyond Good and Evil
from morganhttp://vimeo.com/user5229233">morgan> on Vimeo.https://vimeo.com">Vimeo.>

Dare!

"Dare to live the life you dream....not the life you think you must."

Steep and fast!

The last resort?

This a project the NW locals should be all over supporting in any way possible!

No matter what you donate in time or money...if you ever need them it will be cheap by comparison.

https://www.facebook.com/SnohomishHRT

Raffle and dinner are only 10 days away.  Don't let the lack of a ticket scare you away!

The world of alpine web blogs?

the skin

 

 

 

Charlie

 

You'll want to dbl click these photos for full effect

A few of us finally got together for some easy but oh so good skiing here in Chamnonix.

TK, Matt, Brian and Charlie all gathered for a really fun ride today.  Simply brilliant skiing starting with a coffee in Chamonix, up the Midi tram and then a short, pleasant skin over into Italy.   Down 1200m of the de Toule Glacier to the Helbronner mid station.  Up that tram and another then back to Chamonix for lunch.  The blogs are here:

http://davesearle.me/

http://chamconditions.blogspot.fr/

http://www.skimolife.com/

I will eventually write more when I have some time but  I am not much on writing up my own trip reports.  Magical days with good friends, old and new, can deserve some pictures and words.  This was truly one of those days for me. 

The picture above is Charlie about to spray me with much of the crew following.  Me?  I'm in the middle of a perfect patch of steep snow with a huge shit eating grin.   Dave is pictured below at the last of the ice fall.  The route?   Half the Valle Blanc then up and down the de Toule Glacier, then up for coffee, and down the  Combe de La Vergie, down the right bank of the Seracs de Geant.

"Super Dave Searle" above"

 

I've skied on a lot of fine days.  Few better than this. 3600+m of vert. total, one "one"run.

 

All enhanced by the Italian coffee, grappa and French sunshine!