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Happy to be back on the Männliflue north face, 4 years after my original descente. The area is still so wonderfull and great to share it with my friends Wim and Pierre.

Snow came and all of us, skiers, became crazy. Even for 10cm powder!After some discussion with Lionel and Solenne we decided to head up for a classic to begin winter: the Grand Golliat NE couloir. My luck with train staying the same I came with half hour delay to start easy peazzy this long tour at 10h. Scarred of my memories in the area I make myself ready with two pairs of gloves, tight, down, I m ready. This early season remenber us is not much much snow but anyway I am happy to be up in mountains with skis and super friends!

We decided to take the widest couloir to get the most snow as possible, not so sure about snowpack stability we were positively surprised everything hold!!!!

Due to the close night we decided to stop 20m from the top.

After it my mobile decided it was over and battery collapsed, back down in warm it came back…. The Val Ferret had reason of technology!

Top section was bit new snow on hard one without much cohesion and the rest was pure plaisure.

Thanks a lot Solenne and Lionel for this fantastic day, and your patience at train station. Was super.

After the special last winter, without much snow, a big virus and a head trauma, was good to take back the skis up in high mountain. Snow is nod deep, Foehn took lot away but anyway the goal was to have a nice moment with my ski mate Wim with an easy and accessible descent at 4000m. First of all to reach the Jungfraujoch you need to prepare a special budget of 82CHF! After you need to understand how to get out of this Disneyland Labyrinth avoiding the chocolate demonstration (for after) and the ice palace.

We decided to take it easy and climb the beautiful SE ridge. During all the climb I was wondering about the snow couldn’t defrost but at the top I ve decided to unclimbed 3m and snow was not that hard. So we decided to drop in. Actually just the 20 first meters were good defrost, enough to make the first easy turn of the season. After it urned to « carrelage icy » modus. All turn were made quietly and with big care, thanks edge are good and shaped.

Anyway a bit of focus is good sometimes and what a day!!

Few years ago I met Eric Loizeau in Dijon adventure festival, he was menber of the jury and I was thee to present « sound of the void » and a bit, or a lot to enjoy French gastronomy. Éric is kind of the sailing legend, a super dynamic and really nice personn. He told me I should come to the trophy he organise all winters with sailers and climbers. This winter I finally got the time to come. The super thing is to meet so much interesting people you share the same passion with about elements and nature. So on the competition side I was in team with Leo and Franck Cammas. Great all of us were happy to get together and on the first day we fastly were super on top at the transtation until I fell on a vicious blue slope side, head trauma direction hospital! After the promiss my flat mate Gilles and Martin would take care about me the doctor decide I could go back to hotel. This was for me the end of the sportive side but I could enjoy the last 3 days of meeting and sharing experiences. Next year I promise I try to don’t fall on the blue slope!

A big thanks to Eric for those super moments and all this super energy!

Let say beginning of winter is it funky here, some snow but away with the terrific strong wind. I got the idea to take a look closely to places less touch by wind and remembered some opened two guys ( https://www.steile-welt.de/2016/05/koloskopie-des-buendner-ungeheuers/ ) in Ungürhœrner.

Full of hope I and my friend Guillaume started from Pischa cable to Pischahorn facing shadow and cold wind, we took then the flat way on south face to reaching the start of the couloir.

Ulrich Steiner and Peter Albert equiped the two entrance rappel on bolt, a must luxe! Due to lack of snow we are oblige to unlimb the first meters then we start ski into a narrow couloir.

Later tee couloir open and the atmosphere is fantastic.

After the couloir we start a cross country adventure to get back to Monbiel.

This day even with little lack of snow allowed us to some super nice ski in a great awesome place. Thanks Guillaume to believe in my steep couloir snow predictions!

Few years ago I did a run in the Cho d’valetta north couloir, I knew it had a twin just near. Those two couloir are bombed oftenly by gazex to avalanche don’t come across the railway just under. Yesterday was serious avi situation at 8am so with Guillaume we have decided to try this option. All the way up we felt the south wind coming and allowed us to skin up with t shirt.

At start snow reaction was unpredictable but soon we had great powder pack and allowed us some nice turns.

The last part offered us some nice powder turn before back on the cross country slope heading to Bever. A nice day before next week summer attack!

Yesterday I started my skitouring season directly after a Wonderfull city trip in the Wonderfull city of Roma. The joy of the Italian gastronomy and the happiness to get warmer temperature are strongly opposite to the Splügeln Pass climat. To begin this new season I had the objective to skin up until Piz Tambo and ski down the north face.

The ski resort still close The uphill is something 1900hm high and some kilometers. The landscape is awesome up there and I was back in Italy just few hours after Roma. I made almost all the way up the track and at the end a friendly group broke the last meters.

I was bit worry about snow stability, a huge wind slab went away and I was wondering how the upper part would be stable. The first few turns made me confident and I decided to drop in. The snow was bit wind blow and powder pack, but super nice to ski, the last hundred meters were powder cinema. From the bottom, skin on and back to the resort to dont risk any rocks contact. That was a day, a cool way to start the winter!

Nothing better than a long alpine tour at home Calanda to forget all worries and wash bit my head. I wake up, work and face this mountain all time so it was time to watch the scenery from the full ridge.

I ve discovered for the first time the fantastic beautiful way to Vazer Alp, super smooth it drives me fast to the beginning of the ridge.

I decide to take the ridge all time and don’t cut to Rossfallenspitz, the T6 little climb is super pleasant then pass the Luggen and head to the Napoléon. At beginning I have to make a little traverse in wait steep unstable sand, the only place I would recommand an rigid shoe. Then traversing on north, back to south and head up to Napoléon. Two abseil have been build but I have decide to avoid carrying rope and harness and unclimbed those 25m in climbing shoes. Something grade 3, bit more in axe of rappel.

After the Napoléon, 4m traverse on north and direct to top of Haldenstein Calanda.

Then adventure goes to Felsberger Calanda. I am missing water so take ll snow as possible in my flask to make kind of granita.

The last part is climbing on a not super stable rock. Kind of giant Micado but it’s short.

Then I begin to see the end of the story.

I enjoy the super beautifull view and try to hear and watch all could be a river. I pass fast the Taminser Calanda and take the way to the little cut village with the same name.

A great day up on this ridge! A nice way to focus about just one thing « does the rock hold or will I fall with the rock 1000m down », good sometimes. Thanks to Scott for the super new supertrac ultra!

Bon voyage ma grand maman ❤️