Videos

Video Films of Mountaineering

During my third reincarnation following the surgical period, I returned, in a way, to my youth, to the first "dream-time", to the love of mountains. Whatever else I did in my life, this love of mountains remained dormant in my soul continually only to erupt with exuberance to the surface at my retirement.

Between the ages of 60 and 80 years I enjoyed immensely climbing and ski-ing in the Alps and the Himalayas.

Within the limitations of the YouTube technicalities, I selected a few short sequences of some of my climbs and inserted them in this blog.

They contain summer and winter climbs on couloirs, ridges and north faces.

They were filmed by my friend René Yves Roulet, high altitude guide and trusted companion. Mr. Eric Marangoni was responsible for the editing and the musical illustration. 

Autour du Mont Blanc

 

An enchanted promenade through the fairyland of this unique massif; the Mont Blanc with its continuosly changing magic and its permenant majesty.

L'Aiguille de Bionnassay   4052m.

The Aiguille de Bionnassay dominates the south-west area of Mont Blanc. Following the climb from the Durier hut to the summit, the climb continues on a long, very narrow and exposed ridge in a traversé to the Dome du Gouter. In good weather and favourable snow conditions, it is a highly agreeable climb.

Couloir Copt  3519m.

This couloir is about 55° of incline over some 230m in length from the bergschrund to the upper col. Descent by abseil through the rocks. In good conditions this is a very attractive climb. The couloir is large and receives the sun throughout the morning hours. From the top a traversé on a rocky ridge leads to a point from where 2 or 3 abseils brings one back to the starting point.


Mont Blanc par l'Arete des Bosses  4809m.

The climb from l"Aiguille du Gouter to the summit of Mont Blanc does not involve any technical difficulties. It is a long, varied climb at high altitude with superb views all around.


Arete des Cosmiques  Hivernale  3842m.

During a beautiful, sunny January day the climb was very agreeable despite the deep snow. This is a very varied climb: snow, rock, couloirs, chimneys and great views around.

Le Mont Blanc par les trois monts sous l'orage  4809m.

That particular day was marked by turbulent weather; clear skies alternating with clouds and high winds, flurries of snow, strong gusts of wind raising spindrift especially on the ridges, intermittent passages of fog, all-in-all cold,difficult but superb. A real high altitude climb.

L'Aiguille Verte par le couloir Whymper  4121m.

This superb and difficult mountain, approached through the Whymper couloir involves continuous inclines of 55 to 60°, a very narrow and exposed ridge on the last stretch to the summit and a great danger on the descent. This climb should preferably start at or around midnight in order to finish the descent from the summit, down to the bergschrund before lunchtime when the slope becomes very dangerous, mainly due to stone falls.
However, this climb is more than scaling a mountain, it is a unique spiritual experience.

For more mountain videos follow these links:

https://picasaweb.google.com/100487507399619290529/MountainVideos#

https://picasaweb.google.com/100487507399619290529/MountainVideos2#