Summit ridge

Beginning of the summit ridge of Gran Paradiso. Not always the conditions are favorable...This time total white-out, icy summit blocks and very strong wind which could blow one off the ridge. During the time I spent further on the ridge doing some pretty exiting mixed climbing nobody followed me. On the photo the point from where it started to get tricky, forcing many climbers to turn back. Taken (during descent) on June 17, 2006.