It's going to be hard to top this, but until then, at least I can now relive the experience whenever I feel like it. Thanks for writing it all up so eloquently!
Yep - I agree. I've just sent the link to Al - and pointed out that in my 40 year fragmented Alpine career, I haven't had a better trip in terms of both quantity of what we did, but also quality. Thanks for your company - and for your help with the page.
best wishes, Mark
Between hospital procedures, lunch and chat with my Doctor, it took me aound 70 minutes to read the whole trip report.
Man, you guys had a blast and the best of all, close to home for all of you. You hit like most of my wishlist for the Alps, including the incredible Monte Rosa Massif...
An this, I never had snow higher than my knees, this must be an ordeal:
"We laboured for hours to descend a mere 300m, at times plunging into snow up to our waists. I was in constant pain from my back. Rob, bless him, took some of my load – and took the lead – although even going second did not protect from much of the floundering. With my 20kg greater weight, sometimes the snow collapsed under my boots, when he got away with it. "
Fantastic trip, mountains, amazing photos and the most important of all, you all got home safe and you Mark, with a small frostbite (very much alike the one I had in Mont Blanc, on the same toe!!!) which btw brings funny memories in the years to come. After all, you got lucky to be so small, just like I did. But it took my nail like six months to grow again, too much time.
Thanks a lot Paulo
If our TR took you out of your hospital for 70 minutes then I am really glad. Yes - having last year not hit anything on the wish list, this year we certainly hit all on my wishlist - and maybe even temporarily left Rob uncertain which direction to point himself!
Yes - when you put it like that, floundering in that deep snow was really hard - but actually not as hard as you carrying a pack uphill in subzero temperatures with a haemoglobin level of less than half what it should be... in a former life I dropped mine from 15-12 when I bled after an operation - and I can remember struggling to walk a couple of km, gently uphill up a country lane at about zero centigrade - so again, I salute you for what you achieved last month.
Best wishes, Mark
Well...we all have problems and we have to deal with it the best way we can...
The best way to me is go up and about over the mountains, it made me feel ALIVE, happy, all over again, as it happens every time I go into the wilderness...
Today is my day number 11 inside and I'm crazy already, walking around the floor, talking other patients up (most of them give up fighting as soon the get the sad news...so I try to change that on them by telling my story, kinda like a volunteer work - all patients on my floor are leukemia patients, blood disorders).
The problem is my aplasia lasts for at least 3 weeks after the last dose of chemo. And right now I have some light chest pain over the sternum, coughing a bit, but no fever and no mucus. But this discomfort lead me and my Dr. to look a little bit inside, so I just did an X-ray to check out things. Ah, my o2 saturation is, as usual, 99-100%.
So I'm a little bit worried but no too much, in around 6 to 8 days my bone marrow probably will wake up and my white blood cells count will rise to the roof. So, I have to stay alive for at least one week more, active, away from the little bugs hehehe
What I did wasn't a big deal, but it was risky I'll give you that, to travel with just 19.000 of platelets hehehe...
Opps, sorry to talk too much about me on your TR! One thing lead to another and bum, I write too much...
The little I can say is that you have shown much perseverance in achieving your long time dream to spend one night on mont-Blanc after the many Swiss summits you climbed to get perfectly acclimatised and much determination in chosing the nearly only bad day of this fantastic season (winter and summer) to do so. Obviously you did not want to miss it this year.
Good show from you and Rob!
Just a little remark which comes from Choups : he does not fancy being called "Choux" which in French means "Dear" when singular and worse "a cabbage" in plural, so I have not shown him your article. He is quite touchy as far as his virility is concerned.
Thanks a lot Eric. Yes, the itch has finally been scratched.
Now, I am so sorry for inadvertently insulting Mr Choups virility - and I have, of course, corrected the error - immediately.
The next dream might have to be to see the Aurora Borealis, from the far reaches of Arctic Norway - but don't think it is goodbye to Mont Blanc. I have averaged one ascent every 5 years for the last nearly 3 decades. Barring even more bits of me packing in, that means I'm due again around 2018. In the mean time, I can still come and look - starting with next year...
Thanks Bob
Yes, TOAL it was - I don't expect to top this in the rest of my climbing career - and even Rob will be struggling.
And Yes - I've noticed what you say about prior frost-nipping... I had nipped both big toes 2 years ago on Aconcagua - left with numbness in both. Like you said it was for you in your article, there wasn't much pain involved as my toes froze again... although with my boots being frozen I knew they had to be doing as well.
I had some frost-nip in the Himalayas 30 years ago - cost me a summit! Although I didn't get much tissue damage then, my feet were sensitive to cold for a very long time after.
Thanks so much for this post, Mark!! I'll need some time to really read through it and view all the photos you put along with it, but I am really looking forward to doing so!!! Especially as I still have some "Pennine Alps virus" left in me from my latest trip! :D
Cheers,
Eric
I had fun writing it - and reliving it all - but it is a bit of a tome.
You keep that Pennine Virus lit - I have had mine for nearly 30 years... although Mont Blanc is my favourite mountain, Pennine Alps is my favouite area and the one I have visited the most, including now from the Italian side - where I already have plans to go back and show my wife.
...I can give you solid confirmation for the eight euros for a litre of water! That's EXACTLY what they charged me at the Tracuit hut as well for a full bottle of still mineral water!
Something to be said for either carrying all water up or filling up from streams - or doing what I prefer to do and camp/bivvy... though for me with my aged and not very good spine, my days of carrying a heavy pack are numbered.
I finally found some time to read your TR. All I can say is: Great TR, very well written and fantastic photos!
As I said earlier, The Monte Rosa summits are on my wishlist and after reading your TR I even want go there more. Can't wait to go there next summer.
Cheers, Lodewijk
rgg - Aug 24, 2013 8:10 am - Voted 10/10
A memorable tripIt's going to be hard to top this, but until then, at least I can now relive the experience whenever I feel like it. Thanks for writing it all up so eloquently!
Cheers, Rob
markhallam - Aug 24, 2013 9:16 am - Hasn't voted
Re: A memorable tripYep - I agree. I've just sent the link to Al - and pointed out that in my 40 year fragmented Alpine career, I haven't had a better trip in terms of both quantity of what we did, but also quality. Thanks for your company - and for your help with the page.
best wishes, Mark
PAROFES - Aug 24, 2013 11:21 am - Voted 10/10
Well...Between hospital procedures, lunch and chat with my Doctor, it took me aound 70 minutes to read the whole trip report.
Man, you guys had a blast and the best of all, close to home for all of you. You hit like most of my wishlist for the Alps, including the incredible Monte Rosa Massif...
An this, I never had snow higher than my knees, this must be an ordeal:
"We laboured for hours to descend a mere 300m, at times plunging into snow up to our waists. I was in constant pain from my back. Rob, bless him, took some of my load – and took the lead – although even going second did not protect from much of the floundering. With my 20kg greater weight, sometimes the snow collapsed under my boots, when he got away with it. "
Fantastic trip, mountains, amazing photos and the most important of all, you all got home safe and you Mark, with a small frostbite (very much alike the one I had in Mont Blanc, on the same toe!!!) which btw brings funny memories in the years to come. After all, you got lucky to be so small, just like I did. But it took my nail like six months to grow again, too much time.
Cheers and congrats to the 3 of you!
Paulo
markhallam - Aug 24, 2013 4:12 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Well...Thanks a lot Paulo
If our TR took you out of your hospital for 70 minutes then I am really glad. Yes - having last year not hit anything on the wish list, this year we certainly hit all on my wishlist - and maybe even temporarily left Rob uncertain which direction to point himself!
Yes - when you put it like that, floundering in that deep snow was really hard - but actually not as hard as you carrying a pack uphill in subzero temperatures with a haemoglobin level of less than half what it should be... in a former life I dropped mine from 15-12 when I bled after an operation - and I can remember struggling to walk a couple of km, gently uphill up a country lane at about zero centigrade - so again, I salute you for what you achieved last month.
Best wishes, Mark
PAROFES - Aug 24, 2013 4:33 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Well...Well...we all have problems and we have to deal with it the best way we can...
The best way to me is go up and about over the mountains, it made me feel ALIVE, happy, all over again, as it happens every time I go into the wilderness...
Today is my day number 11 inside and I'm crazy already, walking around the floor, talking other patients up (most of them give up fighting as soon the get the sad news...so I try to change that on them by telling my story, kinda like a volunteer work - all patients on my floor are leukemia patients, blood disorders).
The problem is my aplasia lasts for at least 3 weeks after the last dose of chemo. And right now I have some light chest pain over the sternum, coughing a bit, but no fever and no mucus. But this discomfort lead me and my Dr. to look a little bit inside, so I just did an X-ray to check out things. Ah, my o2 saturation is, as usual, 99-100%.
So I'm a little bit worried but no too much, in around 6 to 8 days my bone marrow probably will wake up and my white blood cells count will rise to the roof. So, I have to stay alive for at least one week more, active, away from the little bugs hehehe
What I did wasn't a big deal, but it was risky I'll give you that, to travel with just 19.000 of platelets hehehe...
Opps, sorry to talk too much about me on your TR! One thing lead to another and bum, I write too much...
Again, super adventure! Cheers
Paulo
markhallam - Aug 24, 2013 4:51 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Well...Thanks again - you hang in there Paulo, get that bone marrow to move again - and when it does, you should go bag that 8000er!
bw, Mark
hiltrud.liu - Aug 25, 2013 5:33 pm - Voted 10/10
Very interesting ...what a wonderful trip! Wish I could climb the majestic Mont Blanc ...
markhallam - Aug 26, 2013 2:33 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Very interesting ...Thanks Hiltrud
Yes, Mont Blanc is pretty majestic. I keep coming back - even sometimes, just to look at it.
Thanks again, for the use of your photo.
Best wishes, Mark
ericvola - Aug 26, 2013 5:41 am - Voted 10/10
A dream come trueThe little I can say is that you have shown much perseverance in achieving your long time dream to spend one night on mont-Blanc after the many Swiss summits you climbed to get perfectly acclimatised and much determination in chosing the nearly only bad day of this fantastic season (winter and summer) to do so. Obviously you did not want to miss it this year.
Good show from you and Rob!
Just a little remark which comes from Choups : he does not fancy being called "Choux" which in French means "Dear" when singular and worse "a cabbage" in plural, so I have not shown him your article. He is quite touchy as far as his virility is concerned.
markhallam - Aug 26, 2013 7:30 am - Hasn't voted
Re: A dream come trueThanks a lot Eric. Yes, the itch has finally been scratched.
Now, I am so sorry for inadvertently insulting Mr Choups virility - and I have, of course, corrected the error - immediately.
The next dream might have to be to see the Aurora Borealis, from the far reaches of Arctic Norway - but don't think it is goodbye to Mont Blanc. I have averaged one ascent every 5 years for the last nearly 3 decades. Barring even more bits of me packing in, that means I'm due again around 2018. In the mean time, I can still come and look - starting with next year...
Best wishes - and thanks again
Mark
reboyles - Aug 26, 2013 5:49 pm - Voted 10/10
TOAL!That's a "Trip Of a Lifetime" in my book. It took me a half hour to read this TR and I haven't even looked at the photos yet. Fantastic trip.
Watch those toes from now on Mark. I nipped mine once and they were much more susceptible to freezing the next time around (you saw my photos).
Best Regards,
Bob
markhallam - Aug 27, 2013 1:30 am - Hasn't voted
Re: TOAL!Thanks Bob
Yes, TOAL it was - I don't expect to top this in the rest of my climbing career - and even Rob will be struggling.
And Yes - I've noticed what you say about prior frost-nipping... I had nipped both big toes 2 years ago on Aconcagua - left with numbness in both. Like you said it was for you in your article, there wasn't much pain involved as my toes froze again... although with my boots being frozen I knew they had to be doing as well.
I had some frost-nip in the Himalayas 30 years ago - cost me a summit! Although I didn't get much tissue damage then, my feet were sensitive to cold for a very long time after.
Best wishes, Mark
EricChu - Aug 28, 2013 4:16 pm - Voted 10/10
A pretty monumental trip report!!Thanks so much for this post, Mark!! I'll need some time to really read through it and view all the photos you put along with it, but I am really looking forward to doing so!!! Especially as I still have some "Pennine Alps virus" left in me from my latest trip! :D
Cheers,
Eric
markhallam - Aug 29, 2013 2:09 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: A pretty monumental trip report!!I had fun writing it - and reliving it all - but it is a bit of a tome.
You keep that Pennine Virus lit - I have had mine for nearly 30 years... although Mont Blanc is my favourite mountain, Pennine Alps is my favouite area and the one I have visited the most, including now from the Italian side - where I already have plans to go back and show my wife.
best wishes, Mark
EricChu - Aug 29, 2013 2:38 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: A pretty monumental trip report!!I love the Italian side too - I have great memories of a hike to Testa Grigia I did from Champoluc back in 1985! :-)
EricChu - Aug 29, 2013 3:05 pm - Voted 10/10
Oh, and by the way......I can give you solid confirmation for the eight euros for a litre of water! That's EXACTLY what they charged me at the Tracuit hut as well for a full bottle of still mineral water!
markhallam - Aug 30, 2013 1:12 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Oh, and by the way...Something to be said for either carrying all water up or filling up from streams - or doing what I prefer to do and camp/bivvy... though for me with my aged and not very good spine, my days of carrying a heavy pack are numbered.
rgg - Aug 30, 2013 3:38 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Oh, and by the way...Ah, finally you're coming around to appreciate the advantages of having all these conveniently located refuges in the Alps :-)
markhallam - Aug 30, 2013 4:56 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Oh, and by the way...Ha! Trust you to catch that little slip... well OK then - just not the ones that charge 8 euros for a litre of water :-(
Lodewijk - Aug 30, 2013 3:26 am - Voted 10/10
Well writtenHi Mark,
I finally found some time to read your TR. All I can say is: Great TR, very well written and fantastic photos!
As I said earlier, The Monte Rosa summits are on my wishlist and after reading your TR I even want go there more. Can't wait to go there next summer.
Cheers, Lodewijk