Paris

We were nominated for a Piolet d'Or for our climb on Saser Kangri II last year (more on this award in a future post) so the organizing committee flew us to Chamonix for the event the end of last month.  On the way Ann and I spent nearly a week in Paris.  It just happened to be our 20th wedding anniversary so it was a great place to celebrate that event!

In front of the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower was designed and built by Gustave Eiffel in 1889 as the entrance arch to that years World's Fair.   It is the tallest building in Paris and stands 1,063 ft tall.  For about 40 years it was the tallest building in the world. 

View of Paris from the top

The Arc de Triomphe  honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and was completed by 1836.   The names of all French victories and generals are inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces and beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

Arc De Triomphe

A live figure in one of the ponds near the Louvre

The Seine

Figures on the side of the Notre Dame cathedral

 Palace of Versailles was the royal chateau outside of Paris and was the centre of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. It is very lavish so Versailles is famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the excesses of the monarchy at the time.

Palace Versailles - The Royal Chateau

Chapel inside the palace

Typical ceiling inside the palace

The Kings bed

Overlooking the Grand Canal

Ann catching up on her rowing in the Grand Canal

Paris is a great place to view some of the most famous works of art in the world.  In addition to visiting the work of the Impressionists at the Musee d' Orsay we visited the Musee Rodin named after the famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin (pronounced Rodan).  Here are some photos of his sculptures in the garden of the museum.


The Burghers of Calais

In 1346 Edward III of England defeated the French in the Battle of Crecy.  Edward offered to spare the people of the city if any six of its top leaders would surrender to him - with the reasonable assumption that they would be executed.  Edward had them walk out - with little clothing and nooses around their necks - and carrying the keys to the castle. Though the burghers thought they would be killed, their lives were spared by the Queen of England, who felt their deaths would be bad luck for her unborn child.

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica is located on a hill in north Paris.  It was built fairly recently compared to structures like the Notre Dame Cathedral that was built in stages between 1160 and 1345.  Construction of Sacre Coeur began in 1875 and was finished in 1914 and was consecrated after the end of World War I in 1919.


Sacre Coeur



View from the Dome looking south towards the Eiffel Tower

And the French will be...............the French?

Billboard in a Paris subway



End of Season Winter Ice

Winter ice is over for me for this year.  I'm heading to France today for spend some quality time with Ann in Paris and then onto Chamonix.  We were nominated for this year's Piolet d'Or for the Sasser Kangri II climb in India last year - but more on that later.  Here is a summary of some great ice climbs in the Canadian Rockies this winter.

Steve Holeczi leading first pitch of Fang and Fist

Blessed Rage

Looking up at the crux of Blessed Rage

J Mills pulling around the crux

J Mills leading final bit on Blessed Rage

Hydrophobia

Dylan Johnson following second pitch on Hydrophobia

We traversed on the ridge top over to the Sorcerer

Castle Mtn at dawn heading up to the T-Wall

Juan following second pitch of the Replicant

Juan again

Rapelling off the Replicant

Mark Kroese following His in Grotto Canyon

Hiking out from Grotto Canyon

The Pencil pitch on Polar Circus

Leading the Pencil

Near the top of the steep bit

Upper pitches on Polar Circus

The Pencil - Notice the Crack

Whiteman Falls

Lynx along Evan Thomas Creek

Last pitchs of the season!













































Dry Tooling

Dry tooling is when you use your ice tools and crampons to climb on rock usually (but not always) as part of an ascent that includes getting onto ice as well.  When the climb involves both rock and ice in this way it is called mixed climbing.  Here are some photos of me, and then Josh Wharton doing some dry tooling at a crag outside of Banff called Bear Spirit. 

Steve on a climb rated M6

same climb

Josh on a much harder climb rated M9 or M10

My Daddy's a Psycho

Had a great day with Steve Holesczi an J Mills on some climbs on either side of Murcheson Falls a month or so ago.

Canadian Rockies Ice



Sorry I haven't posted on my blog recently.  I've been busy ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies this winter so I will try play catch up with some photos on some classic routes.

Things started out with an early ascent of Sacre Bleu on Mt Rundle.  You can see it from Highway 1 between Canmore and Banff left of the Trophy Wall.  You want to do this one when the avalanche danger is low as there is a huge snow bowl above it.  You can do it in 2-3 pitches at WI 5 on the last bit.

First Pitch of Sacre Bleu

In the South Ghost River area there are a couple of climbs not too far from where you park.  Wicked Wanda (WI 4+) faces north and Malignant Mushroom (WI 5) on the other side of the valley faces south.  You can easily do them both in a day.

Malignant Mushroom

Another classic is Nemesis (WI 6) on the Mt Stanley Headwall.  It is 3-4 pitches long and is a nice ski in and out.

Nemesis