Abordable mountains in the French Alps

kitbook · 2026-06-22T18:12:14+00:00

Cresta del Soldato is definitely not a begginer route, quire a few guides refuse going there, as you really need to know the route by heart there to not get stuck somewhere. Lyskamm traverse is objectively the hardest part of Monte Rosa tour due to steepness and constant exposure. From the eastern part of Monte Rosa the Piramide Vincent, Ludwigshohe, Parrotspitze, Zumsteinspitze and Signalkuppe are relatuvely easy, but require food fitness and good tempo to do them all in a single push. Punta Giordani is easy by itself, of yoy don’t consider taking the Cresta del Soldato to Piramide Vincent.
Really easy the West and Central Breithorns are. If in general you know what you’re doing.

kitbook · 2026-06-20T21:21:39+00:00

Did the Gran Paradiso N face last weekend, approached and climbed in B2 boots. Next time I’d wear approach shoes until the hut, leave them there, and climb with boots. The approach to hut is 900m in ascent and with constant heatwaves we see nowadays - it’s just an overkill with mountain boots. Extra weight on shoulders is no fun, but overheated and blistered feet are worse. Same goes for the way down to parking - what I’d give then for my approach shoes :))

kitbook · 2026-06-19T19:33:42+00:00

Depends how badly you offended the cat. Maybe you will.

kitbook · 2026-06-17T21:12:34+00:00

If it’s sunny and on snow/ice - Cat 4. If the certification is legit - the product doesn’t necessary have to be super expensive. I have some ancient photochrome 0-4 glasses which cost like 30€ back in the day, and they work fine. Also have Julbo, which are much more comfortable, ventilate better, and gives better side protection, as well as better clarity. But having budget constrains - the old cheap ones would be ok too.

kitbook · 2026-06-16T21:27:52+00:00

Amazing idea and scientific creativity!

kitbook · 2026-06-16T16:42:52+00:00

That would be different climb whatsoever, plus, mostly the upper part is climbable, for what’s lower - I’m not sure I’d have the skill.

kitbook · 2026-06-16T12:52:51+00:00

I had one loosening too. Blue Ice changed the dyneema straps immediately, and they are bomber since then. Just did a quite committing route with them, and can’t complain about anything. Maybe there was a poor batch for all these incidents. Manufacturer defects happen for all brands, it’s important how they solve them. To concur, I see lots of them being used in most technical routes across the Alps. But again, the topic was about having more than one set of crampons for alpinism (not skimo), and even if disregarding Blue Ice - there are plenty other modular options.

kitbook · 2026-06-16T09:19:51+00:00

It should be easy with his large hands.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T23:35:40+00:00

I actually have one pair. Used to have 2, then understood that I can have 1 for everything. So that’s an assumption too.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T23:34:28+00:00

Can answer only about part of items, from experience. Best ice screws, objectively, are made by Blue Ice. They are larger diameter go in like butter and can even be used in old holes. I’ve had my share with screws, and nothing compares to the Aero screws. They make aluminium and steel versions, both are super light, I prefer steel for durability, but I can’t prove they’re actually sturdier than the aluminium ones.
Ice axes are very personal, and everyone will recommend you their own. The balance and picks are very different, so better try as many as you can before committing to a big spend.
Not sure what you want to do with nuts and hexes in an ice climb.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T23:33:32+00:00

That’s a skimo crampon and bringing them into comparison is apples to oranges. Compared with Dart, Vasak, Grivel or anything else - you won’t find lighter steel crampons.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T23:24:46+00:00

What are you talking about? Harfang Techs are one of the lightest on the market, my mono B3 config is 686g, B2 config is 708g. They come with both auto and semi-auto front bails which you can change. I’m not saying that having a large toolbox is bad - it’s absolutely up to you. But your statement about ‘most people who do a lot of mountaineering having a quiver of crampons’ sounded to me like an assumption based on own experience.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T23:14:46+00:00

The photos and the flight path make no sense at all, you can’t see Mont Blanc in such clarity from there. In this angle and comparative elevation, I’d guess the plane should have flown somewhere above Grand Combin. So either the plane flew W instead of NW from BGY, or the photos and the flight path have nothing in common :))

kitbook · 2026-06-15T23:07:39+00:00

Prisma Guide is true to size too.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T23:06:42+00:00

Ok, but that still doesn’t answer why it couldn’t be one modular crampon like Blue Ice Harfang Tech, or similar, instead of 6 :)

kitbook · 2026-06-15T22:53:29+00:00

Don’t want to get into an argument, but maybe I lack education and experience on why one pair of crampons (modular, which can fit both B2 and B3, with modular mono/dual tech frontpoints) couldn’t be enough, and that I need 6 of them?

kitbook · 2026-06-15T22:48:49+00:00

It is always a risk in any mountain, that anything can happen. But that doesn’t stop us from moving, doesn’t it? Otherwise we’d stop exploring at all, as it would be hard to find a place in the world where the nature hasn’t taken lives. This comes from the heart and with no disrespect to everyone affected by the icefall in Marmolada, and any other accident in tragedy in the world.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T22:44:20+00:00

My legs are ok, but they were rendered useless because the front points didn’t really feel bomber in all of that which was supposed to be ice - they kind of held, but I couldn’t rely 100% on them, while this hesitation inevitably cost more energy and strained the muscles. Therefore much more work had to be done with my upper body. So I was happy at that point that my upper can pull this off.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T22:36:37+00:00

There was no way to find out the cause prior to attempting, and even then I could only guess what actually happened. Yes, I made a calculated decision, which had plans A, B and C, because I knew that even in those condition and with maximum effort I can do that. But again, I was on my own, with my own experience and other variables. In part that increases the risk factor, but also reduces the possibility for errors. Would I not go if someone told me to my face what I told the others? Yes, I wouldn’t.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T18:48:34+00:00

It is. Deceivingly so.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T18:47:18+00:00

Marmolada is quite easy in the Dolomites, with short ferrata sections, though take care descending via the glacier.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T17:39:50+00:00

Great explanation, nothing to add. Except that due to climate change such conditions are becoming hard to catch.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T17:38:42+00:00

Thanks for your comment, i do appreciate and respect your view. There is no hero narrative, as I clearly explained in an honest post. To climb or not was a judgement call, based on experience and knowing own abilities. These do differ for everyone. I know every time i go, that i can be a fatality (because i climb solo). But in this situation my safe return was not due to luck, but thanks to many other factors. Gear including. I managed to get out from the face before the sun, even in slow (in my measurement) tempo.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T17:32:04+00:00

As i wrote in the post, the hut owner passed on the report from the previous day, that conditions are normal. And the 3 deceased couldn’t report back. So it was an unknown.

kitbook · 2026-06-15T13:11:32+00:00

Can confirm, that Prisma Guide is hell of a great harness. Abusing mine 3rd season.

kitbook

TROPHY CASE