The video turned out long and slow which is in keeping with the experience. I also left in the background sound as I think it conveys the tranquility.

Chilling a bit now though so here’s a video of Sunday’s offering.

So far their efforts have raised quite a sum for charity.

Go here http://www.justgiving.com/DAFT-Challenge

They have been raising money for charity ‘see here’  http://www.justgiving.com/DAFT-Challenge

They have also initiated DAFT Challenge 2. So please check out the link and give them some support.

When you’ve stopped laughing I’d be happy to read any suggestions etc.

All the best.

Got to the top in ‘flyable conditions’. Collected some ice. Flew down. Had a pleasant evening with ice from the summit of Mont Blanc in the whisky.

DAFT team on the summit of Mt Blanc

The team rigging their paragliders on the summit of Mt Blanc

Soaring the summit ridge

Me flying down with Mt Blanc in the backgroung

Jenni landing the Ozone Geo with her cargo of ice

The team with Mt Blanc Summit Ice for their drinks at Maison du Moulin

Anyway we expect to fly Thursday. If not thenn dpwn to the Gouter then back up for Friday.

See you all at St Hillaire.

Looking sharp

With bad weather and the possibility of loosing our acclimatisation so hard won we had to do another mountain day.

So yesterday we took the lift to the top of the Agille de Midi to spend the day exercising.

It was blowing a full blizzard and we checked the condition of the arret which looked awsome.

Unfortunately they had to send us down and close the lift because of the bad weather.

We then set off on a dinosaure hunt. At 2500 meters above Lac vieux emmoson we found their footprints preserved in the rock and only just showing through the falling snow. This actually was quite some trip and I resolve to do it again in the summer sunshine. If you’re interested Google Lac emmoson.

Still snowing today. There is over half a meter of fresh powder on the col de midi. The weather will improve but with short days and weaker sun the snow will be slow to transform and the three mt blancs route to the top from the cosmiques hut will remain at high risk of avalanche for three or four days.

The Gouter beckons so presently this our favoured route. The mountain may have other ideas. Never-the-less we remain committed and optomistic especially as today a wing arrived for Jennie – Big Big thanks to Russ and Ozone.

Thank you Ozone

More will follow and I will fill out the details and also include pictures.

Lesson 1  This in France. In France they close lifts unexpectedly.

We found the lift closed. It had closed on the Sunday. This presented us with the delight of an unexpected ‘hut grind’  of 1250 meters – What fun.

With packs, said grind was done in 3hrs 30. to find us sunning ourselves and taking tea. The chaps were not put off.

I wanted to start at 4 the following day but the guardian insisted that rising at 5.30 would do and he assigned us to a dormitory. We cooked a scrumtious meal and eat it before the setting sun. Then off to bye byes.

Up and off in the morning, scrambled through the boulder screes and found the glacier in the dark. Donned crampons and rope then off we went. Made good time, crossed several crevasses and found the Col supirieur de Tour. This was somewhat changed – the upper section being longer and steeper. this section was also more polished. We were still able to move together so little time was lost.

Over to Switzerland and the Trient Plateau. We then soon arrived at the foot of the Aguille de Tour Rocks. It was hot. We were later than the mountain demanded. We should have left at 4.

Lesson 2 Listen to advice but decide for yourself.

I crossed the rimaye (nasty big deep crevasse where the glacier meets the rock) and scaled the steep ice with the others following. The angle relented a bit but the surface was polished water ice being further shon up by water and gravel streaming down it. I stuck in a screw and thought. We would need to climb in relays with protection this would slow us down and the descent would be worse. To crystallise my thinking gravity chimed in. A whacking big rock (about 2ft across) hurtled down  whizzing twixt me and Steve. Being a nimble lad Steve jumped clear. (I’m going to send him to Spain bull fighting. Honestly the pass was brilliant. He timed it to such effect that the rock clipped his pack) Clinging there secured to my screw I began to understand how a duck in a shooting gallery feels. So collectively and incredibly quickly DOWN became our common thought.

Back on the glacier we all agreed – we should have been 2hrs earlier. (and Steve moves fast for a big lad)

Jollied by the brilliant sunshine we strolled happily to the  Cabane de Trient on the far side of the Trient Plateau. Stunning scenery bottomless crevasses.

Up early the following day. Recrossed the Trient in full dark and falling snow. Stunning scenery – bottomless crevasses. Coll de Tour impassable. Col superieur de Tour considerably degraded. Our descent definitely needed a few screws, slings and the rope. We were rather chuffed at the bottom when we saw that the only party attempting to climb up it turned back.

So just the long slog home broken by a pleasant omelet at the refuge de Albert Premier.

We feel stronger and wiser. Jenni Fleming will be joining back in with us as we continue and Ozone have generously sponsored her to a wing as being only 60 kilo compared to chaps nearly twice her size she needs the lightest and best kit possible.

Big thinks in the valley as the mountain is throwing winter storms our way………

I’ll let you know what daft ideas we come up with.

Rule no. 1 There are no rules.

But here is a daft idea. Climb Mt Blanc, collect some snow/ice, Take to the air by paraglider carrying the ice/snow and deliver it for appero at Maison du Moulin in the Annecy valley. Not exactly a straight glide but the paragliders amongst you will see that a route over the col de Miage and col de Joly heading for les Saisies and Marlens tickles the imagination. Its a straight line nil wind glide of 11.2 : 1 so it’s on the edge of dooability.

We are up for it and tomorrow we do our first acclimatisation sorti.

This is the plan -

My Tandem buddy and I will meet up with the rest of the  guys on Monday in Cham.

The plan is to walk to the Albert premier refuge in the afternoon evening (2702 meters) and spend the night there.

Early next morning (5am) head up the Tour glacier, cross the col supierier de tour (3289 M), continue on the Trient glacier for the foot of the rocks of the Aguille de Tour, leave the crampons and climb the easy rocks to the top (3542 M).

Climb down to the glacier, cross the plateau du trient for the col de Orny (3098 M) then up the rocks to the Cabin du Trient refuge (3170 M)

Spend the night there.

Leave the Refuge early the next day, cross the plateau for the Col de Tour, cross this then climb the Petite Fourche (3520 M). descend the Tour glacier, pass the Albert premier refuge, then back down to Cham.

I’ll post a report when we get back.

Wish us luck

This gives us two long easy days getting used to the kit, practising all the skills we will need on Mt Blanc and acclimatising to altitude. Thursday will probably be a rest day which will include some flying.