The town of Chamonix has played a fairly big role in my life over the years. I first visited in 1965 as a 17 year old hitch-hiker. I was impressed by the scale of the mountains and went for a short walk on the Bossons Glacier, which came much nearer to the valley in those days (no gear of course, I just walked out onto the ice). Later, having served my mountaineering apprenticeship on less demanding hills in Norway, Austria and Switzerland, I came back as an Alpinist and spent a couple of weeks or so in the valley every summer for many years. Family holidays grew out of this, then as the children grew older we all came back for skiing many times. I walked the "Tour du Mont Blanc" with Jan in 2005 and since then have returned most years for the races at the end of August.
When I was in the town last summer I speculated that it must be near my 50th visit. When I got home I looked through diaries and photo collections and discovered that it was in fact my 55th. We've taken photos over the years, sometimes more enthusiastically than others, but enough to bring back memories. In the few I've posted below, although other climbing partners appear, the main people you see (apart from me) are my wife Jan, children John and Julia, and my friend Malcolm with whom I shared most of the climbing.
First visit to Chamonix in 1965
The Midi telepherique station in 1965
On the summit ridge of the Aiguille du Chardonnet 1977
The Brasserie Nationale in 1977 - not the smooth restaurant it is now but a scruffy bar patronised by British climbers
On the Frendo Spur of the Aiguille du Midi (the one underneath the cable car wires) in 1977
South Ridge of the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey - one of
the longest rock climbs in the Mt Blanc range 1977
Looking down one of the abseils on the Noire 1977
Camping on the Pierre d'Orthaz field (the one by the big boulder in Les Praz) in 1978
Bivvy by the Argentiere Glacier in 1978
On the summit of the Aiguille du Moine 1978
Climbing the famous "Fissure Brown" (first climbed by Joe Brown) on the Aiguille du Blaitiere in 1979
The Frontier Ridge on Mont Maudit in 1979
The Brenva Face of Mt Blanc from a bivi at the Col de Fourche 1979
At a belay on the Walker Spur on the Grands Jorasses in 1981 (note the state of repair of average British climber's equipment!)
The Midi-Plan traverse 1983
On the North Spur of Les Courtes in 1984
Low tech camping in the Vallee Blanche in 1984
Bivvy on the traverse of the Chamonix Aiguilles 1984
In the Coutourier Couloir on the Aiguille Vert in 1985
Near the summit of the Aiguille Verte 1985
With John and Julia at the Chosalets campsite in Argentiere (the "sloping field") in 1985
On the Route Major on the Brenva Face of Mont Blanc in 1986
Summit of Mont Blanc with Malcolm 1986
Damp weather in Orthaz Field 1986
By the Lac Bleu 1987
The old Midi Cable Car 1988
Julia & John on the Midi 1988
Leaving the Midi for the Vallee Blanche with Julia and Malcolm 1994
Vallee Blanche 1994
Vallee Blanche 1994
Descending to the Mer de Glace with John 1994
Balcon, Easter 1995
Climbing "Children of the Moon" 1995
John and Julia, Easter 1996
Vallee Blanche team with Julia and John 1996
Skiing the Vallee Blanche, 1996
Climbing the Aiguille de l'Index with Julia, summer 1996
Julia descending from the Index 1996
Descending from the Couvercle Hut with John and Julia 1997
Walking up to the Petit Charmoz with John and Julia 1997
On the Summit of Mt Blanc du Tacul with Malcolm1997
Walking the Bisse du Ro with Jan, John & Julia 1998
Skiing to the Grand St Bernard Monastery 1999
On the Grands Montets 2000
Great snow at the Grands Montets 2001
Ready to ski the Vallee Blanche with Laura (niece) and Julia 2001
Walking with bag, Julia and Jan 2006
Othaz field, no campers now in 2007. The town has been cleaned up!
Julia and John at the Grands Montets 2008
UTMB Finish 2010 (course shortened due to bad weather)
After UTMB 2010
Start of the Waiters' Race 2010
The Bonhomme Hut in daylight 2011 (always dark on the UTMB)
With Jan at Plan de l'Aigulle 2013
Near the Brevent 2016
Never tire of this view, 2016
