15/12/2008Who Needs Sex, We get Hotaches

Nick Bullock and Neil Brodie have climbed a frozen-up variation of two dry-tool climbs at  Mont Saxonnex, along the valley from Chamonix. Crag guru, Neil Brodie, who is very familiar with the place believes it is the first time it has formed like this and wonders if the water-course has changed, perhaps becoming the norm for the future.

This stunning looking WI6 line effectively follows M6 Sunar (M7) to the half-way ledge and then L'Axe du Male (M8) to the top. Nick described the route as: "Slightly run out on the first pitch, leading into a wild pump-fest of avengance on the second." He further added: "The initial pitch (30m) was a bit wetter and a little more sketchy on the thin chanderliered ice than the second, which was better formed but very steep to give 40 metres of solid WI 6."

Last January, Bullock and Brodie climbed Brodie's Patience (WI 6), a new ice line on the same crag (Alpinist). Nick has only recently returned from Nepal (previous news), but didn't hang around for long in the UK before heading out to Chamonix for the winter.

He quickly got into the swing of things (pun intended) on his first route of the winter, climbing Douche Ecossaise (M5) at Mont Saxonnex with Kenton Cool. From the ledge at its finish they climbed some technical ice up the wall to the right (not actually in guide but probably been climbed often), finishing with a short WI 5 pillar to the top.

On the same day as Who Needs Sex... Nick and Neil climbed Namaste Ole (M7 WI6), commenting it is a brilliant mixed line leading into a wild hanging icicle. In Nick's three day spell of climbing, he also made his third ascent of Nuit Blanche (III/6) saying "it was stonking and steep."

Remarking on conditions generally he reports that Shiva (III/6) is touching down but a Foehn wind will likely make its mark - a big factor is the snow with lots of slopes up from Shiva being heavily loaded - and Cogne is all meant too be good once the avalanche risk lessens.

[For a first person account of Nick's adventures and more pictures look at The Tower Climbing Centre.]

Photos
upper: The somewhat obvious line of Who Needs Sex... (WI 6) taken by Bullock and Brody at Mont Saxonnex, France. © Nick Bullock

lower: Nick Bullock on Douche Ecossaise (M5), Mont Saxonnex. © Kenton Cool