LPINE MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2014
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Issue 01
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6 - 19 Gallery Inspirational images from around the Alps.
20 -31 Red Bull X-Alps One of the Worlds toughest adventure races shows what is possible with modern paragliders and a bit of effort. 32 -35 Climb out from under your rock Bouldering session as the summer sun goes down at the Col du Montets. 38 - 49 Winter melt As the snow melt the rivers become amazing white water playgrounds in the spring.
50 - 59 The six classic north faces of the Alps For all mountaineers these mythic faces hold fascination and respect. 60 - 63 True Grit Riding in the rain on the Col du Joux Plane.
64 - 69 Cormet du RoselEnd Riding over one of the Alps most beautiful and classic cols.
72 - 79 Summer breezes The wind blows nearly ever afternoon in the Alpine valleys. Lake Monteynard in France is where the windsurfers and kite surfers mix. 80 - 83 Run the trail Running the paths in the Aiguille Rouges above Chamonix.
84 - 85 FLat or Fat There are two new schools of thought for trail running shoes, barefoot minimalist and extra large maximalist like the Hoka One One.
cover The Grandes Jorrasses from the Midi-Plan ridge, Chamonix. right Looking down at the Bossons glacier from the summit of the Cosmiques arete on the Aiguille du Midi, Massif du Mont Blanc.
86 - 95 Enduro and the Mountain of Hell Enduro is the next big thing in mountain bike racing. 96 - 99 Hydro power An important source of electricity in the Alps. The Nant de Drance is the latest hydro project in Switzerland.
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Here you can: hike, run, climb, fly, ride, jump, sail, paddle...
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alpine magazine SPREAD Lake Brienzersee, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland
Alpine Magazine
Alpine Magazine is a FREE publication distributed through out the UK and the Alpine region. www.
A beautiful playground Sir Leslie Stephen, an 19th century English author, critic and mountaineer, wrote in his best-selling book first published in 1871 defining the Alps as “the Playground of Europe.”
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Editor tim@alpinemag.com
Art director tim@alpinemag.com
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Website editor tim@alpinemag.com
Photography tim@alpinemag.com
Photo Credits All photography is by Tim Barnett unless otherwise indicated.
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Even back then this book highlights both the incredible success of the mountains but it also reflects on the tensions of the clash between the “real enthusiasts” sensitive to the beauty, and the “flock of ordinary tourists” sticking to their customs and comforts. The same clash is still very much present. As a child I was driven to the Alps and alpine sports by the images I saw of snow-capped peaks and innumerable possibilities to climb or ski down them. Now travelling throughout the Alpine regions, it seems the inspirational images have been replaced by those of luxury, with every mountain village competing for a clients that can afford the pampering of spas, five star hotels and high end boutiques. Despite the hotels using old images of the pioneers and guides of their region, adventure in the mountains seems to be an afterthought. The focus of the resorts seems so often to sell expensive accommodation, real estate and wellness, which is really a none activity, to an older more affluent visitor rather than the mountain activities that they were in most part developed for in the first place. The spirit of adventure and attraction of outdoor sport is lost and very few people are communicating the fun and coolness of adventure. The desire of previous generations to climb and ski amongst these amazing peaks is what built these destinations and it is a shame to see so many areas not promoting outdoor sports as they did in the past. So here is a small publication and website that hopefully will inspire readers to get out and play in the Alps, appreciate the beauty and possibilities of this incredible mountain range whatever their preferred flavour of sport. Happy adventures.
Website Get more photos, articles and videos at www.alpinemag.com
Tim Chamonix, Mont Blanc, France
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The Alps An amazing NASA satellite image showing the Alpine arc on a cloudless day. This is our all season playground. Source and credit: NASA/Wikimedia Commons
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The Mont Blanc Massif Mont Blanc is the highest summit in the Alps at 4810 m, seen here from the Aiguillette des Houches, Chamonix
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Rock climbing in the valley d’Aosta The side valleys from Aosta offer solid granite rock climbing,.
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Summer Ice The crevasse walls of the glaciers offer climbers a chance to practice their ice climbing and cramponing skills. Here a climber plays on the Mer de Glace, Chamonix, France.
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Via Ferrata The via ferrata de la Tour du Jalouvre near Grand Bornand, Haute Savoie, France is south west facing with stunning views during the ascent. It includes a cool suspension bridge crossing, and a steep vertical rock wall. It climbs from 1410 m to 2000 m for a length of 1100 m. Difficulty is D and D+ and typically takes 5-6 hours. Access: from Chinallion the via ferrata is a 20 minute walk off the road climbs up above the Col de Colombiere.
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Dolostone rock climbing Ozein - Aymavilles is near Cogne above the Aosta valley, Italy. The Mont Ross wall is made up of the sedimentary rock called dolostone which is typical of the most famous rock walls in the Dolomites. The climbing here is almost always on a vertical or overhanging wall, especially challenging for average climbers.
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Wilder Kaiser The “Kaisergebirge” is a nature conservation area in the Austrian Tyrol and incorporates all the summits of the Wilder (Wild) and Zahmer Kaiser (Tame Emperor) mountain ranges, covering some 102 km² and extends from 480 m to an altitude of 2,344 m at the Ellmauer Halt peak. The range is part of the Northern Limestone Alps and consists most notably of Wetterstein limestone, which gives it a silvery appearance, and dolomite limestone.
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Hiking the Wilder Kaiser Paths with ladders and cables climb up into the heart of the Kaiser mountains. Here hikers descend under the Vordere Karlspitze.
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Above and below mountain Biking - Lake Garda, Italy
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Above and below Mountain Biking - Tour du Mont Blanc, La Vormaine, France
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Red Bull X-Alps Flying and hiking over 1000km across the Alps. This two yearly event is one of the toughest adventure races in the world and show what can be done with a modern paraglider and some effort
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Spread Flying cross country from the turn point Tre Cime at the Red Bull X-Alps in Italy on the 21th of July 2011. Photo: Felix Woelk/Red Bull Photofiles
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- flying - red bull x-alps Left X-Alps 2009 Photo: Olivier Laugero/ Red Bull Photofiles
Above The 2013 race route from Salzburg to Monaco.
The Red Bull X-Alps is one of the world’s toughest adventure races that is a formidable undertaking in the most breath taking but unforgiving environments. The elite competitors entering the race, must either fly or hike over 1,000 km across the Alps from Salzburg to Monaco in the fastest time possible. Every kilometre must be covered either on foot or flown using a paraglider. The event takes place every two years with each team consisting of one athlete and up to two supporters. The assistants can provide information, food and equipment and act as a link to the race control, but no technical or outside assistance is allowed. It requires expert paragliding experience combined with a very high level of endurance fitness as competitors can end up hiking up to 100 km in a day. The 2013 race was the sixth edition and was the ten-year anniversary of the first race. The 2013 race started in Salzburg at north eastern corner of the Alps and finishes at the Mediterranean in Monaco, a distance of approximately 1,000 km as the crow flies. Each race has different predefined turn points to follow along the course. The first race took the athletes from the Dachstein glacier in Austria to Monaco and only had two defined turn points that had to be taken within a radius of 100 meters. For 2013, competitors had to pass 10 turnpoints: Gaisberg, Dachstein, Wildkogel, Zugspitze, Ortler/Sulden, Interlaken, Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Saint Hilaire, Peille. The idea for the race was developed by the Austrian pilot Hannes Arch. “Its simplicity is what makes it most appealing. We start in Salzburg and whoever arrives in Monaco first wins. That’s it. It’s about body and soul, not about hundreds of rules and regulations.” 22
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His idea was that when conditions are good, athletes fly, and when they are not they must run or hike, carrying their paraglider and other mandatory safety equipment. No other form of transport is permitted. Incredibly, it only took about 7 days for the winner to reach Monaco in 2013, but the race can last up to 12 days. The competition stops 48 hours after the winner touches down at the finish line and the other competitors are then ranked according to their distance from Monaco. In 2011, a new rule that did not allow travel at night was introduced for safety reasons. Between 22:30 and 05:00 the athletes are forced to have a mandatory rest and stay within a radius of 250m of their resting position, however for one night of the race they can have a ‘Night Pass’ which allows them to hike through the night once during the race. “The idea behind the Night Pass is to allow athletes a chance to advance their position by tactical means. They may be able to hike to a key point where they can extend their lead or pass teams in front. But the price is a missed night of recovery. And they can only do this once,” says Red Bull X-Alps race director Christoph Weber. Also for the 2013 event the use of prototypes was banned so paragliders, harnesses, safety equipment and helmets had to have an EN or LTF certification. A paraglider, harness, rescue parachute, helmet, emergency flare, reflector belt and tracking device must be carried at all times. At the very first Red Bull X-Alps in 2003, the participants used off-the-shelf paragliders that, along with the rest of their minimum equipment, weighed 20kg. Now the equipment is down to more like 8kg with the flying harness
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- flying - red bull x-alps Right 3 Time winner Chrigel Maurer at 24h Test for Red Bull X-Alps, Niesen, Switzerland on 28th May 2011. Photo: Lorenz Richard/Red Bull Photofiles
doubling up as a backpack and which can be packed up with their paraglider upon landing in less than four minutes. The development of lighter, non-porous materials and the growing popularity of the event meant that the paraglider manufacturers have had an incentive to produce better, more portable equipment that could be shown off to the flying world every two years at the Red Bull X-Alps. Paragliders have evolved hugely over the years. Primarily the amount of lines connecting the harness and pilot to the wing have been reduced massively cutting down the amount of weight and reduces the glider’s drag as it cuts through the air to making the glide and speed more efficient. Compared with the very first paragliders the lines of these modern competition gliders are thinnner by more than 75% and made from lighter stronger materials that are only about 2mm in width and made with Kevlar. The paragliders are now much more blade-shaped with an impressive glide ratio (the distance forwards that a glider travels in still air compared to the distance it drops downwards during that period) and are faster, they must still be safe and hardy flying machines. The gliders have to perform in very tough conditions during the Red Bull X-Alps, which includes the extreme take-off places and in strong air turbulence . The Red Bull X-Alps will be won by the athlete with the best overall strategy, fitness tactics and skill but the most advanced equipment is also vital just to stay on a level with the pack. A lightweight glider is essential on foot, but it must perform in the air too. All competitors are required to carry a Pieps Globalfinder for safety reasons. Using GPS technology the athletes can be followed in real time via Live-Tracking by the organisers and Red Bull X-Alps fans. The exact position of the athletes is monitored via data loggers and GSM cell phones and their live positions and traces can be viewed on the official website.
The 2013 race The race started in Salzburg on July 7th amid a cacophony of crowds and excitement that saw the athletes burst out of the city centre and up to the Gaisberg, the first of 10 turnpoints between the start, and finish line of Monaco. Athletes have to hike or fly a straight-line course of 1,031km, carrying their flying equipment at all times, which even with the latest technological developments, still weighs 8-10 kg. In reality, the athletes cover more like 2,500km by the time they finish. “It’s not just a physical challenge,” says race mastermind Hannes Arch. “It’s about the body and the mind. The athletes have to perform for 18hrs a day and sustain that for 10+ days. It’s hugely demanding. If you make a wrong decision you don’t just fall back in the rankings - you can seriously hurt yourself or worse. That’s why it’s the world’s toughest adventure race. It’s still an adventure!” With the physical effort and tough decisions involved in racing it’s easy to see why it is known as one of the world’s toughest adventure races . “What you can’t get across is just how mind-blowingly epic this race is,” says Stephan Haase, of the USA. “It’s the 24
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Left Flying in front of the turnpoint Tre Cime at the Red Bull X-Alps in Italy on the 21th of July 2011 Photo: Felix Woelk/Red Bull Photofiles
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Right Taking off after a thunderstorm at the Red Bull X-Alps in Pfalzen, Italy, on the 21th of July 2011 Photo: Felix Woelk/Red Bull Photofiles
decisions. You make one decision, and there are just many permutations that lead out from that decision that affect the race and your ranking.” This year, on its 10th anniversary, the Red Bull X-Alps was undoubtedly the best edition yet of the race. With a high pressure system building, perfect paragliding conditions were set up over the Alps. A light northerly airflow swept in, producing good, strong thermals that blasted the athletes skywards and enabled them to make good distances by air each day. But conditions needed to be good. The 2013 route had a truly difficult course line set, requiring some really high passes to be crossed. Organisers were left scratching their heads, wondering how the leaders made such quick work of it, as they bounced from climb to climb, reaching heights of up to 4,000m near the Matterhorn and Mt Blanc. Some, like Ferdinand van Schelven (NED), set personal bests. On his penultimate day of racing, the ‘Flying Dutchman’ flew 153km. “I looked at this new route through the Vercors, with some locals, and I thought why not, let’s try it,” he said. Conditions were incredible. “I flew for 11 hours, and even after 8 pm, it was going up everywhere - I was on full speed bar trying to get down!” “The good weather also brought a lot of windy and dangerous conditions as well,” reported Max Fanderl (CAN) on his blog. “We had flights in plus 50 km winds, in rain and thunder storms, but at the same time we had some long flights, flying over glaciers and very beautiful terrain. We had hikes in areas we never would have gone.”
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The 2013 edition of the race was also taken the most seriously by athletes. Haase moved from his home in the USA to Austria in January specifically to train for the event. He was eventually forced to quit after blisters on his feet turned nasty and he became at risk, as he put it, of ‘losing body parts’. Latour’s team spent months working on his harness, flying the routes and preparing the Frenchman for success. As one athlete put it, ‘unless you’re born in the Alps with a paraglider in your cradle, you don’t stand much chance in this race’. Ultimately, Christian ‘Chrigel’ Maurer won the race convincingly, for the third time in a row. On the second day of the race, he launched with four others but he simply flew faster and better. By the sixth day, he was 300km clear of his nearest rival. Spectators following the race the world over were mesmerised by Maurer’s ‘magic moves’. On the third day, at 8:10am he caught a 4 m/s thermal. This is unheard of in flying. Paragliders don’t normally launch until late in the morning, when the sun has heated the slopes enough to generate lift - and here was Maurer, riding some strange convergence of winds up high. He then glided some 20km, hugging in close to the forested slopes. Maurer later revealed his trick - he was surfing a buoyant cushion of warmer air that lifts from the trees in the hours after dawn. It’d be too easy to attribute Maurer’s success to his talent alone. But it’s been the small details, the planning, the equipment development, the training, the check-lists, that have contributed to his victory. A professional athlete, he dedicated seven solid months to the race in equipment preparation and physical training. As just one example,
alpine magazine Top Hiking in front of the Tre Cime at the Red Bull X-Alps in Italy on the 21th of July 2011 Photo: Felix Woelk/Red Bull Photofiles
Maurer explained that through the winter he’d go groundhandling in 40-50 km/h winds in snowfields, to experience what it’s like at and beyond his level of abilities. That way, when he’s stood on a cliff edge with 30-40 km/h of wind, he’s that much more experienced at handling the wing. Theurillat, his supporter, is a mountain guide and psychological coach who would put Maurer through a meditation programme in the evening to relax and recharge. Their tactic of sleeping high in mountain huts and getting early glides in before the day had even got going also paid off. As Theurillat puts it - “20 to 30 km might not seem like much, but over seven days that could make 150 km.” “And we are still learning,” he added. “We have a list of things we want to change for 2015!” One of the things that makes the race so special is the way its fans could follow the race unfold with Red Bull Mobile Live Tracking and see the athletes’ flights in real time and 3D. Every athlete was also given a Nokia Lumia phone for them to blog and share their pictures, giving fans another unique behind-the-scenes account. The interest was also reflected on the ground. At the turnpoint high above Interlaken, hundreds of spectators waited for Aaron Durogati’s arrival. He top landed and ran through a cordon of photographers and spectators to the sign-in board as a helicopter buzzed overhead, filming. The excitement was palpable. Maurer eventually won the race in 6d 23hr and 40m, almost two days ahead of his nearest rival. But the fight for second place was probably the most exciting, intense element of the entire race. Frenchmen Clement Latour and Antoine Girard raced to the wire. Having flown different routes down the Alps Maritimes, they landed within approximately 15km of each other. They then proceeded to run almost eight hours non-stop through the night. Eventually, at 03:30am, Latour arrived, ecstatic but exhausted. “It’s unbelievable,” he said. Thirty minutes later Girard arrived to equally rapturous applause. Theurillat, who stayed up to watch, shook his head. “After 9 days of solid racing, no let up. How many thermals, how many glides, how many decisions have led to this point?” he asks. That the pair should arrive so close together after jostling for position most of the race is nothing short of incredible - but their physical endurance, stamina - and paragliding skill sums up what makes the race so special. For the 2013 event conditions were truly incredible. The lift was so strong that athletes could climb faster with their paragliders than the average Boeing 747 can leave the airport. Entering a strong thermal that’s going up at 10 metres per second is like stepping in a super-fast elevator in Chamonix valley and being on the top of Mt Blanc within seven minutes! The field was super-strong. There was only one retirement due to injury - Stephan Haase left due to blisters that became infected. Normally four or five drop out in the first few days. It didn’t rain. Much. Austria isn’t known for dry weather in July - the last time the Paragliding World Championships were held in the Pinzgau valley, it was a total wash-out. Left Evgeny Gryaznov from Russia at Seetalhorn 3037 m Grachen, Switzerland during the 2009 event. Photo: Vitek Ludvik /Red Bull Photofiles alpine summer
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Christian Maurer defied belief, again. “Watching Maurer fly has been sublime,” as one follower put it. His ‘magic moves’ have been uncanny, and he makes the others look average. But they’re not. One of the best adventure pilots in the world was the race back marker. It’s just that Maurer is exceptional. He is gifted, and he showed us what he can do with that gift. The race in the front pack was so addictive. Chambers, Latour, Muller, and Girard were all jockeying for second place the whole way with their support crews were completely on it, screeching around the valleys of the Alps like Formula 1 pitstop crews. alpine
The next Red Bull X-Alps is scheduled for 2015
The Race in Numbers • The 2013 course was the longest yet at 1,031 km • Chrigel Maurer drew out a 300 km lead on his nearest rival • On his final day of racing, Toma Coconea ran and hiked 130 km - the equivalent of 3 marathons! • Maurer performed 50% faster than any other athlete • Athletes reached heights of 4,000 m while flying around the Matterhorn • Each athlete consumed an average 5,000 calories a day - twice a normal adult male’s intake • 10 athletes made it to Monaco - the most ever • Maurer has now won the Red Bull X-Alps an historic 3 times
Top Michael Gebert/ GER, is hiking towards the mountain pass near the Grossglockner, Austria Photo: Vitek Ludvik /Red Bull Photofiles
Above Jan Skrabalek (CZE) is flying over the Glockner strasse direction Grossglockner Photo: Vitek Ludvik /Red Bull Photofiles
Right Above Canazei/ Sella Joch in the Dolomites during the 2009 event. Photo: Vitek Ludvik /Red Bull Photofiles
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Climb out from under your rock Climbers have always bouldered. When rock climbing first emerged as a sport in the mid 1800s, early records describe climbers engaging in what is now referred to as bouldering, not as a separate discipline, but as a form of training for larger ascents. Whether for training or as a separate sport chalked up holds can be seen on boulders lying on the valley floors throughout the Alps.
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Back in the 1980s the emergence of bouldering mats also known as crash pads and the introduction of artificial climbing walls greatly increased the popularity of bouldering and helped to define it has a sport in its own right. The mats prevented injuries from falling as even a fall from a low boulder problem can result in a serious injury or break. They also enabled boulderers to climb in areas that would have been too dangerous to attempt as so climbers could really start to push the limits and find new problems. Indoor climbing walls helped spread the sport of bouldering to the cities and to areas without outdoor climbing or boulders, plus allowed serious climbers to train year-round regardless of weather conditions. The sport has grown in popularity since the early 2000s, with new bouldering areas constantly being found and developed. The sport has been greatly helped with videos on sites such as YouTube and climbing blogs allowing climbers quickly learn techniques, find harder problems, and announce newly completed projects. The difficulty of problems being climbed now is unimaginable even to experienced boulders as ‘specialists’ have evolved the sport making what appear to be impossible moves. Photos: Mat Perrier bouldering at the Col du Montets. Haute Savoie
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Winter melt The rapidly melting snow in spring brings new playgounds to the Alps, with rivers prime for whitewater fun with high water and clean lines. Alpine river running is not for everyone, but for those who love the thrill and adrenalin rush of paddling long and classic runs can be had throughout the early summer.
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Wild water Whitewater kayaking is and will always be a niche sport. Despite the media and a cool image it wll never be fully mainstream as it demands too much from the particpants. There are ten to fifteen times as many lake and touring kayaks sold than whitewater boats as few people want to run hard whitewater, drop waterfalls, or even simply paddle rough Class III whitewater in a kayak. It requires a lot of motivation to learn the skills and get the experience, and it is in reality a group sport for safety reasons. It can be terrifying to go upsidedown in flat water let alone in the rapids and so the sportappeals only to those with the ability to keep cool under pressure and love the rush of acceleration heading into the tumbling chaos of a rapid. For those who do love the feel of the water’s flow and pulse of the river flowing down the mountain and through the narrow valleys they are the ones with the personality and character of a true explorer, always looking for challenges, and know there is not much better am adventure than a day of paddling down a wild river in the spring. Whitewater kayaking means figuring out how to meld with the water, to plane across it, plough through it, dive under it, twist and cartwheel above it, and to plunge over falls. To be able to read the flow and then weave the most powerful and complex currents. It is as close a relationship with Mother Nature as it gets with moments of calm and adrenaline rushes all wrapped up in one, surrounded by the sights and smells of the river and the wild surroundings of the canyon walls It is a sport that is very easy to push your limits but it is those challenges that help improve your skills and abilities. It is a sport that is done is small groups of friends and one of the best things for those who paddle white water kayaking is the ‘family’ that emerges within the boating community of passionate people who are all ready for the next adventure.
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alpine magazine Paddler: Chris Shields
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Whitewater kayak hot spots Val Sesia, Italy Northern Italy’s Piedemonte region offers one of Europe’s best creeking destinations. With bedrock rapids, a short but predictable high water season and plenty of gradient. Piemonte’s rivers tend to be steep and committingso best suited to paddlers used to tackling grade 5. The rapids are also often in remote gorges For the experienced, Piemonte’s is a truely amazing destination during the snowmelt normally April through to May. For the Val Sesia valley prints an excellent Carte Fluviale, a map of the region’s white water that’s available from tourist information offices or the campsites. As well as your creek boat you will need some elbow pads for some of the world’s best whitewater!
Above The Val Sesia river valley. Map by Google.
More info: http://world.rainchasers.com/ asset/val-sesia/plughole-piemonte.pdf Gene17 kayaking http://gene17kayaking.com
Above The excellent Carte Fluviale river map available from Val Sesia tourist information centres and camp sites.
Durance Valley, France In early June, traditionally the French Alps location of the Durance Valley is in prime condition for experienced kayakers, with high water and clean lines. Early season it is full on alpine river running and this style of paddling is not for everyone, but if those can paddle Class IV they can do some classics, running 20 km or more of Class III/IV+ and enjoying the best of high water runs, Guil, Durance and the Ubaye, regarded as the very best of the French Alps. By mid June, the peak of the winter snow runoff has past, making the rapids with more structured, and the paddling lines more defined, a perfect time to hit the classic runs for less experience paddlers and still have the push and excitement of excellent water flow. More info and organised trips from Gene17 http://gene17kayaking.com/ whitewater-kayak-guiding/ french-alps-kayaking/#sthas
Above The Durance valley heads south from Briancon. Map by Google.
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alpine magazine Left The top of the north face of the Matterhorn in the sun
The six classic north faces of the Alps These climbs hold a special attraction and and status to all mountaineers, not only because of their difficulty, but their history The six the six ‘classic north faces’ are still respected for their difficulty and seriousness and on every serious mountaineers tick list. • • • • • •
Eiger (1938 route) Grandes Jorasses (Walker Spur 1938) Matterhorn (Schmid route 1931) Petite Dru (Allain-Leininger route 1935) Piz Baile (Cassin route 1937) Cima Grande di Lavaredo (Hasse-Brandler route 1933)
Back in the 1930s attaining the first ascent of each of these six faces was a major preoccupation of the best European climbers. The first to climb all six was Gaston Rébuffat, a Chamonix mountain guide and renowned French alpinist, chronicled in his 1954 book, Etoiles et Tempêtes (Starlight and Storm). Britsih mountaineer Alison Hargreaves was the the first climber of any gender to solo the six classic north faces of the Alps in a single season in 1993.
The North Face of the Matterhorn
The Trilogy The Eiger, the Matterhorn and the Grandes Jorasses are regarded as considerably harder to climb than the other three and are also known as ‘the Trilogy’. The first to climb these three faces within a year was the Austrian Leo Schlömmer, from the summer of 1961 to the summer of 1962 .The first woman to climb all three was Catherine Destivelle. Ivano Ghirardini being the first to climb the Trilogy in winter, solo 1977-78. The next challenge was an ‘enchainment’, which meant climbing all three faces in one trip, and the race was on in the 1980s to be the first. It was realised by one of the most important mountaineers of all time French mountain guide Christophe Profit between 11–12 March 1987 in a time of 42 hours.
First climbed in 1931, and at that time regarded as one of the last great big wall problems in the Alps. First climbed by the brothers Franz and Toni Schmid on July 31–August 1, 1931. They reached the summit at the end of the second day, after a night of bivouac. Because they had kept their plans secret, their ascent was a complete surprise. In addition, the two brothers had travelled by bicycle from Munich and after their successful ascent they cycled back home again. The first winter ascent of the north face was made by Hilti von Allmen and Paul Etter on February 3–4, 1962. The first solo ascent was made in five hours by Dieter Marchart on July 22, 1959. Walter Bonatti climbed the “North Face Direct” solo on February 18–22, 1965. This Bonatti direct route was not repeated solo until 29 years later, in the winter of 1994 by Catherine Destivelle. Ueli Steck set the record time in climbing the north face (by the Schmid route) of the Matterhorn in 2009 with a time of only 1 hour 56 minutes. alpine summer
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Both the north face of the Petite Dru with its oval niche and the north face of the Grandes Jorrasses can be seen reflected in the Lac Blanc.
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- climbing - the 6 classic north faces
North face of the Petit Dru The Aiguille du Dru consists of two summits and sits on the shoulder of the Aiguille Verte. The Petit Dru 3733 m is the lower one of Les Drus, as they are commonly named. The Grand Dru is 3754 m. The Aiguille du Dru is shape and beauty is legendary and the needle point view of the west face is particularly spectacular. The classic north face of Petit Dru, with a difficulty of TD-/TD+ was established from 31 July to 1 August 1935 by Pierre Allain and Raymond Leininger. Another route on the north face is the Voie Lesueur, first ascended by the brothers Pierre and Henri Lesueur from 25-27 July 1952. The Drus have had significant amount of rock fall in recent years as can be seen by the lighter grey scars on the right of the photo. The falls have mainly affected the west face, but there has been rock fall on the north face too. For those planning on climbing on the face it is highly recommended to check locally about conditions of the routes.
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Below: Routes on the north face of the Grandes Jorasses. Photo: Creative Commons cc-by-nc-ndcamptocamp.org
North face of the Grandes Jorasses Located on the French side of the mountain, the face towers 1200 m above the Leschaux Glacier. The classic route on the face is the Walker Spur first climbed by Cassin, Esposito and Tizzoni in 1938. It is graded as TD+/ED1, IV, 5c/6a, A1, leading directly to the summit of Pointe Walker. The other major buttress on the north face is the Croz Spur, which leads to the summit of Pointe Croz. What’s called the Grandes Jorasses is actually a collection of summits, linked by a relatively regular ridge, 1 km long. Less well known than the Matterhorn, and less slender than the Aiguille Verte and Dru , this famous north face has an air of mystery and power that has no rivals in the entire Alps. The imposing wall has an almost mythical status in mountaineering circles, and there’s little doubt that opening a new route on the “Paroi Nord” of the Grandes Jorasses means gaining a lot of respect and prestige and some of the hardest climbs of the entire history of alpine climbing have been made on this face. alpine summer
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- climbing - the 6 classic north faces
Above NE of Piz Badile 3305 m. Photo: Giovanni Rovedatti Creative Commons CC-by-nc-ndcamptocamp.org
North face of the Piz Badile The name Badile means spade or shovel which the mountain’s resembles when viewed from the Val Bregaglia situated in the South Eastern corner of Switzerland. The classic north face route is the climb is on the north-east face. The Cassin Route (V+/A0 or VI+), named after Ricardo Cassin, who first limbed it with V. Ratti and G. Esposito, together with the Como team of Mario Molteni and Giuseppe Valsecchi on 14–16 July 1937. Molteni and Valsecchi were already on the face when Cassin and his party started out, but the climbers subsequently joined forces. In this famous alpine epic, Molteni died of exhaustion and exposure on the summit, whilst Valsecchi died on the descent by the south ridge just before reaching the hut.
Above The Cassin route on the granite slabs. Photo: Thierry Mesot Source: Wikimedia Commons. Below Piz Badile, Graubünden Photo: Biovit Source: Wikimedia Commons.
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Above The Tre Cima di Lavaredo at sunset. Photo: Jon Shave Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Above The Tre Cima di Lavaredo Photo: Luca Lorenzi (GNU) Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Cima Grande north face The Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Italian for “the three peaks of Lavaredo”), also known as the Drei Zinnen (in German, meaning “three merlons”), are three distinctive battlement-like peaks in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy. They are one of the best-known and recognisable mountain groups in the Alps. The three peaks, from east to west, are: Cima Piccola/Kleine Zinne (“little peak”) 2,857 m. Cima Grande/Große Zinne (“big peak”) 2,999m. Cima Ovest/Westliche Zinne (“western peak”) 2,973 m The peaks are composed of well-layered dolostones of the Dolomia Principale formation, Carnian to Rhaetian in age, as are many other groups in the Dolomites.
Until 1919 the peaks formed part of the border between Italy and Austria. Now they lie on the border between the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Belluno and still are a part of the linguistic boundary between German-speaking and Italian-speaking majorities. The Cima Grande’s partly overhanging northern face was first climed by Emilio in 1933 in a party of three, over 3 days and 2 nights.
Right: Routes on the Cima Grande (Große Zinne): 1= Dibona, 2= Via Camillotto Pellesier, 3= Das Phantom der Zinne, 4= Hasse/Brandler (Direttissima), 5= Sachsenweg (Superdirettissima), 6= Comici/ Dimai (19311 first ascent route) Photo: Bartcockx, derivative work: Svíčková Source Wikimedia Commons.
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Left The Eiger north face as seen from the road heading up to Grindlewald. Below Routes prior to 1965 on the Eiger’s northern wall with the original Heckmair 1938 route in green in the central part of the face. Photo: Creative Commons Right The Hinterstoisser Traverse. Photo: Franz-alpin. Creative Commons. Source: Wikipedia
The Eiger The Eiger is at 3,970 m situated in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland is the eastern most peak of the ridge crest that extends across the Mönch to the Jungfrau at 4,158 m. The Nordwand, German for “north wall”, is the spectacular north or, more precisely, northwest face of the is the biggest of the six great north faces of the Alps, towering over 1,800 m above Kleine Scheidegg and the Grindlewald valley. It was first climbed on July 24, 1938 by Anderl Heckmair, Ludwig Vörg, Heinrich Harrer and Fritz Kasparek, a German– Austrian group. They were originally two independent teams, but Harrer who did not have any crampons and Kasparek were joined on the face by Heckmair and Vörg, who had started their ascent a day later and had been helped by the fixed rope that the lead group had left across the Hinterstoisser Traverse. The two groups, led by the experienced Heckmair, joined forces on the more difficult later pitches, and finished the climb roped together as a single group of four. A portion of the upper face is called “The White Spider” as snow-filled cracks radiate out from an ice-field in the form of spider’s legs. Harrer used this name for the title of his book about his successful climb, Die Weisse Spinne (translated into English as The White Spider: The Classic Account of the Ascent of the Eiger). During the first successful ascent, the four men were caught in an avalanche as they climbed the Spider, but all had enough strength to hold on and prevent themselves from being swept off the face. Even today the north face is regarded as a formidable challenge more because of the increased rock fall and diminishing ice-fields than because of its technical
difficulties It’s not the hardest or steepest of the six north faces to climb, but it is the hardest to retreat from in a storm. The rock is limestone that is so loose and rotten that it’s hard to get pitons or cams to hold in the cracks for protection. Notorious for bad weather, the face often turns into a death trap spewing avalanches and falling rock. Climbers are increasingly choosing to climb the north face Eiger in winter when the crumbling face is held together by ice. It is not only regarded by many as the most dangerous face in the Alps but one of the most deadliest mountains in the world. Because since 1935, at least sixty-four climbers have died attempting the north face, it has been given the German nickname, Mordwand, or “murderous wall”, a play on the face’s German name Nordwand. Other notable ascents. • 1964: 1–3 September: German Daisy Voog becomes the first woman to reach the summit via the face (with Werner Bittner). • 1992: 9 March: Catherine Destivelle (France) solos the face in 17 hours. It is the first solo female ascent of such a serious and dangerous Alpine face.[23 • 7 August: Dean Potter (USA) free-solos Deep Blue Sea (5.12+) on the face, then BASE jumps from the top using an ultralight rig he wore during the climb. • 2011: 20 April: Daniel Arnold (Switzerland) solos the face in 2 hours 28 minutes, using the fixed ropes on the Hinterstoisser Traverse. Arnold was 19 minutes faster than Ueli Steck in 2008, but Steck climbed the route entirely without aid and, unlike Arnold, completed the route in the official winter season. alpine
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- cycling - true grit
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True grit Some say there is no bad weather only bad equipment and sometimes you have no choice but to ride in the rain, like here on the Col du Joux Plane in Haute Savoie, France.
Col du Joux Plane Well sometimes you just have no choice but to ride and continue your journey through the bad weather. Being well prepared and having the right clothing and gear helps, but we all know it is tougher to power through a summer down pour. The col de Joux Plane is one of the toughest climb in the Haute Savoie. situated on the southern end of the Chablais, at an altitude of 1691m. It links the town of Morzine to the north with Samoëns to the south. The Joux Plane is a tough climb from either side, but is significantly harder from Samoëns, which is almost 300m lower in altitude than Morzine, and longer at 11.6km with an average gradient of 8.5% and a maximum of 12% as opposed to 10.9km with an average of 6.5% from Morzine.
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- cycling - true grit
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- cycling - cormet du roselend
Cormet du Roselend A classic alpine col and etape in the Tour de France that will never disappoint.
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The Cormet de Roselend lies between the Beaufortain and Mont Blanc mountain ranges linking the towns of Beaufort and Bourg St Maurice, well known as the hub for the ski resorts of Les Arcs, La Plagne, Tignes and Val d’Isère. The word “cormet” means col or pass in the local dialect. The col can be approached form either side and in terms of difficulty there’s not much to choose between the two. Both directions are long Alpine climbs at around 20 km. The rides go partly around Lake Roselend which is one of the most beautiful man-made lakes in the Alps built between 1955 and 1960.
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- cycling - cormet du roselend
From Beaufort The climb begins immediately at the exit of the very attractive village of Beaufort, famous for the excellent Beaufort cheese. From this side the summit is 20.3 km away and 1227 m higher up. The average grade is 6% but quite variable. The first part of the climb is fairly gentle as the road follows the narrow valley, but soon kicks up and rises more steeply through the dense forest. The kilometre markers come 66
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and go without much change in the gradient until you arrive at the Col de Méraillet, where the road forks left to turn around the lake. For 3 km Another 6 km and 374 m to climb before the summit with the last 3 km slightly easier on a pretty plateau surrounded by peaks.
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From Bourg St Maurice The climb from Bourg St Maurice is almost as long at 19.4 km rising 1154 m at an average of 5.9%. The climbing starts immediately at the exit of the town and consists of two distinct parts separated by a kilometre and a half of easy riding in the middle. The first part heads up the narrow Vallée des Chapieux, alongside the white water of the Torrent des Glaciers. The steepest part of
the climb have a series of hairpin bends above the tiny hamlet of les Glinettes, before arriving at the Crêt Bettex where the slope eases off. The second part begins with a long straight before the road twists and turns again, offering amazing views. The head of the valley obliges a final effort at 8% before the road eases up again for the final few hundred metres to the top of the Cormet.
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- cycling - cormet du roselend
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- cycling - passo del stelvio
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Passo del Stelvio The legendary Stelvio pass in the Italian Alps is Europe’s second highest paved mountain pass at 2,758 m but superior ithan the higher Col de l’Iseran thanks to history, pedigree and the sheer experience of climbing and descending this giant. There are two main routes to the top and a third via Switzerland. The SS38 goes from Bormio on the west to Ponte di Stelvio on the east via the pass. Each side offers a similar experience being 22km from Bormio at 7.1% and 24km from Ponte di Stelvio at 7.4%. The Bormio side offers more variety, a flat section 5km from the top and 12% for most of the last two kilometres. The Ponte side, this photo, is regular and the carefully placed Trafoi bends are a work of engineering and a “must do” riding experience.
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- watersports - thermic breezes - monteynard
Thermic breezes Summer winds blow nearly every afternoon down the alpine valleys, and even on the smallest of lakes or reservoirs water there will be kite surfers mixing it up with the windsurfers.
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- watersports - thermic breezes - monteynard
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Lac Monteynard, France At 500 m of altitude, this resevoir with an area of 657ha stretches its turquoise waters for a lengeth of 20 km. Mostly navigable, and famous for kitesurfing and windsurfing, the lake is a paradise for other sports and water activities such as wakeboarding, fishing, canoeing, speedboating, and water-skiing. Dominated by the Sénépy massif at 1,769 m of altitude this huge lake was created in 1962 when a dam was built for hyrdo power making an amazing playground for water sports with shady banks and beaches perfect for summer barbeques and waiting for the afternoon wind to blow down the valley. More info at: http://www.lac-monteynard.com
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- watersports - thermic breezes - monteynard
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Location of Monteynard
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- trail running - run the trail
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Spread Running around the lacs des Chéserys 2211 m in the Aiguilles Rouges.
Run the trail Chamonix may be well known for the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc that runs around the Alp’s highest massif, but the there are many beautiful paths in the region, especially in the Aiguilles Rouges.
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- trail running - run the trail
The trail to Lac Blanc in the Aiguilles Rouges.
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Running in the Aiguilles Rouges with Aiguille Verte behind in the setting sun.
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- trail running - flat or fat
Flat or fat? Vibram’s minimalist Five Finger shook up the world of running a few years ago and now Hoka is the opposite with ‘maximalist’ shoes, but how much does the choice in running shoe really matter? To date, there has been very little scientific research on the benefits of maximalist shoes, but runners using them say they have a more relaxed ride and they reduce recovery times after long runs or races. Runners with chronic injuries say the shoes have let them run comfortably again, and another possible advantage for max-cushioning shoes is that Hokas users say they are much more comfortable on rocky trails and descents. However, minimalists enthusiasts still don’t believe in the Hoka bigger-is-better concept ,with some saying that the soft foam absorbs too much of the energy runners get to push them forward that helps them to run efficiently and faster. Minimalists say that one of the advantages of barefoot type shoes is that they teach the runner to use their body to cushion impact so when cushioning wears out in a traditional shoe or ultra-thick cushioned shoe, the body won’t be able to absorb the impacts and the pains, aches and injuries will start. However bimechanics have shown that actaully runners automatically adapt their running style by adjusting muscle tension in the legs and knee flexion to keep impact forces to tolerable levels. This means runners using Hokas will land a little harder than they would in a less cushioned shoe, and runners in minimalist shoes
will land a little softer than in a more cushioned shoe automatically. To date there are no long term studies showing a strong link between running shoe types and running injuries, which explains why stability shoes don’t appear to help runners who over pronate. There is suggestive evidence that minimalist shoes might influence foot strike, and that certain kinds of foot strikes, such as landing on the forefoot, lead to a softer landing and less impact, and so perhaps, fewer injuries. A five month long randomised, controlled study of 247 runners published in 2013 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed no difference in injury rates between runners who wore soft shoes and those who wore hard shoes, although the research did find, not surprisingly, that body weight and training intensity did affect injury rates. As we all know from a very age we don’t need shoes to run and you only need to watch a race to see that a of runners at the front have a terrible running so success in running is much more a function of fitness than the shoes you are wearing. There’s not much evidence that you need to worry too much about shoes, just pick a pair that you feel good in and that make you want to run, then focus on training, eating and sleeping correctlly. alpine
Above: The Spyridon MR barefoot shoefrom Vibram Five Fingers, the brand that helped the minimalist movement gain more adopters. The Spyridon is designed for the minimalist trail-runner and offers a 3D Cocoon technology molded into the sole for lightweight protection. Speed laces and canvas fabric finish this shoe off for a rugged and secure fit, while a 360 degree lug pattern offers additional grip in all directions for trail racing. Weight: mens 43: 222g womens 38: 188g
Above: The minimalist Merrell Ascend Glove Trail-Running shoes feature a zero drop with a light layer of cushioning for versatile, barefoot-inspired performance.. 222g (Size 7)
Left: The men’s Trail Freak from VivoBarefoot, the brand that in 2004 became the pioneers of the barefoot movement by launching the first minimalist shoe with a patented, ultra thin puncture resistant sole that offered maximum sensory feedback and maximum protection. No heel, no midsole, no arch support, no gimmicks says Vivobarefoot. They believe that their products help encourages us to move as million years of evolution intended - barefoot. Weight: Mens 260g / Ladies 210g
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Hoka One One Hoka One One is the brainchild of two French adventure sports experts Jean-Luc Diard and Nicolas Mermoud, both high achieving trail runners. Both Jean-luc and Nicolas felt that something was missing from the freedom and enjoyment part of to the running experience so they started to look at what variables affected the performance and sensations of different types of runners. They quickly came to the conclusion that fatigue, impact and muscle strains were challenges that runners of all types had to deal with every day. So they came up with the idea to design a shoe that would help to alleviate those problems - the Hoka One One. The word Hoka comes from the ancient Maori language and is roughly translated as “now it is time to fly”. Hoka One One believe their shoes allow users to enjoy running, perform with a sense of freedom whilst be cushioned against shocks, jolts and protected from injuries.
Above: Hoka One One Mafate 3 Men trail running shoe (410g for 8.5 US)
Hoka One One maximalist technology
Above: Hoka One One Stinson Trail Women 280g (in 6.5USW) and right, Stinson Trail Men 320gr (in 8.5USM)
The principal of Hoka One One oversized mid soles that have upto 2.5 times the volume of the EVA in the midsole of a standard running shoes is that the exta cushion provides impact absorption and a highly comfortable underfoot feel. Hoka One One shoes are designed with a last that provides rolling motion from a 50% rockering profile giving a smoother, energy efficient stride transition from the heel strike to push off from the ball of the foot that propels the runner forward. To ensures a superior level of responsiveness foot / ground, despite the high level of cushioning. For control, Hoka One One have a unique patented design with a recessed heel holder in the midole that is between 20mm to 30mm deep to firmly support the heel and allowing precision striking and optimum foot stabilisation. The A 35% wider platform is designed to enhance underfoot stability which is provided to counteract the extra height of the midsole ensuring that the runner comfortable and confident with every strike. Reinforced sidewalls, precision fit and close lacing systems are there to enhance the feeling of stability and support. Considering the extra bulk of the shoes they are still flexible and lightweight to help to alleviate fatigue over longer distances. http://www.hokaoneone.com
Right: The semi-minimalist Salomon S-LAB Sense 3 Ultra is a shoe that is designed to encourage natural motion of the foot with a reduced heel drop for an even foot strike. Promoting midfoot striking and better agility. Weight: 240g
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- mountain bike - enduro Left Enduro riding rather than racing on the rocky trail around the Chamonix valley
Enduro Enduro racing is said to be the next big thing in mountain biking, but what exactly is it?
If you live for riding fast downhill but don’t have access to or don’t like chairlifts, then enduro is for you. Enduro is currently a popular buzz word and many of the brands producing mountain bikes in the category, however even amongst those sitting outside the cafes with their ‘enduro’ machines, having ridden their favourite ‘enduro’ trail there seems to be quite a lot of differing opinions about what enduro is and what an enduro bike is.
In racing at least, the enduro category is more defined than it is for non competition riding. As the name suggests it is racing with an endurance element. The confusion starts as the term ‘enduro’ was also used for long-distance cross-country (XC) races, but those now tend to be known as marathon races. Modern enduro events have an emphasis on downhill gain over uphill pain, with the category split into two main race types: enduro downhill and gravity enduro.
On the Spezialized bike brand’s web site pages about their enduro bike they show a video of riding the Tour du Mont Blanc on their latest Enduro bike with the rider Matt Hunter saying it is an amazing enduro ride. However, it is a ride regularly done on XC bikes and even on cyclocross bikes by guys in their 70s. Depending on which way round you ride it there are only a couple of chairlifts or telecabins so the epic ride requires a lot of uphill pedalling. Is such a ride really enduro?
Enduro downhill events, such as France’s classic Megavalanche at Alpe d’huez every July and the Mountain of Hell, are long distance races down big mountains, with mass-starts and short uphill sections and even snow and ice on the upper slopes adding to the fun. Gravity enduro is a race format that combines timed downhill sections with untimed uphill connecting sections, although these often have to be completed within a time limit. In North America, gravity enduro is sometimes called Above Enduro racing on the rocky descent of the Mountain of Hellevent , Les Alpes, France Photo: Office de Tourisme Les 2 Alpes
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- mountain bike - enduro
Above Enduro racing on the rocky descent of the Mountain of Hell event , Les Alpes, France
‘all-mountain racing’, and the unofficial AllMountain World Championships is held every August at the Downieville Classic in California. The term enduro in motor biking is a category of races and riding on bikes similar motocross, but outside of a circuit on dirt roads and road setions. For mountain biking the term was adopted in France in 2003 for races with a similar format to motorbike enduro and car rallying time trial competitions with timed racing over a series of special downhill stages with the winner being whoever had the fastest combined time after the stages wins. Gravity enduro Tribe events in France are over ten timed stages, in Italy the Superenduro PRO races are over four or five stages, and in the UK the Gravity Enduro races have five. However three stages are becoming a popular number, with all competitors riding the same mostly downhill courses. Roughly enduro races aim to have 10-15% uphill, but basically if the course has technical uphill sections or long climbing stages in then they are not regarded as true enduro. Enduro is a relatively new format in many countries so there is still some confusion as the format settles down into something stable, but race organisers need to describe their races in a way that riders understand to avoid confusion. Describing the enduro race course correctly is important for the race category format to establish itself, because if a competitor turns up to a race with a 160mm, 20kg+ enduro
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bike with big, dual-ply tyres and then the race is actually pretty much a 100km, relatively flat XC race then they will not be very happy. The same goes for the other way round if a rider turns up with a 10kg carbon XC race bike to a real enduro course then there’s a good chance that they will break both their expensive bike and themselves. There’s nothing in the rules to stop a racer using a hardtail or lightweight cross-country bike but they would have no advantage and find it hard work on the descents. Big bouncer longertravel freeride and downhill bikes will be a drag on the climbs and may have to be pushed rather than pedalled. Most enduro racers opt for a full-suspension trail or all-mountain bike with 140mm to 170mm of travel often fitting a chain device or clutch-equipped rear derailleur mechanism so that the chain doesn’t get bounced off in the rocky sections. Big volume downhill tyres increase puncture resistance and add comfort, plus a short stem and wide bar improves control. A dropper seatpost to lower the saddle in the technical downhill sections makes it easier to throw the bike around when things get sketchy. Although there are no rules about it, lycra has no place in a real enduro race. Racers should expect to bring at least a good set of kneepads, gloves, eye protection and in Italy and France a full-face helmet is compulsory and very necessary for the terrain. A hydration pack with basic spares is a good idea too. alpine
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Photo: Office de Tourisme Les 2 Alpes / Ruppert FOWLER
Enduro events • • • • • •
Tribe Events (France): www.tribe-events.com Superenduro (Italy): www.superenduromtb.com Gravity Enduro (UK): www.ukgravityenduro.com Gravity Enduro (Ireland): www.gravityenduro.ie Enduro (Germany): www.enduroseries.net Oregon Enduro (USA): www.oregonenduro.com
• Enduro World Series (rounds in Italy, France, USA, Canada) • Bluegrass Enduro Tour (Italy, France, Scotland, Ireland) • Specialized Enduro Series (Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland) • North American Enduro Tour (Oregon, Colorado, Utah and British Columbia) Coupe de France (France) Superenduro (Italy) • UK Gravity Enduro (England, Scotland, Wales) • Gravity Enduro Series (Ireland) One-off events: • Mavic Trans-Provence (France) • Megavalanche Alpe d’Huez (France) • Mountain of Hell (France) • Downieville Downhill • All-Mountain World Championships (California)
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Above Canyon Spectral AL 9.0 EX is designed for the uncompromising demands of all-mountain riding. A high quality aluminium frame comes with 150mm of travel and features such as integrated chainstay guard and an integrated derailleur hanger. Built for versatility, it is perfectly at home on steep ascents, flowing singletrack
and technical descents. The 27.5” wheels provide the ideal compromise between lively handling and super smoothness as well as low weight. and the SRAM 11 speed X01 system fives simplified gearing. Weighs: 12.5kg. http://www.canyon.com
Above Specialized Enduro Expert Carbon 29 2014 Mountain Bike. A 155mm travel 29er. offering a tight wheelbase for agile handling, plus lightweight, yet strong, wheelsets and components, the Enduro 29 is a true All-Mountain machine.
the new X01 shifting makes a quiet and reliable single-ring setup. The-hidden Specialized Command Post IR uses a remote lever to adjust saddle height on-the-fly to maximise climbing and descending performance.
Using the th super-light, custom SRAM carbon S-2200 11-speed All-Mountain crankset chainring matched up with
http://www.specialized.com/
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- mountain bike - mountain of hell - les 2 alpes
Mountain of Hell The race with a very simple concept: a start at an altitude of 3400 m at the top of the mountain, wheels in the snow... then a crazy downhill enduro with a massive dose of adrenaline... first to the bottom wins!
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The now legendary “Mountain Of Hell” at Les 2 Alpes was created in 1999 and was hugely successful since its inception as an Enduro event. In mid July each year sees some 700 riders take on 2500 meters of vertical descent over 20 kilometres after a spectacular mass start on snow at 3400 m. Half an hour later, the first riders are down in Venosc, at 900 m. Among the 700 participants are some of the world’s best riders, including 10 women. For the 2013 event the winner in the mens category was NewZealander Jamie Nicoll taking only 30 minutes and 28 seconds to cover the 25km trail over 2,500 m of vertical descent. In a time of 42 minutes and 35 seconds, Isabeau Courdurier (France) was the first woman. http://www.les2alpes-evenements.com/mountain-of-hell http://ete.les2alpes.com/ Photo: Office de Tourisme Les 2 Alpes / Ruppert FOWLER
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- mountain bike - mountain of hell - les 2 alpes
Above and below Mass start at 3,400 m of the Mountain of Hell. Photos: Office de Tourisme Les 2 Alpes / Ruppert FOWLER
right
A caption for this image.
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Mountain of Hell..Photo: Office de Tourisme Les 2 Alpes / Stéphane CANDE
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- mountain bike - mountain of hell - les 2 alpes
Above and below The Mountain of Hell. Photos: Office de Tourisme Les 2 Alpes / Ruppert FOWLER
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- environment - hydro power
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alpine magazine Left The two reservoirs of the Nant de Drance project currently under construction on the Swiss/ French border near Mont Blanc. Photographer: Michel Martinez Sion
Hydro power The same gravity that powers skiing, mountain bike and rwhite water descents provides Hydro Electricity, a major source of power from the Alps. The mountainous geomorphology of the Alpine arc mean that hydropower presents a significant energy resource producing environmentally-friendly electricity but as with any power source you can’t keep any in reserve and even the best solar and wind power stations are useless at night and on windless days. Electricity grids cannot store energy, so electricity consumption and production from a power plant must always be balanced and energy suppliers have to respond to consumption fluctuations or short-term peaks quickly to meet capacity. Pumped storage power stations as batteries. Pumped storage power stations allow spontaneous compensation for the over-production or under-production from wind and solar energy sources and if necessary permit the temporary storage of the electricity for days or weeks. Crucial to the flexibility of these power stations is the size of the available reservoirs. Pumped-storage hydroelectric power plants are one way to produce the energy needed within minutes and store surplus energy reliably, day and night. Using upper and lower reservoirs water is channelled downhill from the upper reservoir through turbines, which in turn drive generators. When surplus energy is generated, it is used to pump water back up from the lower reservoir to the one further uphill. This means there is a continuous store of potential energy which can be used to generate power during peak consumption periods. The concept of storing energy with the aid of water power is not new and the first pumpedstorage power plants were built in Central Europe in the 1920s. However, such power plants are not necessarily very efficient as
pumping the water back uphill requires more energy than can be recovered. Nevertheless, pumped-storage plants are needed to compensate for the fluctuations in demand for electricity so the systems are balanced so that electricity produced in off-peak periods such as night time for instance, is used to pump water to the upper reservoir, which is then used to produce electricity when demand is high. The Nant de Drance Alpine power station which is currently being built in the Swiss Alps is one of the most modern pumped hydro facilities in the world. This joint venture, under the management of Alpiq and with the participation of the Swiss Railways (SBB), IWB and FMV started in 2008 and due to be finished in 2017, will connect two reservoirs: the Lac d’Emosson, which at 227 million cubic meters is the second-big-
reservoirs at 1,700m above sea level with two separate water channels connecting the two reservoirs. The complex construction work required a 5.6km-long access tunnel being bored into the mountain, then making a machine cavern, a transformer cavern and two parallel waterways consisting of inlet and outlet structures, upstream and downstream pressure tunnels and vertical pressure shafts. The new plant with its 900-megawatt pump and turbine capacity will contribute significantly to Switzerland’s future energy security. Most of the facility is underground and according to the operating company, the power plant will have the minimum impact on the surrounding environment. The work for the Nant de Drance project is on schedule, even though the excavation
The new Nant de Drance project in Switzerland will provide electricity for 650,000 households. gest reservoir in Switzerland, and the higher Lac du Vieux Emosson reservoir, situated at 2,200m above sea level which currently holds 13.5 million cubic meters of water, but by raising the dam wall by 20 meters will almost double the capacity. Six 150-megawatt turbines will be powered by the stored energy held in the reservoirs driving generators capable of supplying 625,000 households with electricity. The turbine station is being built in a church sized 190m long, 52m high cavern situated between the two
work for the access tunnel took longer than planned due to geological problems. In winter work stops on all construction sections above 2,000m as they can only be reached from the outside and therefore under snow. A tunnel-boring machine with a 10m drill head chews into the mountain at an average rate of 20 meters a day, depending on the type of rock. Impressively, the record for one day currently stands at 40 meters.
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- environment - hydro power
More than half of Switzerland’s electricity production comes from hydroelectric power generation. With the planned phase-out of nuclear power, the Swiss Federal Council wants to expand hydropower. However, the available potential is really quite limited, and even in the best-case scenario will not be more than 3.2 TWh or around 10% of the current hydropower generation. One third of this will come from the upgrading of existing power stations, and one third each from the construction of new small and new large hydroelectric power stations. Hydropower is not only necessary for Swiss electricity supply, but is also an important economic factor, particularly in the mountainous regions as the local cantons and communities hold sovereignty over the water and lease the water for an agreed period, usually 80 years, to be used by the electricity companies, receiving concession fees, water rates and tax revenues in return. Switzerland tries to ensure a balanced yet practical relationship between the protection of nature and the environment and the use of which has resulted in the implementation of large energy-economic projects such as Nant de Drance and others such as Linth-Limmern or Lago Bianco. However it is yet to be seen if the Swiss population, which in their various referendums have always placed great weight on nature conservation, will agree with more hydro projects that will have greater effects of the environment and surrounding nature.. Hydroelectric power while it can offer a relatively sustainable solution to the energy requirements, it can also be ecologically destructive to the landscapes and freshwater systems. There are around 550 hydro plants in the Alps with more than 10 MW and 2900 GWh of annual output (Source: Alpine Convention). This kind of pressure severely impacts on the ecological integrity of Alpine rivers and lakes. These energy systems require widespread river and stream diversions and the construction of large storage reservoirs that destroy natural living spaces. Hydroelectric power plants constitute one of the most serious threats to natural Alpine river systems, interrupting migration passageways for animals and wildlife and causing frequent flooding. Although in theory hydroelectric power can be considered ‘clean’ energy, using water and gravity the generate electricity, many hydroelectric installations in the Alps use cheap coal or nuclear sourced power to pump water back up to the reservoir.alpine
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Above The schema for the new Nant de Drance project. Below The Emosson dam wall and view of Mont Blanc to the right. Photo: Nant de Drance
Below The lower Emosson dam wall. Photo: Nant de Drance
Below Extending the height of the upper dam wall. Photo: François Perraudin/ Nant de Drance
2014 - more photos, articles and videos at www.alpinemag.com
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Excavation of the machine tunnel. Photo: François Perraudin; Nant de Drance
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Next Issue: early winter 2014/15 MOre PHOTOs, videos, ARTICLES and NEWS online 100 alpine summer 2014 - more photos, articles and videos at www.alpinemag.com www.alpinemag.com
Mountain biking above Lake Garda, Italy.