Mhhh Gusto...

Chamonix 09:
Hm, where to start... maybe at the end. Oh yeah, it was a massive party! We celebrated the whole Mountain Academy adventure at the most awesome bar in Chamonix with a delicious buffet and booze; lots of booze. Everyone danced till the break of dawn and we watched Bertrand’s movies and David’s pictures from the academy on a big screen…
All great memories when you see this overwhelming stuff!
From sport climbing in Austria to ice climbing in la Argentiere; from ski mountaineering on the Mount Blanc Massive to trad climbing in Morocco…
Yes, we did a lot, we learned a lot and we collected unique experiences.
As well in this last stage at Chamonix:
One day, better to say one early morning, Jerome and I took the first cable car to reach Aiguilles du Midi. Our mission that day: an about 200m long icey gully which ends on the half way of the Cosmique ridge.
And the best was that you don’t have any meter of approach, because exactly when you exit the Midi station you start abseiling down to reach the starting point of the climb. Which is funny, because two third of all people who arrive with the cable car are Japanese. Japanese who have never been in the mountains before and who are dressed up like being on the beach, with sandals and short tops. And we, well, we were equipped for any kind of weather change and to climb in ice… Big boots, gore-tex wear, even a down jacket, a helmet and goggles. That was a funny picture…
However, we started to rappel and just after the first one you really feel like being in high mountains, in a wild terrain: Once in a wile rock and snowfall or a cold wind breeze.
Nice, I like ;-) . And then the climb…Ahh it was simply great and in perfect ice conditions. A narrow, quite steep line, very various to protect; once we set ice screws, once a nut or a friend. That’s what it makes so interesting for me. Every part was different to climb and to protect .
Pitch after pitch led us towards the sunny Cosmique ridge, which then led us back to our starting point, the Aiguilles du Midi station.
That’s fast food climbing, which suited perfectly this day, because Jerome and I had to leave for one day the academy, Jerome to be at a meeting and I, to write my final exam at school.
And so the story ends…for this time, but we meet and climb again! That is for sure!!!!
Cheers…

The last one, the best one

How can I writhe in a few words all our feeling?

After a long wait in the airport finally it seems somebody is still alive. In fact I started to speak about the taxi bus who drives from Geneva to Chamonix because nobody is here, nobody is in the phone… and maybe my friends forget I’m here!

TMA again but this is the last one, what a pitty! Fred thinks I’m kidding when I suggest him if its possible to continue. Well, anyway we have to give the others the opportunity to live in The Mountain Academy.

When we arrive to the camping there is most of the team. It’s good to meet all the people again, and also to meet new ones, Fred from Chamonix and Simon from Zermatt. But the best is to be here, in “the Meca” of alpinism. Chamonix, yeah!

We start with the Hyper classic “Frison Roche”. My references about this route came from my girlfriend who climbed it some years ago. It’s a wonderful route who climbs the 200 meteres wall of “le Brevent”, a great line opened not many years ago. The ambience is superb, we are involved with the fog and it seems Patagonia.

We have a very good description here.




The next step goes to discover the old ice in a very deep unknow glacier, I can’t say more things, we have to keep a little bit safe the secrets of The Mountain Academy…



We continue with the “Triangle du Tacul” climbing one beautiful thin white line on the left of “Goulotte cheré” to finish, the day after, by the “Cosmiques” arête. I have been here before 7 times but after this moment I have never climbed the “Cosmiques” before. So for me it’s incredible to find artificial holes for crampons made by… who knows? Anyway, we discover why is one of the most famous ridges in the Alps. Simply magnificent.





Good info here.

One more step goes to the “Albert Premier” hut and the Forbes ridge, a beautiful way to reach the top of the Chardonnet. It’s a special ascent, more special if you think you are following the Rebuffat’s selection and if you can join with some of your friends in the summit. In the descend some stupid “games” in the crevasses but finally we arrive safe.







Aiguille du Midi, definitely is our second home. We go up again but this time to climb the “Pointe Lachenal”. I really love crack climbing and this route is an incredible pure crack granit climbing opened by the Vogler’s brothers, called “L’orée du bois” with the supercatalonian variaton ;-)
The storm is really near to catch us but we escape at the right moment.



One day more and we come back again to the “Cosmiques” arête but this time (for me) will be the rest day but for my partner will be the “Digital Crack”’s day. What I have a problem because somebody has stolen my shoelaces!
We have to wait to buy them in the shop and then fast and light up to the Aiguille du Midi. Tim, my crazy british friend tries three times the “Digital crack” but is too hard for his fingers and finish the journey asking himself “Where’s the crack?”.







We move to the Torino hut and the last day we climb up to the Capucin, the most beautiful summit I have ever done here, in Chamonix by the “Voyage selon Gulliver”. We loose the cable car and we have to spend one more night in the hut of Torino. I don’t understant why some people describes it like a prison. In my eyes it’s really confortable, more than bivouacs!, perfect to rest and prepare for the last hard day, the party day!

#6 - Chamonix

Another time, I came home heart fulfill. But now, it was the last stage of TMA, and I think that still, my mind is not realizing that… We spent 10 days in Chamonix, magic place with magnificent mountain surroundings. As we arrived, we set up our base camp and according the weather forecast, we planned to stay in camp, for a very long time ;)…

First few days, we used for climbing in easy access area, and also, thanks to Office de Haute Montagne, to learn more about tricky weather in Mont Blanc massif. We also discussed about route conditions and our abilities, with experience guides, who have been working with us since beginning of TMA…

Unfortunately, one more member was missing, and, no one didn’t have any news about Corne. Also, our main team managers were absinth for lot of days, and they were missing a lot :(… In coming days, weather was improving, and we were spending plenty of days high in the mountain!

With great guides and athletes, some of candidate’s climbing dreams became reality…

We climbed gullies, but also spurs, and shinny rock faces (some traverses, too :).

Sun on Cosmique Ridge…

Facing a glacier in a mid-day...

Night walks over de Tour Glacier & Valle Blanche…

So beautiful sunrises over Valle Blanche…

Yellow granite & exhausting needles on Diablo Ridge…

Little bit of bouldering...

Last night big party…

(Still no photos from this night... soon ;)

Satisfaction present on faces of candidates, guides and team management, is a nicest way to end up one chapter, and maybe, begin next one :).

Thanx all!

TAGHIA FEELINGS

I’m back home, after one month in Morocco, but my mind is still climbing and hanging around in the easy life of Taghia. For my friends and my family I’m kind of a storyteller; I have so much to say about our experiences that I could go and make a public presentation.

So, where to start? Maybe with the car ride to the starting point of the hike to Taghia. Well, it was interesting and also more than beautiful, because when we exactly reached the highest part of the mountain pass we crossed, the moon- actually it was full moon- was right upon the mountains, right upon us... .I’ve never seen a moon shining bright like this before!

But the farer we got the more I had to think about the fact, that we heading a spot from where it’s not at all possible to be rescued after an accident. For one moment I had a strange feeling in my stomach. But at this moment I also realized that we are in the middle of a real, small, but real expedition! Yeah. My first one and this with all my friends of the mountain academy and the great support from the mountain guides. Well, that made me feel secure again!

Now I’ve just described one special tiny moment out of thousands during our Taghia experience...

For sure I’ll return to this spectacular place. Maybe with Ferran...because we have some unfinished business left. I just say, that it is an ancient route and if you want to repeat, the guide book says, you need more than 70 pitons! And so far no one climbed it after it was made up!!! So, you see how rare, interesting and special Taghia is for rock climbers ;-)

And for sure, I know what to bring to Taghia next time: One rucksack with my stuff and one, big one just filled with candies and bracelets. All the nice kids will be crazy about it. You can make them happy just with one piece of lollypop... .I do exactly remember one girl’s face, as I gave my small bracelet to her: she was overwhelmed; I can hardly think about anyone smiling like this. The feeling was superb. And just because this little bracelet, which I bought for less the 50cents before...

Life Of Berbers

When we first arrived to the deep canyons of Taghia, I was looking at those native people there, building their houses in the center of nowhere, at the place where it is hard to raise any plants, keep animals and everyday life is the struggle in cold, wind and dust. Why do these people live here, I asked myself for several times...

We had a chance to stay there for one week, climbing around, but as well sharing living with Berbers and to feel a bit how is it to live such a simple lives. Lives without cars, televisions, newspaper, supermarkets and all those products of modern society without which we can not imagine our lifes anymore.

Even though we came there to climb and so we did, climbing on marvelous rock, beautiful limestone, long a and superb routes in great and picturesque surroundings, the more I got from this trip was the regeneration of mind. In a couple days in this place, man sees a world a bit different. You see how few you really need in life. Some sleep in the night, a bit of simple food, then the sun to shine in your face and couple of friends around to make you smile. That`s it. No money, no information, no greed, no envy. You can feel then the essence of life.

And then I got it. I know now why Berbers live there. Because they are happy there. They`ve got their lives and love for others over there and that`s all they need. They raise their kids, work for living and enjoy the pure life. Happy people.
But then you see the civilization changing their lives, making their lives more similar to ours, changing their values and creating new needs. And I`m just affraid that with the satelite TV`s, Coke, candies and other useless things, also the greed and envy will come and change their lives forever...

It’s so good to be part of The Mountain ACademy!

5th stage has finished 2-3 weeks ago, and me still dreaming about this magic place. Far away from all modern comfort, yet still very friendly and calm. During our week in Taghia, happened so many things in my mind… For a first time, a climbing place left stronger impression than just climbing. When I’m speaking with my friends here in Belgrade, I even forgot to mention routes I climbed… Ok, at the end, I just pass info about how I improve my level J - just because easiest route in Taghia was like a dream goal for me few months ago...

But more time I speak about all strange things I saw & experienced. For example, all buildings are painted in color of red, as I heard later – symbolic , because of red sand which is transported by wind from the desert… People in Taghia are far away from modern civilization – one day driving off-road piste from capital, but they are using solar cells and water - powered system for electricity. And drinking of Coca-Cola J. Of course, they are not the richest people in this capitalistic society, and result is less stressful life, but you cannot have everything in same time.

I think it was a great experience for the whole team, to leave “invisible” boundaries of Europe, and for a change, to see life from another perspective. Working just for survive, without any material pleasure… Days without watches and electronically devices, gave us lot of time, beside climbing, to speak with each other about so many topics for usually “we never have time”, and get to know more, and relax from all stress back home.

So, since me got back home, I’m trying to adopt “Inch Allah” way of life, and stop pressing myself with all every day crisis…

Baraka

When you have the opportunity to travel out of Europe, to the “second” or the “third” world you have to be insensible to come back home with no changes on your mind.
We are fortunate people, we must to be happy people, we try to be better people...

Morocco is really near Europe, near Spain, but is so different! Taghia is a hidden valley in the hearth of Atlas. Only 3 hundred people live there (best said survive). To arrive Taghia you have to walk two or three hours… no teachers want to do this, so the school is still waiting for one teacher with no problems to walk. But the water gives life to the valley.

Past April we have traveled to this little town with The Mountain Academy team maybe because there you can find some of the most beautiful sport long climbing in the world or maybe because there you can change a little bit your life and open your mind...

Baraka, the circle is closed

It’s impossible to describe all the impressions I have carried in my bag so I will explain you one of the most special moments for me.
It was the 7th day when Tito, Christian and me decide to follow the Baraka way, directly to the stars of the Oujdad. Baraka is a classic 680 meteres route in the west face of the Oujdad. Is one of the easier climbing routes in Taghia and one of the most recommended vertical walks to go up to the summit of Oujdad. In Sufi Baraka means “breath of life” but for me also means one of the most shocking films I have ever seen.
It’s a film with no words, only images. Instead of a story or plot, the film uses themes to present new perspectives and evoke emotion purely through cinema. The images and music explains the evolution of the earth, nature, the chaos of the cities and especially the fragility and the misery of humanity.



It’s a pleasure to find some sense, even very small, when you are a conqueror of the useless. It’s a pleasure to climb with “Dead Can Dance”, “Inkuyo” or “David Hykes” and remember sounds like “The host of seraphim”. Just thinking about it gives me goose pimples.

Definitely I really, really recommend you to buy the Baraka DVD. I really encourage you to travel to Morocco and I really, really wish you finally have the opportunity to walk or climb in Taghia.

Thanks to the MOUNTAIN ACADEMY we have change a little bit our life and we can see more far away...