This weather view gives some idea as to why we departed the Bernese Oberland and, incidentally, why Keith and Fiona quit the Bregalia. Fickle weather, to say the least. Texts went back and forth and Chamonix was decided upon!

Chamonix had seen fresh snow (and a number of deaths), as these views from the Aig Rouges side show.

So we joined up with Keith and Fiona, who were camping, and stayed in the Belvedere gite, together with Smiler’s Canadian client, Kathy, from Smithers, one thousand clicks north of Vancouver. Kathy, incidentally, is definitely a new recruit for the ‘Kats’. Talking of which, how do you like this one, which roams Argentiere?

Seldom has so much ugliness and pre-malignant spots been assembled in so few pixels (maybe excepting Fiona). Here we peruse the ‘Floria’, Aig Rouges.

Smiler selected ‘Athenia’ (5b) for him and Kathy, followed by me and Vicky. Keith and Fiona opted for the Esperon Sublime, on the left side.

Here you see Vic topping out, which we all did more or less simultaneously, whence Smiler gave us all a tutorial in short-roping. Probably 70 years experience between me and Keith but still hadn’t got it right!