WHO ARE YOU?

pascal

Pascal, CEO at AlpinStore
Practice: hiking, running, alpine skiing, ski touring

ACTIVITY?


Ski touring

WHERE?


On the slopes of Mont Blanc!

HOW LONG?


2 days: Thursday May 29 and Friday May 30, 2025

THE PROJECT?


Thirteen years after climbing Mont Blanc on foot with a bunch of highly motivated Lyonnais, I'm off on a new adventure... but this time on skis!
Over the years (and with creaking knees), I've learned to listen to my body - fortunately, because without preparation, it's mission impossible.

PERSONAL TRAINING :


Two races a week on the classic Giffre in Samoëns or the Ozon in Lyon.
A crazy alpine skiing season in the Grand Massif (thanks to the snow!).
A few fun outings to Sommand, Pointe de Chalune or Les Grandes Platières in Flaine - just to keep fit and smiling.

ACCLIMATIZATION & FITNESS TEST WITH MY FAVORITE GUIDE, ALEXIS MALLON :


An outing to the Aiguille du Midi towards the Pointe Helbronner: dream weather!
A trip to the Breithorn (4200 m) from Cervinia: amazing view of the Matterhorn.



THE ASCENSION :


Day 1: Departure from Plan de l'Aiguille (3200 m), direction Grands Mulets (3050 m) via the Bossons glacier and the Jonction to the Taconnaz glacier. First sweat but also first cold beer at the refuge - the base.

Day 2: Wake-up at 3am (as violent as ever) to tackle the ascent via the glacier on the north face of the Goûter and avoid the Grands Plateaux and its headache-inducing seracs.
Arrival at Vallot on the basis of Emmanuel Vedrines' record, but he to make the round trip to the Chamonix church.
And there, the famous first bump... thirteen years later, the same galley and that feeling of loneliness after Valot. But the Bosses ridge never ends!
After 8 hours' ascent and 1800 m of D+, at last the reward: a grandiose summit, blue skies, not a flicker of wind, and Fabienne & Alexis by my side: sheer bliss!

THE DESCENT :


Now that's a real treat: descent via the north face in dreamy snow, amidst the seracs - a postcard atmosphere.
We walk back to the Plan de l'Aiguille for lack of snow, but the effort is quickly rewarded with... a Mont Blanc IPA beer, of course!

ANECDOTES?


Oh, I've got them in spades... but the hardest thing wasn't the seracs or the first bump, it was the 2 months without wine and cheese to get back to an (almost) healthy body. Frankly, protein is nice, but a little Pibarnon and a piece of Abondance, that's a real morale booster!
And to make the story even sweeter: a little phone call to my wife and daughter in Boston in the middle of the night, so we could share this moment at the summit.





MATERIALS USED AND FAVORITE BRANDS?

  • Haglofs outfit in Alpinstore colors: goretex jacket and flexible pants.
  • Millet Trilogy Icon down jacket: warm and super-compressible.
  • Devold first layer & Ortovox softshell.
  • Black Diamond ski guide gloves + Mammut lightweight gloves + BV Sport socks.
  • K2 Wayback 177 skis, Pomoca K2 skins, Alpinist Marker bindings & Komperdell poles.
  • Tecnica Zero G tour pro ski boot: the best in terms of uphill-downhill mix.
  • Blue Ice Kume 30 L backpack: lightweight, well thought-out.
  • Gully Petzl ice axe & Harfang Blue Ice crampons (steel tip only).
  • Camp Alp race harness: super-lightweight.
  • Barryvox Mammut avalanche transceiver & Arva shovel + probe.
  • Samoëns hat & Lou Caboens Samoëns cap: official sponsors!
  • Oakley goggles & Smith mask.
  • Esbit 75 cl water bottles.
  • Naak compotes, bars & drinks (thanks Benjamin for your advice!).

WHAT DO I LOVE MOST ABOUT THIS KIND OF OUTING?


Being in the mountains, with cool people who share the same passion for snow and summits. And, above all, to prove to myself that, at almost 60, I've still got a bit of juice under my skis.




Read other AlpinStore adventures:

ADVENTURE DE PASSIONNÉS: 3-day hike in the Bauges

ADVENTURE DE PASSIONNÉS: climbing en grande voie