Winter ascents in Chamonix

In the beginning af the 1990'ies I had the tradition of spending a week or two in Chamonix to try myself out on a few winter climbs, and February 1993 it was Per Lyhne's turn on following me to Chamonix. During our first climbs we had put our base in the Torino Hut on the Italian side of the massif, and with a forecast of minus twenty-thirty degrees apparantly no-one else seemed to find fun in making trips in these beautiful mountains, so apart from the hutkeeper we had the hut to ourselves. From the hut a tremendous view is enjoyed over the Aosta valley and its mountains, and especially impressive is the view to the Peuterey ridge, one of many leading to the summit of Montblanc. Half way up the ridge the Aiguille Blanche is rising, steep and impregnable; probably the most difficult fourthousand-meter peak in the Alps, and there may be something to it, as this Aiguille is still waiting for the first Danish ascent.

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