This summer, I returned to the European Alps for the first time in many years. There were some demanding moments along the way, but now that I am safely back home, what remains are the good memories—and a quiet sense of fulfillment.
Here are a few highlights from the trip.
I began in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, a place I had visited several times in my younger climbing days.
Traveling from Geneva to Chamonix used to involve long hours over mountain passes, but now the motorway brings you there in less than two hours.
I stayed in an apartment near the bus terminal, with a clear view of Mont Blanc, and within easy reach of the lift station for Aiguille du Midi.
The lift from the Midi to Pointe Helbronner—the famous traverse across the Vallée Blanche—was superb in stable weather. From above, I could clearly identify lines I had climbed in the past, including the south face of the Midi and Tour Ronde.
The contrast between the two sides of the massif is striking. The Italian side presents steep, broken ground—rock buttresses, couloirs, and sharp snow arêtes—while the French side tends toward broader, more rounded glaciated slopes. This terrain has been the setting for many classic and committing alpine routes. In the distance, I could also pick out the north faces of the Grandes Jorasses and the Dru, both iconic objectives.
On the return lift, I met a Swiss climber in his fifties. Noticing his harness, I asked if he had been climbing—he had just come down and often visits Chamonix with a guide. We talked about routes, conditions, and ski lines, and quickly found common ground: the Midi south face, the Cosmiques Buttress, Tour Ronde, and the Gervasutti route. It was one of those conversations that only happens easily among climbers.
I also spent time on foot, traversing from Montenvers toward Plan de l’Aiguille, and hiking from La Flégère up to Lac Blanc. These are well-established trails, accessible yet offering outstanding views into the high alpine terrain. I moved at a relaxed pace, letting younger hikers pass, and simply enjoyed being back in the mountains.
Although the weather held and it was hard to leave, I decided to depart a day earlier than planned and continued by bus and train toward Bolzano.
(to be continued)
This journey continues along the Dolomite Road toward Cortina d’Ampezzo(6)
English version prepared with AI assistance
(Originally written in Japanese)
Japanese version:
