UKC

David Millington climbs his first proper Alpine Route, 'Arete des Cosmiques'...

"Oh you bastard, don't do this to me now... Shitshitshitshit...!"

His ascent went smoothly...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=2925

In reply to UKC Articles:

"I went where eagles dare and found out I was more of a penguin"

Has to be my favourite line, brilliant!

In reply to UKC Articles:

On every level this is an outstanding literary achievement,

One of the absoulute classics of mountaineering,

A brilliant vivid, gripping, heart stopping account,

Lessons on the arete touches the Great Questions in an understated,
yet utterly compelling way !



Good work mate, great article!
Might even buy you a pint next week down the wall to celebrate





Oh, and in case your wondering ??
I pinched the quotes from the back of "Touching the void" ho ho ho

In reply to UKC Articles: This brought back memories from some time ago. As I set off up the crux my mobile rang with the ringtone from Danger Mouse - I remember it being a busy place to look a tit.

Fan-bloody-tastic.

" 'I'm now an Alpist' I think to myself. I like the sound of it. "

Ho ho ho

Pete.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Remembering our first trip to the Alps and our bimbling on the Cosmiques - makes these guys sound like pros. Starting after lunch, appalling route finding, spending 8 hours on a 3 hour route, missing the last cable car and getting back to the midi 15 minutes before darkness with bad weather forecasted and no bivi gear. Our mate who'd stayed in the valley and not heard from us even called the chopper out!

I salute you for making it sound so slick (comparitively) on a first go.

We still went back the next year despite the trauma, sadly continue to climb like numpties.

In reply to UKC Articles: Nice article - I'll bet that Dave didn't pre-warn you that we missed the final gully and went off route on the Cosmique Arete last year...

In reply to UKC Articles:

Nice article, thank you.
(I get scared scrambling in Scotland - I think I'll leave the Alps alone...)

In reply to UKC Articles:

Extremely well written piece Dave. I would recommend anyone going to the Alps for the first time to read this account and take serious note! It really is a completely different ball game out there.

In reply to UKC Articles:

This brings back so many memories, and pretty much encapsulates how I felt on my first (and only so far) trip to the alps.

What a great read - nice one

This is a great article - brings back memories of it from last year!

We did it at the end of February and it actually took over a day to complete! Had to bivi on a snowy ledge and then missed the last gully and ended up doing some stupidly hard crack climb upto the top ridge to get onto the little ladder.

In reply to UKC Articles: Great article mate, I really enjoyed that one. Excellent writing style, well paced and makes you smile and empathise completely to! Well done.

PS I to like the penguin remark.

In reply to UKC Articles: Cracking report, Dave. I was in similar straits up there a few years back. So glad to know I'm a penguin too

In reply to UKC Articles:

Thanks for the kind words everyone and I'm glad that you enjoyed my piece. It's reassuring to know I wasn't alone in my reaction.

Munki - Dave did mention that you'd gone off route - your alternative finish looked horrendously exposed!

Thanks again,

David Millington.

In reply to UKC Articles: Great piece of writing, thanks for sharing. =o)