I was grimly set on leading it. What is interesting is the rapid change of gear in the 4 months since doing Shrike at Whit (qv). Hemp string has given way to a belt, crash hats have arrived, the first commercial lumps of metal to thread have just appeared, My shoes are RDs (René Desmaisons)

I still have my old RD's festering away in the attic somewhere. What I do miss is the ability to get a decent pair of climbing breeks.

I did this route 2 or 3 times in the early seventies, with almost the same clothing. JB helmet, Norwegian sweater and of course the Red socks. Not forgetting the crap gear.Memories.

A good lead John - I failed twice on White in the early sixties. One time with Mo I was leading the start of pitch three, maybe where you are in the photo, when a minor avalanche of rocks trundled down the slab. It just missed me and damaged one of the ropes - I was so gripped that I reversed Linnell,s Leap at a speed that Buster Keaton would have been proud of ! Mo suggested Ghekko as an option but I would have none of it.
Another time I traversed in with Al Hunt wearing a pair of shoes that I borrowed from Billy Cox which were two sizes too small and yes, they happened to be those orange RD's. I was in so much pain that Al just managed to drag me up Narrow Slab.
You are building up an impressive gallery John - keep it going as I'm sure you have lots more to offer.

Hi Cam, thanks for your encouraging remarks and the wider support of others for what I have posted. I have indeed lots of slides of out-of-the- run routes in the Alps which may give ideas to others, but they will probably score low since the voting criterion is photo quality rather than intrinsic interest. So I'll keep them in reserve.

Just turn the voting off - if you put them in "historical" I think that's what you get....
They're great pictures without exception - some are routes that are quite different these days notwithstanding the change in gear.

I did this route in 1970, with almost the same clothing. JB helmet, Norwegian sweater and of course the Red socks. Not forgetting the crap gear!