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At the far side of the Pas de Chèvres is a dramatic drop down a steep rock face which is negotiated by descending 30m (100 feet) down two metal ladders bolted to the rock. No easy task when wearing stiff soled four season boots.
Ali goes first but feels understandably nervous about the unprotected sideways step between the top shorter ladder and its much longer lower neighbour. A fall here would be fatal - no doubt about it. She climbs back up to the col and we rope up. With the rope for protection she sets off confidently as I belay her from above.
Then it is my turn. Okay so I could pass the rope through the top rung of the ladder as I descend and Ali could belay me from the bottom. For that we would need about 80m of rope - we have 50m - so there is no option but for me to descend unprotected. I have a little chat with myself - something like this:
“Okay Lay, deep breath. Its just a ladder. Its bombproof. Hundreds of people have been up and down it. Its not going to come loose when your on it. All you have to do is move your hands, move your feet and repeat. Take your time, be careful and ignore the exposure. Easy … just like falling off a ladder…”
Well I made it down to the bottom safe enough, but I was surprised to notice my hands aching - I had really been gripping those rungs.
Enjoy the video.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Phreerunner // Oct 31, 2007 at 11:42 pm
Nice video. I’m a bit confused - thought you were going to Arolla, but it seems you’ve already been. S’pose I came in at half time…..
Perhaps your hands were aching from clutching the camera! Brings back nice memories of an encounter with the Over The Hill Club last year. Yes, Michael, Waggy and the rest all made it up those ladders, even if it did take them an hour or more!
2 Lay // Nov 1, 2007 at 7:08 am
Sorry for the confusion - This trip happened in June and I’m posting the account retrospectively as I have been busy setting up this new blog and http://www.outdoorbloggers.com
We also had a trip to Chamonix at the end of the season so that will be going up soon.
It probably also took us an hour to negotiate the ladders given the queue and roping up.
3 Phreerunner // Nov 3, 2007 at 11:03 am
Hi Lay
I now understand. I’m sure it’s easier to go UP those ladders rather than down them. I was most grateful to the Over The Hill group for letting me nip past. But the rest of my party had bottled it and gone over Col de Riedmatten.
I know the problem with trip reports as well, I’m currently writing one up from 2004. Blogging should make this easier in future as it is conducive to reporting in bite sized chunks rather than the daunting task of compiling a complete report, often long after the trip concerned.
Have fun….
4 sally // Nov 8, 2007 at 6:14 pm
I love these videos…and yes lay it reminded me of the ladders on the GR20 but yours looked much worse….
5 Lay // Nov 9, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Phreerunner - On our way back to Arolla we did go over the Col de Riedmatten rather than up the ladders. This was to save time given the potential queue, but more on that later.
6 Lay // Nov 9, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Sally - glad you enjoyed the video - I enjoyed editing it together. Another one to come over the weekend from North Wales.
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