Dan Jones, who has stuff stored in several diverse locations throughout the USA, but likes to call home either Colorado, or Hawaii, joined Mark for 5 days of climbing in the Chamonix area. We had great luck with the weather for the first 4, as you can see below.

For our first climb we were planning on taking the Flégère lift up to the area around the Aiguille de l'Index in the Aiguilles Rouges. But after buying tickets, and waiting for quite some time on the dock, while the "benne" hung motionless a hundred feet out, the attendants finally admitted to a "technical problem" and closed the lift for the day.

So, back in the car, we drove to the Brévent lift, and made the short walk to Crakoukass, a fun rock climb only a few minutes walk from the top station.

Here, Dan enjoys the exposure on a small rock pinnacle on the route.

Looking at the rock formation with our route forming the left-hand skyline. The pinnacle in the previous photo is the narrow tower two thirds the way up the route.

And, as always, the backdrop of the Mont blanc Massif makes climbing in the Rouges special.

For the next few days, we decided to go up to the Cosmiques and Torino huts. In this photo, taken out of the telepherique window, we are looking east towards the Grand Combin, with the Matterhorn in the far distance.

On the ridge you can just make out two "climbers" who slithered down the sharp snow Arête on their butts, going who knows where. They had no crampons, barely any boots, and no climbing gear of any type. Later, after they got down to the flats, we saw a PGHM mountain police helicopter set down next to pick them up and fly off to the valley. Though they were not injured and appeared to be happily hiking along the gentle glacier, the PGHM decided an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and scooped them up before disaster struck.

Dan on the Arête des Cosmiques.

At the Cosmiques hut. Climbers come out after dinner to enjoy the views.

Sunset from the deck of the Cosmiques hut.

Mont Blanc du Tacul in the setting sun. Our next day's climb was the Contamine-Grisolle on the North Face Triangle of the Tacul. The Triangle is the rocky triangle under the summit. Our route closely follows the sun-shade line on the left edge of the face.

We had great weather an conditions for his climb. sunrise coming up over the Grandes Jorasses.

Higher on the route with the Chamonix valley below.

After our climb of the Tacul, we hiked over to the Torino hut, with plans for the Rochefort Arête the following day. This photo was taking that next day as sunrise lights up the east side of Mont Blanc.

Dan reaches the crest of the Arête The rock of the Dent du Géant behind him.

Two other climbers on the spectacular ArÍte de Rochefort. We climbed this route as far as the Aiguille de Rochefort, the rocky peak on the left edge of the photo.

Climbing on the Arête du Rochefort. the Mer de Glace far below.

Rime ice on the summit of the Aiguille de Rochefort.

Sunrise on the Mont Blanc Massif during our climb.