David Dougherty came back to the Alps again in 2020. Our plan was to start in Chamonix and move on to Switzerland.

With high winds at altitude, we began our week with a rock climb in the Aiguilles Rouges. Somone, it is called.

David on pitch 2 of Somone.

The weather improved on day #2. We are off to climb the Dent du Géant. A beautiful view of Mont Blanc, from the approach to the Dent.

On the Burgener Slabs on the Dent.

The summit Madonna.

David completes the last rappel to the snow.

After a well deserved rest day, we made our way up the the Gnifetti hut on the Italian side of Monte Rosa.

The very comfortable dining room.

Sunset from the Gnifetti hut.

...and an equally lovely morning after.

Our goal for the day was to pick off as many of the nearby 4000-meter summits as possible. Fortunately we had already climbed the Signalkuppe and the Zumsteinspitze–a fact that made the whole enterprise much more reasonable.

Sunrise, as we head up the slopes of the Vincent Pyramid.

Another party descends off the Pyramid.

On the summit of the Vincent Pyramid.

From the top of our first we can see our next 4 summits. The Balmenhorn is the tiny rock outcrop on the far left edge of the photo. The Corno Nero is just left of center. Ludwigshöhe just to the right of Corno Nero. And the Parrotspitze, the long sloping ridge right of center.

A busy day on the Corno Nero.

Looking towards Liskamm, from the Parrotspitze.

Our last summit of the day, the Parrotspitze.

We returned to Chamonix. Our last climb was the Traverse of the Aiguille Crochues. David had done this many years ago, and it was time to refresh the memory.

It was quite a busy day on the Crochues. Rather than waiting in line for the first chimney pitch, we decided to scamper up Pointe Gaspard, seen here.

David on the summit of the Crochues.