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Keith Sharples Photography, Sheffield (2025)

25/01/2025

When a de-load week isn’t a rest week; sure, it’s a rest from winter training but skiing isn’t really a rest week!
I hadn’t been to L’Alpe D’Huez before so it’s always great fun to explore somewhere new. It’s a pretty big resort and the lifts are generally good so there was a lot to get stuck into. Sadly, the weather wasn’t that amazing the week I was there and although coverage was pretty decent connies were more than a tad variable meaning that many of the higher and more challenging runs were closed more than they were open. Fortunately however, there’s a bouldering wall in the Palais des Sport at Alpe D’Huez so it was a reasonable easy decision to skip the worst of the weather days.
Pix #1: Alpe D’Huez from high on Domes des Rousses (2800m)
Pix #2–4: Alpe D’Huez
Pix #5: The Alpette-Rousses telepherique
Pix #6-8: Having it…
Pix #9: A sombre scene somewhere near Marmottes 2300m
❄️

01/01/2025

Happy New Year!!
As we start 2025 it’s inevitably that we look back to the past year and celebrate what went well, what we enjoyed and what were our failures?
Many of my highlights from 2024 came from time spent outdoors climbing (shocker…) and skiing, taking photos, travelling as well as meeting and sharing experiences with others. Leaving aside my frustrations about things which I can’t influence, I try to concentrate more on what I can impact.
I think it’s important to reflect on "failures" too; completing goals and objectives is great but there’s learning to be had from the things that didn’t go so well; every day is a school day – right?!
Attached is a montage from the year during which I’m fortunate to have skied some, climbed plenty and travelled. I hope you all did the things that make you happy.
Here’s wishing you all a happy New Year!!
Locations (for those interested) are Les Arcs, Flatanger, The Foundry Climbing Centre, Parc National des Pyrenees, Rodellar, Margalef, Chelsea Park, Datca

30/12/2024

Datca: Last stop for 2024
Finally for 2024, I was lucky enough to jump on a trip to the Turkish winter-rock destination that is Datca. I’d originally visited in January 2023 just before the big earthquake hit the north and east of the country so it was great to get back again for round #2.
We arrived just after the first rains for the autumn had started to hit. Fortunately however, the main event – a.k.a. Can Baba – was still bone dry and that meant that all the tufa routes on the left of Can Baba were in prime condition.
Check out the latest issue of Climber Magazine for a destination article by yours truly if you want more info.
Pix 1: Nefs (F7c) is one of the best routes on the right-hand wall of Can Baba; overhanging and sustained, a proficiency at resting in kneebars definitely pays dividends
Pix 2: Paul Reeve entering the Black Hole (F7c+) to finish one of the left wall classics. The extension, Fire in the Hole (F8a), continues up the overhanging wall above to give an amazing 45m route
Pix 3: Radio Datca (F7c+) is cruxy low down then follows a line of tufas up the wall above
Pix 4: Knidos (F7b+/c) is the left-hand of a pair of close tufas on the left of Can Baba. The climbing is excellent although the grade does depend on how much of Datca Rodeo you use
Pix 5: Approaching the easier but awkward upper section of Datca Rodeo (F7b/+). Again, the grade seems to depend on how much of the Knidos tufa is used
Pix 6 & 7: Ruzgar (F7b+) starts with some mean pulls on pockets before racing up a tufa to a mid-height lower-off. An extension, Toprak (F8a), blasts off above giving another long pitch
Pix 8 Meltem (F7b/+) the right-hand tufa line on the left wall of Can Baba is another classic. Meltemosore (F8a) lies above for those with enough beans in the tin
Pix 9: Kate Harrison at mid-height on Nefs (F7c)
Pix 10: Chris Roberts on the headwall of Mediterranean Dream (F8a), one of the most popular of the harder routes

24/12/2024

Pocket Pulling in Margalef: Part 3 – Raco de la Finestra
The main wall of Raco de la Finestra is Margalef for many people. For context, the massively overhanging board-like wall in the middle of the crag has more ninth grade routes than any other in Catalonia; it’s a colossus of a venue attracting the very best climbers around.
Ramon Julian was one of the first to establish free routes here with Victimes del futur F8c+/9a (originally graded F8c/+ by Ramon), Mejorando imagen F9a+/b (originally graded F9a by Ramon) and the popular Victimas Perez F9a.
Chris Sharma was also drawn to the wall and left some powerful calling cards - Samfaina F9a/+ and Gancho Perfecto F9a/+ before grinding to a halt on what is now Perfecto Mundo F9b+.
I had the great fortune to photograph Chris on the then project during my visit back in 2011; the honour of the first ascent finally fell to Alex Megos in May 2018.
Fast forward to this past October and Toby Roberts was there gunning for the fourth ascent after Megos, Grisolfi (2018) and Schubert (2019). I saw and photo’d Toby early in the process just after he’d repeated Gancho Perfecto F9a/+. Bad weather has frustrated Toby but hopefully will get better connies on his latest trip.
Nearly everyone that visits Margalef walks under this wall and leaves inspired. Having the opportunity to watch and photograph the likes of Chris and Toby attempting routes like Perfecto Mundo is super inspiring.
Pix 1: Toby Roberts on the shared section of Gancho Perfecto/Perfecto Mundo
Pixs 2 & 3: Chris Sharma on a redpoint attempt back in 2011 of what is now Perfecto Mundo. Dani Andrada on belay duty
Pix 4 & 5: Chris Sharma on the crux and then the moves out left on Perfecto Mundo
Pixs 6 – 7: Toby Roberts towards the top of the shared section of Gancho Perfecto
Pix 8: Toby Robert approaching the crux of Perfecto Mundo

23/12/2024

Pocket Pulling in Margalef: Part 2 – Raco de les Tenebres
“Hidden” behind Raco de la Finestra, one of the main crags at Margalef, is the equal famous - if somewhat more diminutive - Raco de les Tenebres. Three of Tenebres’ routes offer utter stellar climbing and should be on anyone list – assuming that F7c-F8a is within your grade range! From left to right the trio of routes are Magic Festival F7c, La corva de la felicitat F7c and Sativa patatika F8a. Developed just after the turn of the Millennium, these three routes are total Margalef classics.
Conveniently, they enjoy shade in the afternoon, typically have a breeze keeping them cool and can be climbed in the rain. Even more appealing is the large adjacent terrace which forms a perfect viewing platform to sit, chill and watch those climbing.
All demand high levels of endurance, a strong mental fortitude to hold it together for the “high-on-the-route” cruxes as well as the ability to do endless moves on two/three finger pockets on steeply overhanging terrain.
Quite simply, all three are absolute stunning routes.
Pixs 1 - 3: Magic festival F7c. Starting with a traverse out from the gulley, the route then follows a direct line to the top. The decent holds run out at the top where the crux lies in waiting.
Pixs 4 – 6: La corva de la felicatat F7c. A stiffish pull through an initial roof via a neat little boulder – on two finger pockets of course – leads to a bomber double knee-bar shake-out. Once you leave this you face 70 foot of continuous two/three finger pockets with a last move crux to clip the lower-off. Sportingly bolted, climbers regularly take 30 foot fliers off the finish. Jeff Merrick climbing.
Pixs 7 – 10: Sativa patatika F8a. Hard moves through the initial overhang heading right and away from La corva leads into a bottomless and overhung corner. Suitable pumped, the crux is above pulling onto the short near-vertical headwall. Jem Clemens and Ibai Garren climbing.

22/12/2024

Next stop - Margalef: Part 1
When I first visited Margalef back in 2011 the guide was still a pretty slender publication. However, Chris Sharma’s early routes like Samfina F9a/+, Gancho perfecto (F9a/+), Demencia senil F9a+ , Era vella (F8c+/9a) as well as the then hardest route at Margalef, First Round, First Minute F9b, had already been established and yet the potential for development still looked enormous. Now, nearly 30 years since climbing first began at Margalef, the climbing and the guide has mushroomed massively; the latest (2024) guide has 1831 routes listed across 95 sectors!
Whilst the majority of the routes at Margalef involve pockets, not all do. Not all pockets are equal though and I’d say even if you’re not a pocket lover then visit anyway if only for the experience of climbing at what is an amazing venue.
Here’s a few shots showing some the amazing breadth of the climbing at Margalef including some of the absolute classics.
Pix 1: Heading to the lower off on Sativa Patatica F8a, Raco de les Tenebres
Pix 2: Jem Clemens on the crucial section of Sativa Patatica F8a, Raco de les Tenebres
Pix 3: Starting the upper headwall on La Corva de la Felicate F7c, Raco de les Tenebres
Pix 4: Jeff Merrick putting the hammer down on the upper headwall on La Corva de la Felicate F7c, Raco de les Tenebres
Pix 5: Magic Festival F7c is the third of the mega classics on Raco de les Tenebres
Pix 6: Lost on the amazing rock of Sector Catedral
Pix 7: The first wall proper on the Main Sector of the monster that is Raco de les Espadelles
Pix 8 & 9: Carn de cano F7c on Cova del Cavall, Raco de les Espadelles
Pix 10: Sunset from the car park at Raco de les Epadelles

21/12/2024

Last call for Autumn trip pixs!!
Before the year is out I’ve finally found some time to hack through a stack of pixs from my autumn trips. It's always interesting to revisit some areas especially if they're stellar venues. Two of those I went too - Rodellar and Margalef - I’d not been to for over well over a decade.
Kicking off with Rodellar then, my last visit was back in spring 2008. Not only have the crags matured somewhat but I’d added a few miles onto the clock too! Sadly, I picked a bad year to renew my acquaintance with what has been dubbed as The Land of Lactic; typically the “reliable” weather in Rodellar during the main season of September/October never happened this year - the season wasn’t so much as cut-short but more washed-out almost from the get-go!
When we arrived in early October the area had already been hit with very heavy rainfall and there were already plenty of wet tufas. After a week – and facing a pretty bad forecast - we bailed out to Margalef. I think I’ll have to get back next year but meanwhile, a few pixs for my brief stay then…
Pix 1: Zero de conduit F7a, Café Solo
Pix 2: Hores Baixes F7c+, Aquest Ay Si El Vaso
Pixs 3 & 4: El Sepes F7c+/8a, Gran Boveda
Pixs 5 – 8: Miscellaneous

24/11/2024

Best autumn colours ever?
Yes, I’m late to this particular party and I’ve only just processed the shots, but I thought that the autumnal colours we were treated to this year were so vibrant that I wanted to post a few shots anyway despite the fact that we have now been hit by winter!
I seemed to me that the lack of rain during the autumn meant that the fallen leaves just piled ever deeper and intensified the vibrant colours beyond what we typically get. The time around bonfire night is usually a damp and soggy period but this year it seemed to stay drier for longer and instead of starting to break-down and go mushy the leaves just laid where they’d fallen forming an incredible carpet in the woods and parks around Sheffield.
Eventually, I took my camera for a walk along with the dog and grabbed a few shots in Brincliffe Woods and Chelsea Park.

21/06/2024

Hanshallaren: 100% Inspirational…
Spoiler alert; having had my fourth trip there I remain utterly blown away with Hanshallaren finding it one of the most impressive and inspirational venues I’ve visited!
My latest visit to the Hanshallaren was another stellar trip. I find it impossible not to be utterly inspired by the architecture and nature of the crag, the quality of the climbing and the overall ambiance of the place.
Every visit I’ve witnessed some remarkable efforts on world-class routes. This year young Norwegian climber Arne Farestveit was locking horns and fighting the difficulties on Little Badder F9a.
Last year it was Jakob Schubert going big on B.I.G. F9c as well as Domen Skofic hoovering up loads of hard ticks including Valhalla F9a as well as Stefano Grisolfi working hard on the crucial crack on Silence.
In 2018, Edu Marin was the man to watch as he made an early repeat of Valhalla F9a.
However, the event in early September of 2017 was Adam Ondra making the first ascent of Silence – the world’s first F9c; that remains one of the most inspiring ascents I’ve ever witnessed.
Watching top climbers drive themselves relentlessly forward is always impressive and inspiring but Hanshallaren just seems to bring that out in everyone who climbs there. You see so many instances of ‘try-hard’ it’s totally common-place.
I can’t wait to get back…
Pix 1: Adam Ondra making the FA of Silence back in 2017; a remarkable ascent to have witnessed
Pix 2: Jakob Schubert working the then Project BIG in 2023
Pix 3 to 6: Arne Farestveit working on Little Badder in early June this year

20/06/2024

Hanshallaren: Scenics…
How about some scenic shots from Flatanger?
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the environment at Flatanger is as equally remarkable as the climbing; simple yet stunning. One of the big pluses is the quality of the light which seems to have magical ingredient about it. Talking purely anecdotally rather than scientifically, it seems that the clear air just allows the light to create the most stunning scenic views.
Flatanger is a seaside location/community and one which has the most amazing views; the simple – often, but not exclusively, red – Norwegian wooden buildings setting any scene off really well. And when the conditions were right, as they were this May, you’ll can get amazing night-after-night of fiery sunsets giving endless photographic combinations. More times than not, the sunsets were so glorious it just felt rude not to get out and capture whatever clouds configurations were offered as the sun finally dipped below the distant horizon at about 22:00hrs.
From our sea-side Airbnb we saw some impressive wildlife too; white tailed sea eagles, sea otters, moose, deer – including one that swam across the bay – as well as no-end of colourful small birds.
Pix 1: The view across the bay from Lauvsnes. Shortly after this shot was taken (at about 19:00hrs) a white-tailed sea eagle swooped down a took a fish out of the sea right in front of us
Pix 2: Wooden buildings in Lauvsnes
Pix 3: The view from the back of the cave. This and the previous two images captured on my phone
Pix 4: Glorious evening light
Pix 5: More stunning evening light plus one of the limitless small boats in the area
Pix 6: The view west at sunset
Pix 7: The calm serenity of another glorious evening in Lauvsnes
Pix 8 to 10: Sea, sky and sunsets from Lauvsnes on different nights with different cloud configurations

19/06/2024

Hanshallaren: Hotter than Hell…
“Take a scarf, it’ll be cold” I was given before leaving the UK. Not so this year as temperatures hit 25C by mid-May; pretty outrageous for spring in Norway! “More settled, way hotter and drier than usual” was how the locals described the weather. Close to the summer equinox, the sun was higher in the sky as well so hitting the main wall earlier than usual – another whammy. The full sun/high temps of early afternoon made the hard moves it very difficult to work let alone redpoint; typical in July/August but mid-May?!
With day-after-day of 25-28C temps we had to switch tactics.
We opted to get to the crag by 7am, do a quick warm-up and then have a first tie-in before the sun hit at midday. When we got lucky, we got a second tie-in under thin cloud before the rock got silly hot. Inevitably, climbing days were shorter than usual.
Climbers in the cave weren’t impacted and it was business as usual “inside”. This reinforced the practice of having two routes on the go at once, one outside the cave and a second inside; usually this is a good idea from a rain/seepage point of view – in May it was about escaping the sun and getting better connies!
I’ll go again in the spring but it’s tricky to know when is the best time to come; too early and it could be cold and/or wet, too late and it could be too hot and a midge-ridden hell-hole!
Pix 1: Neil Comyn on Ronja F7c. In the back of the cave, this stays in the shade till mid-afternoon
Pix 2: Syvsover F7b. Thin cloud, as on this day, helped but all too often that cleared
Pix 3: Alan Murray beyond the crux on Bondeanger F7c. There’s a lot of decent holds on this one but the crux is on small(ish) slopey crimps which quickly become “un-usable” in the sun
Pix 4: Dumpster Diver F8a+; stout in full sun!
Pix 5: Joanne Brinkmann delivering an impressive “full-sun” send of Dumpster Master F8b
Pix 6: Another glorious sunsets; this just after 22:00hrs at Lauvsnes

16/06/2024

Hanshallaren: The Cave
The cave is arguably the place at Hanshallaren; the collection of hard routes here is remarkable. Unlike many caves, the floor at Hanshallaren rises has the cave arches over; somewhat disconcertingly, the majority of routes are longer than they are above the hard deck! In more than once instance it necessitates very careful belaying to avoid ground-falls. Even more unusual is that some of the routes start with a jumar up a fixed rope; this feels odd at first but this approach opens up such good climbing that you soon accept it for what it is and crack-on.
Being in the cave feels overwhelming; the rock architecture is utterly bewildering and astounding in equal measure. Simply put, this is one of the world’s most impressive locations for hard ‘single’ pitch sport climbing and most of the routes here are stellar. Obligingly, this sector stays in the shade until around mid-afternoon when the sun hits the left-hand side of the cave. The routes in the very back of the cave get sun later – typically 5pm(ish).
Although the first routes were climbed in the late 90’s, arguably the golden era for this sector was 2012 to 2017 during which time Adam Ondra ruled the roost. In 2012, Adam added Change, the world’s first F9b+; five years later he added Silence, the world’s first F9c. Last year, Jakob Schubert added B.I.G. a second F9c.

Pix 1: Flaggermusmannen F9a; short but bouldery, dynamic and very popular
Pix 2 -4: Neil Comyn and Rob Richmond on Ronja F7c; one of only three F7’s in the cave and something of an oddity as it’s a techie corner climb
Pix 5: Gusanito F8a+ follows an undercut and overhanging rib with snappy, powerful moves and a still 'droppable' finish
Pix 6: Dave Idendin on the starting crucial moves of Brunhilda F7c+. A jumar start and a finish in the middle of nowhere doesn’t sound promising but this is a real cracker of a pitch with the final traverse along a pumpy rail in doubt until the very end.
Pix 7 & 8: Migue Sancho fully embracing the overhanging madness and almost endless kneebar possibilities of Brunhilda F7c+
Pix 9: Arne Farestveit engrossed in the savagely overhanging underbelly of Seb Bouin’s Little Badder F9a

15/06/2024

Hanshallaren: The Main Wall
Starting beyond the pinnacle, the main wall has a collection of stunning routes from F7b to F8c/+. Working left to right, the “short”, techie and compression “grit-like” climbing of Steiny F8a gives way to more jug-hauling enduro routes like F***g (L1 & L2) F8a and Bondeanger F7c – both 35m class pitches up constantly overhanging rock. Inconveniently, both have short boulder cruxes amidst miles of stellar “jug” hauling. Kykkelikokos F7b+ takes the roof above Kykkeli F7b before the wall steepens slightly for a trio of superb fingery wall climbs - Paltegeist F7c+, Dumpster Diver F8a+ and Dumpster Master F8b.
Moving right again, the next section is even steeper and is home to such classics as Eventyrblanding F7c, Eventyrblanding Extension F8a, Berntsenbanden (L2) F7c, Berntsenbanden Extension (L2+L3) F8a, Massih Attack F8b, The Door Keeper F8b.
The quality of the rock and the climbing leaves absolutely nothing to be desired; any one of these routes alone would justify the trip. The only real negative of this wall is that the sun, and/or seepage, can impact some of the climbing here but I’ll talk more about the weather, how variable conditions affects these routes and when to get fabled “bon cons” in a later post.
Pix 1 & 2: Dave Idenden on the thin crack of Kykkeli F7b
Pix 3: Neil Comyn pulling the crux roof of Kykkelikokos F7b+
Pix 4: The shared section of Paltegeist F7c+ and Dumpster Diver F8a+
Pix 5 – 7: Joanne Brinkmann dispatching Dumpster Master F8b
Pix 8: Hovdegjengen, the “world’s hardest F6c”
Pix 9: Berntsenbanden, another classic F7c

14/06/2024

Hanshallaren: It's not all overhanging madness…
The popular image of Hanshallaren is that it’s all about monster overhanging cave climbs. Whilst it is exactly that in the cave itself there’s more to Hanshallaren than just the cave.
To start a series of posts with this year''s photos, here’s a bit more detail about the crag.
Hanshallaren splits into four areas, three of which are very popular; the fourth much less so. The first sector you come to, the left-hand lower wall, has nearly a dozen easier routes between F5c and F6b+, a similar number between F7a and F7c+’s and a handful of harder routes of F8a+/F8b. Gulrot Tyven F6b+ and Espen Askeladd soker lykken F7a+ are the very best routes at their respective grades at Hanshallaren; both will stand comfortably next to any at that grade elsewhere.
Moving rightwards and into the centre of the crag, the main wall of Hanshallaren is an overhanging colossus. Whilst most of the routes are between 30 and 40m in length, two punch through the capping headwall and continue. In total, there are two F6’s – including a sandbag F6c, a dozen F7’s, nearly two dozen F8’s and some “probably F9a” projects here. Many of the routes are solid three star outings.
Right of this wall is the cave proper; save for three F7’s, the climbing is all in the F8’s and F9’s. The well-known testpieces like Nordic Flower F8c, Nordic Plumber F8c, Odin’s Eye F8c+, Thor’s Hammer F9a+, Change F9b+, Silence and the recently added B.I.G. F9c are amongst the hardest and best.
Finally, the very right-hand side of the cave, and the slab beyond, has a dozen or more routes which are less well travelled; grades span from F5/6’s+ to F9a+; few see much love.
Pix 1: Dave Idenden on the thin crack of Kykkeli F7b.
Pix 2: Neil Comyn on the roof of Kykkelikokos F7b+
Pix 3: Alan Murray starting out on Bondeanger F7c
Pix 4: The start of the difficulties on Berntsenbanden L3 F7c
Pix 5: The upper section of Flaggermusmannen F8a
Pix 6: Full-on cave action; the shared section of Little Badder F9a and The Move 9b/+
Pix 7 & 8: Mid-summer sunset from Lauvsnes

01/06/2024

Back to the future…
The 2024 season at Hanshallaren – commonly known as Flatanger – has been in-progress for a while now. Visiting for the first time for in the spring, I’ve been shocked by the weather; not only has it been very dry but the temps had been hitting high 20’s degrees pretty consistently since mid-May – some days it’s been hotter than Malaga, Spain! As it’s only a month before the summer equinox the sun is high in the sky and coming into the cave earlier than later in the year. For sun-lovers that’s not a problem but the rest of us have been forced to adapt which has meant setting the alarm and being climbing by 7am to get the better connies. Not exactly what you might expect for May at a crag that’s only a couple of hundred klicks south of the arctic circle!!
Whilst the forthcoming Paris Olympic Game occupies many elite climbers the rest of us can crack-on and enjoy one of the best crags in the world; honestly, it’s a privilege to enjoy Hanshallaren at it’s very best. Before I share some images from 2024 I thought I’d post a photo-dump of some of the hard action back in September 2023 back when Jakob Schubert was wrestling with (the then) Project Big which became B.I.G. - the world’s third F9c.
Pix 1 Jakob Schubert going for the redpoint on the lower section of B.I.G. F9c
Pix 2 & 3 Doug McConnell cranking out the mid-section of Nordic Plumber F8c
Pix 4 Doug McConnell starting Valkyrie F8c
Pix 5 & 6 Domen Skofic on the later stages of Valkyrie F8c
Pix 7 Domen Skofic finishing an early repeat (3rd ascent?) of the c.80m monster that is Valhalla F9a
Pix 8 Jakob Schubert on the business end of B.I.G. F9c
Pixs 9 & 10 Obligatory sunset images; firstly from the campsite and secondly from the crag itself

09/04/2024

Finally, for this Journey v’s Destination posts, I give you Reims…
The unofficial capital of the Champagne wine-growing region, Reims – a couple of hours north-east of Paris – is nothing if not a spectacular stop-over brimming with impressive antiquity. Amongst the numerous ‘must-see’ destinations which include the Palais du Tau and the Basilique St-Remi - both Unesco World Heritage sites - Musee des Beaux-Arts, Musee de la Reddition, Musee St-Remi, Joan of Arc Statue, Halles du Boulingrin and the Cathedrale Notre Dame, it is the later that is perhaps the most impressive and yet another Unesco site.
Having celebrated its 800-year anniversary in 2011, the Catherdrale Notre Dame is truly a magnificent building. The restored architectural façade, the stained glass, the Gothic organ and the statue of Joan of Arc are all show-stoppers. Even if you don’t do ‘churches’, do this one – it’s incredible and well worth the (short) detour as you drive to/from the Alps from the UK.
#1 The impressive, heavily restored façade of the Catherdrale Notre Dame
#2 - 6 Inside the Catherdrale Notre Dame
#7 Reims
#8 The ‘green space’ of Square Colbert adjacent the Boulevard du General Leclerc

08/04/2024

OK, so next up, the French chapter of the Journey v’s the Destination themed posts…
I hadn’t been to Les Arcs before so it was good to experience yet another great French ski resort; especially when one of my daughters is doing a winter ski season there and knew the place like the back of her hand!
The funicular from Bourg Saint-Maurice zips you up to Arc 1600 in seven minutes, from there Arc 2000, Arc 1950, Arc 1800, Vallandry and Plan Peisey are all within easy reach. Even without the La Plagne area, the skiing available is both extensive and pretty snow-sure. If that’s not enough skiing for you however, Vallandry links with La Plagne via the Vanoise Express cable car to form a truly massive ski domain. In general, the reds at Les Arcs were just so good that I wasn’t tempted onto the black runs, not least as most were mogul fields; I did feel as though I should have at least given some a go. Next time for sure egh?!
Driving out from the UK meant that drop-ins on-route were possible. One such drop-in was in Annecy which is about 2.5 hours north of Les Arcs. Dubbed ‘Venice of the Alps’, Annecy lies at the head of a large lake and the town itself is built on a number of waterways – hence the Venice angle. It’s not huge but Annecy has an undeniable old world charm which is boosted by the in-town waterways, cobbled back streets, quaint cafes and medieval chateaus. It’s a great place to stop for a bit of R&R amidst the somewhat arduous drive from the UK; highly recommendable.
Some pixs then…
#1 The famed Palais de I’lle is a fortified palace in the shape of a ship in the centre of Annecy
#2 The open slopes above Arc 1600
#3 Looking across towards Aiguille Rouge (3226m) and down into the Arc 2000/Arc 1950 basin from Col des Fretes (2384m) above Arc 1600
#4 Selfie with Hannah at Col des Fretes, Les Arcs
#5 View west off Pont des Amours adjacent the Jardins de l’Europe
#6 Looking back towards Lake Annecy from close to Le Palais de l’lle
#7 Another shot of Le Palais de l’lle

06/04/2024

Question: is it the journey or the destination that is the thing?
I lucked-out this winter and squeezed two ski trips in; one to Norway and a second to France. Both gave me perfect examples of why the journey and the destination can be equally fulfilling. Firstly, I’ll focus on the trip to Hafjell, Norway. Having been to Norway several times for the climbing at Flatanger it was superb to see the country in winter.
Some context then. Lillehammer is a couple of hours drive north of Oslo and many will associate it with the 1994 winter Olympics. Hafjell, just north of Lillehammer, hosted the alpine skiing whilst Kvitfjell, just north again, held the speed events. Littlehammer itself held the ski jumping and, as expected, the ski jumps at the Lysgårdsbakkene facility were ridiculously impressive! Hafjell is one of the more popular ski resorts in Norway; it isn’t high nor extensive but it’s accessible, snow-sure and has excellent varied runs. Plus, the heated seats on the upper lifts are totally lush! Kvitjell sounded ace but a snow dump scuppered a planned day trip.
As good as the skiing was, a day-trip to the Kon-Tiki and the Fram Museums in Oslo was really interesting, informative and inspiring; those guys knew how to put their lives on the line for sure! Likewise, the open air museum at Mailhaugen with its Stave church (dating from the early 1200’s) complete with dragon heads, various farm buildings (from the 1700’s) and old school (from mid-late 1800’s) was an unexpected joy. Impressively, the old buildings were relocated to Mailhaugen in the early 1900’s.
Some images then…
#1 The Stave Church, Mailhaugen
#2 Obligatory ski shot
#3 Thor Heyerdahl’s balsawood Kon-Tiki raft
#4 The Fram, “the most famous wooden polar vessel in the world” was instrumental for the success of the Norwegian polar explorers in the Antic and Antarctic between 1893 and 1912.
#5 The Stave Church again
#6 A winter landscape outside Lillihammer
#7 The Lysgårdsbakkene Ski hills
#8 Run down off the plateau at Hafjell
#9 Dusk falls (again)

Keith Sharples Photography

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