Official Piolets Jeunes Video

EA St-Julien - Alpinism weekend around the Cosmiques

In the mountains we have to adapt, between the weather, the group, all of the travelling, and it often turns out as a pleasant surprise! Mountain sensations guaranteed for this first day! Between the sun, the clouds, the fog, it's maybe better for one's first descent of the Aiguille du Midi in the direction of the Vallée Blanche. Not having to see Chamonix can help to overcome the dizziness... Then we take off for the Laurence ridge as a detour to the refuge. For some it's somewhat of a "routine", and for others, it becomes the express learning of « How to put your crampons on », the progress in the snowy and sometimes narrow ridge, the progress on a rocky ridge, and the comfort of the refuge !

We arrive on the terrace of the refuge, and enter to witness its warm welcome! We all settle down, we start playing with cards, a Jungle Speed, before and after having supper. We find the group of the CAF du Léman who are planning to do the Gervasutti route at Tour Ronde. Among them, 2 participants and a parent engage in a conversation... The altitude has its effects, but in a moderate way, everybody goes to bed relatively early, as the next day is a long one. 

On Sunday morning, beautifu weatherl!!! After sleeping like a sloth and spending an excellent night, we begin equipping ourselves. The progress we made the day before, considering our level and the number of participants limited due to the Fête de l'Oiseau and the one of Viry, the Arete des Cosmiques is possible. The teenagers are motivated. The weather is going to be awesome.

The ridge is in wintry conditions, well covered with snow. The freezing did its job and facilitates our progress up to the abseil. Then the progress becomes a little more mixed, asking a little adaptation from the teenage alpinists. 

We protect the traverses, and this asks a little more time from us... The ridge is well known to be very busy, everybody tries to get first at the top of the hill.

We make a pause just before the final part to eat something, allowing us not to be under the ice projections by the other parties. The last part is on the Chamonix side, before arriving to the ladder leading to the Aiguille du Midi.

The exit offers us a magnificent panorama on the surrounding summits! So many routes to explore! A real playground!!! Then, the hard return to reality... Waiing lines, tourists and the heat! We had 28 ° in the valley. A little rest before finding the team of the CAF du Léman, who help us by taking a few teenagers for a ride to avoid having to ask the parents to come! 

A big thank you to Elise whose good mood is really contagious! And without whom this outing would not have been so much fun!

EA St-Julien - Bivouac and climbing weekend in the Aiguilles Rouges (Video)

Open doors climbing evening at the Collège Mme de Stael in St-Julien

 Beginner or ultra-confirmed climber, everybody come to our open doors evening! October 16th, 2012 beginning at 19 p.m. in the gymnasium of the Collège Mme de Stael in St-Julien! The entry is free, and we can lend you equipment.  BUT IT IS NECESSARY TO TELL US YOU'RE COMING IN ADVANCE!!! See you then!

EA Caf St Julien - Alpinism week-end

Departure on Saturday morning from the Tour for the ascent to the refuge. A small break in the shade benefits to all. The path rises quietly in the woods, then quickly progresses towards the moraine.





Having arrived at the refuge, we find Georges and Charles with a group of adults of the club. It is a great opportunity to share a moment and to meet!
 But that's not everything, we also want to revise the evolution with crampons on the rocks and how to progress roped up... Then we depart for the slopes above the refuge! There is no need to go far. For Ori and Léo, it is the first time they put on  crampons! Louis and Nicolas help them out to put them on ant to remove them before leaving the scene in a small snowball fight.



We eat comfortably in the refuge and prepare the bags for the next day after which we go to sleep because we get up early!
On Sunday morning: very beautiful sight! We are not the only parties for the Aiguille du Tour, the track is already done! By sunrise, the summits are illuminated by the sun and when we cross the Superior pass, the view is awesome! We make a short break before continuing till the beginning of the ascent

We took off for the summit! A little before the ascent we meet JL with a young person of the EA Léman. Nice exchange!


We climb with crampons! Louis leads his party carefully and with precision.

There are a lot of people, the weather is beautiful and it is a classic route for initiation so it's necessary to wait a little before we all get to the summit!

The descent is the ideal opportunity for our new encadrante Elise to have fun in the snow with Léo and Nicolas.

A fast stop in the refuge Albert 1st to make our bags and to eat, before going down to the Tour.
Movie coming soon to theaters!  ;)

We take advantage of long evenings of June to go for a walk to the Gralet. It is always the same pleasure; an effective ascent and a magnificent view on the Alps! 5 of our youngest Teens in the EA really had fun! Picnic in front of the refuge, fire and games before coming down again with headlamps in the woods.

Movie coming up soon...

EA CAF St-Julien - Via Ferrata on the heights of Fort L'Ecluse

The long evenings of June are convenient to the excursions, the weather is nice and it is the opportunity to make a via ferrata after the classes.
For the beginners, it is a first confrontation with verticality, for the others a beautiful stroll between both forts.
After some rather vertical sections , we find ourselves on a big ledge. The opportunity to take some pictures before ending with the final small climb and the monkey bridge.!

Once our via ferrata finished, direction the big superior fort with a view of the Bassin Lémanique.
We share a picnic before descending in the woods with headlamps.
A pleasant evening with enjoyment and cheerfulness, as usual!