Walks and Climbs Around Arolla

Edited by Walter Larden

Contributions by Aleister Crowley

Aiguilles Rouges (Pages 49-50)

S. Peak. “Climbed all the gendarmes, traversing high up, instead of by the usual way. This lends considerable difficulty to the climb. We took 5 hours, going slowly but without halts. Mr. Slingsby’s “the last” was in our case about the 5th of some dozen and a half or more. We descended it by undercut rocks N.E. face instead of his 18 ft. crack. The greatest difficulties as below this, so that the first party must have kept low down to reach the S. col “soon after.” Times: (snow bad); N. col 9 p.m. Slept here and so to Arolla 10.0 a.m.

          E.A. Crowley, S.M.C.

          (with Messrs. M. W. and A. C. Travers).

Vuibez Ice-Fall (Pages 69-70)

Ascent of the S. branch of the Vuibez Glacier through the ice-fall. Messrs. E. A. Crowley, M. W. Travers, and H. C. Travers. “Starting from the foot of the Vuibez glacier we ascended directly towards the middle of the ice-fall. Turning sharply to the left under the first big ice cliff we passed round it and bore somewhat to the right, climbing one perpendicular wall without much difficulty. At about the level of the top of the rock rib which divides the N. and S. branches of the glacier we found our way barred by an undercut ice cliff, which at its only assailable point rose some 14 (20) feet above the detached serrac on which we were standing. Standing on this serrac and leaning over the intervening crevasse the second man was able to support the leader, who, standing on his shoulders, cut hand and footholds in the wall above. With some assistance from behind with an axe the leader arrived at the top of the wall and the rest of the party followed. Above this point the climbing became difficult, and one very steep wall had to be climbed by means of a crack in its face. Close to the top we were again brought to a standstill by a line of cliffs and were obliged to turn to the left along the line of a crevasse filled with debris.

Passing under an enormous arch of ice and below some immense serrac, we reached the left side of the glacier at a point from which a series of snow bridges brought us to the snowfield above. The climb occupied 6 1/2 hours. Should a party be cut off near the top escape would hardly be possible on either side of the ice-fall.”

          M. W. Travers.

          H. C. Travers.

          E. Aleister Crowley.

                    August 14th, 1896

Mt. Collon (Page 84)

S. face of N.W. arête. Mr. Grant [Gregor Grant] and myself failed to find the ordinary descent of this ridge, and cut straight down from the first gendarme (before the ridge becomes rotten) by a chimney and difficult slabs below it, keeping to the left directly down the face. I understood Pierre Maitre to say that he had on one occasion adopted a similar route. The descent took just over 2 hours snow to snow.

          E. Aleister Crowley.