matteo giglio
| journalist & mountain guidebasecamp: Aosta Valley
Matteo Giglio, professional mountain guide and journalist, and a great source of inspiration, constructive ideas and critics when we develop our gear. Thanks to his vast experience as skier, climber and biker he has a great understanding and a good feeling for technical equipment.
As a writer he is devoted to environmental questions and guiding books, especially for the Valley of Aosta where he has his home.
When Matteo is not writing, testing gear or supporting his mountain guide colleagues he is fulfilling his ideas and dreams in various parts of the world. His latest project and expedition took him to Mount McKinley, where he and a group of mountaineering friends climbed the Cassin Ridge. Photos from that trip along with other stunning photos and stories from Eiger, Matterhorn, Pizzo Badile and other beautiful mountains can be found at his blog, enjoy.
http://www.matteogiglio.comLa Vierge (Argentière)*Reve de singe*
| extract from blogfriday march 11 2011
We had been looking out for it for a while, and when the conditions became acceptable, me & sergio packed skis & material and headed over to France for La Vierge. Granite, about 200 meters high and the normal route to climb the Aiguille d'Argentiere.
On its south wall different routes have been traced, all of average difficulty. We are attempting “Reve de Singe” (a monkeys dream) (200 m, ED, 7th Max, 6b obl.) Many cracks, very little material in place, for technical climbing on the bottom and very athletic higher up.
A note on the conditions : bring double series of friends, to avoid circus acts we have done today...
Southern exposure, although the wedges are on the south west end ... this season, march, don't be afraid to leave late in the morning in order to benefit from the sunny upper part in the afternoon.
Approach: just over an hour from the top station of the Grands Montets.
