Bulletin from Leysin - Hope, Noise and Great Ice!

Peach the owner who used to work behind the bar at the Vag, still has that raw, down to earth and adventurous spirit that I feel is what the mountains and ISM is all about. Peach offers us a beer and pours one for himself, he’s in his element his bar is full of friends.

There’s a pause in the music and I regain my senses for a brief moment and glance around the room. I spot an old Vagabond sign on the wall, someone is doing pull ups on one of the beams the rest were dancing and having fun. I have to say all my best nights out in Leysin since the Vag have been at Peaches. The band finishes with a final number nearly wiping each other out playing their guitars around backs of heads, between legs, heads bobbing back and forth in a frenzy with sweat matted long hair covering their faces – I was sweating just watching them. What a great finish to a great couple of weeks icefall climbing!

Conditions this year have been fantastic with ice forming lines not seen for many years. Early winter snow with a good melt freeze cycle has helped feed the lines and fatten them up with good ice. It’s been cold but not too cold, allowing the ice to stay relaxed and great for sinking the picks into!

Switzerland has seen some of the best climbing conditions over the past couple of weeks as storms and heavy snow have come from the SW and dumped much on the Mt Blanc massif and into Northern Italy. Further NE and east into Switzerland, we’ve had some snow but nowhere near as much and so we’ve been able to enjoy this year’s conditions to the full.

I’ve spent a fair chunk of my time so far over in Kandersteg and surrounding venues and all I can say is that it’s stunning. Enjoy the photo’s I’ve attached and then think of tired arms, warm beer, good food and then your ears pounded by the sound of hard rock blasting out a few feet away.

Looking forward to the rest of the ice season, and life is good!

Adrian Nelhams