I think I have to add this blog post to my Life in Asia blog even though it is not about Asia and it is a story about an event that took place twenty one years ago this week.
In some ways there is a connection with my Asian exploits because it is a story of adventure into the unknown, friendship and an element of danger. At the time I was a very active mountaineer and climber. My life revolved around finding excuses to climb mountains and rock faces. The story is set in the year that I resigned as financial controller of a snack food company in Skelmersdale to go to the Himalayas and climb a 6,000 metre virgin peak near Makalu. I returned to England via India, and after a brief couple of days to change my clothes, I set off for Clavier on the border between Italy and France where I spent six months as a ski technician. It was the best job I have ever had - the pay was rubbish, but the working conditions were out of this world!
After the snow had disappeared, I spent the summer between England (I wonder where Patsy is now?), the French Alps and Turkey.
This story is about an epic climb in the Alps, very close to Briancion in the Parc National des Ecrins. I was climbing with Phil and Pete and between us we trusted our lives. That is a powerful experience!
My climbing exploits are zero nowadays. This saddens me, but the journey that took me to Asia started all those years ago.
I was reminded of the climb only a couple of weeks ago by Pete. He sent me a photocopy of Phil's story of the 'Ascent of Mont Pelvoux 3,946 metres'. Sadly, Phil is no longer with us. He died about eight years after a short illness, and we miss him to this day.
Phil's story comes in two parts but I have added a summary to make some further points. I hope you enjoy it.
I have copied Phil's story word for word to post in the blog to celebrate the twenty first anniversary of our epic, and in memory of Phil.
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