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Sophie
Expéditions
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EN

Sophie
Expéditions
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Blog
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EN

Sangay dans la descente

6 novembre 2025

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Sangay dans la descente

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sophie_lavaud

Mountainer / Speaker / Author
Completed 14 x 8000m ⛰️ | 𝟏𝐬𝐭 🇫🇷 𝟏𝐬𝐭 🇨🇦 and 𝟏𝐬𝐭 🇨🇭 woman
🧗 Climbed Annapurna IV (7525 m), 2025!

Kumbhakarna & Ama Dablam
Two Peaks, Two Spirits 🏔🇳🇵
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

Jannu, or Kumbhakarna (7 710 m), has always fascinated me, not only for its height, but for its sheer presence. I like to think of it as the big sister of Ama Dablam. Both peaks share an incredible blend of strength and grace, standing as sacred mountains in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions.

These images were taken during my trek to the north base camp of Kangchenjunga, from where you feel Jannu’s full power, a wall of ice and rock that commands deep respect.

Recently, something truly exceptional happened on that mountain.
On October 15, 2025, French alpinists @benjaminvedrines and @nicolasjean_alpi completed the long-awaited first ascent of Jannu East (7468 m), a feat that many strong teams had attempted for over three decades. Their route, climbing the North Face to East Ridge, gained more than 2300 vertical metres of steep mixed terrain, all in pure alpine style, no oxygen, no fixed ropes, no external support. The commitment, precision, and endurance required at that altitude are simply extraordinary. This ascent is, without doubt, one of the great climbs of the decade, perhaps even of the century.

As for me, there’s a deep satisfaction in simply admiring such mastery from afar. I’m certainly not climbing that one! 😉

And as fate has it, today also marks my own memory with Ama Dablam, one of the most beautiful peaks in the Himalaya.
On 12 November 2020, at 9:45 a.m., together with Dawa Sangay Sherpa, we stood on its perfect summit under clear blue skies, a moment of joy and gratitude.

Kumbhakarna, the "Sacred Guardian" and Ama Dablam, the “Mother’s Necklace”, one I’ve climbed, one I can only admire from afar. And honestly… I’m perfectly happy keeping it that way!

📷 @sophie_lavaud @dawasangay_
📷 @thibaut.marot

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #Kumbhakarna #Jannu #AmaDablam #Himalaya #Nepal #WomenWhoClimb #MountainsMatter #Alpinism #HimalayanPeaks #RespectForMountains #Followership #AMRAE #GrantAlexander

Annapurna IV in a different mission Global Glacier

Annapurna IV in a different mission
Global Glacier Biodiversity Baseline Project
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

During our climb on Annapurna IV (7 525 m), with @dawasangay_ and the team, we took part in something a little different, collecting ice samples for the Global Glacier Biodiversity Baseline Project, a citizen science initiative that studies the invisible life hidden inside glaciers across the world.

I often ask myself, why should a mountaineer be involved in this kind of scientific project? Well, maybe because as climbers, we can navigate safely and perform at places considered hazardous. We’re used to thin air, steep slopes, and frozen fingers… so if we can safely bring back a few samples from high, remote places, then that’s our small way of helping.

I’m definitely not turning into a scientist (don’t worry!) 😉 but I’m happy to use what I know best, climbing, to contribute to something that matters far beyond a summit.

Knowing that these samples from Annapurna IV will help researchers understand how glaciers are changing, and maybe protect them in the future, gives this climb a special meaning.

A big thank you to the team behind the Global Glacier Biodiversity Baseline Project, and to all who make it possible to connect science and the mountains we love.

📷 @manish.maharjan444

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #AnnapurnaIV #GlaBBProject #CitizenScience #GlacierPreservation #WomenWhoClimb #MountainsMatter #EDNAProject #Followership #AMRAE #GrantAlexander

RECCO Training at Annapurna IV Base Camp! 🏔️

RECCO Training at Annapurna IV Base Camp! 🏔️
Refreshing Search and Rescue Skills! 🚁

Safety is always the fundamental part of the journey. Before every expedition, I like to remind myself and the team that technology can play a real role in saving lives. During our Annapurna IV expedition this autumn, we took time at Base Camp to refresh our RECCO Search and Rescue (SAR) skills together with the Sherpa team and expedition members. ⛑️

For those who aren't familiar with this tech, RECCO is a simple but brilliant system that helps rescuers locate people in case of avalanches or if someone goes missing in the mountains. ❄️ The reflector, very light and built into clothing, boots or helmets, doesn’t need any battery. 🔦 The rescue team uses a detector that sends out a radar signal, and if a reflector is nearby, it bounces back, allowing searchers to pinpoint the person’s location.

Luckily, this autumn season in Nepal 🇳🇵 has been calm and safe, without major incidents and that’s how we want it to stay. 🙏

After the success of Annapurna IV (7 525 m), it felt good to close the expedition season with both a summit 🏆 and a renewed focus on safety, because in the mountains, knowledge and preparation are as essential as courage. 💪

📸 @manish.maharjan444

#AnnapurnaIV #BeSearchable #ExpeditionLife #RECCO #SafetyFirst #Mountaineering #Nepal #Teamwork

Annapurna IV Summited 7525 m 🏔️🇳🇵 Honor

Annapurna IV Summited 7525 m 🏔️🇳🇵
Honoring the Pioneers Project
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

On 20 October 2025, together with Dawa Sangay Sherpa, we reached the summit of Annapurna IV (7525 m), a mountain that proved far tougher than I had imagined, yet incredibly rewarding. The summit push rose more than 1000 metres from Camp 3, steep, cold, windy, and long. Some 8000ers, honestly, feel easier than this one!

On our first attempt, together with Sangay, Oleg, Simon, Gelu, Pema, and Nawang, we ran out of fixed rope higher up. I decided to stop, while Gelu, Pema and Oleg pushed on and reached the top. Knowing another window would come, I returned a day later, leaving Camp 3 at 11 p.m., and reaching the summit at 9 a.m. on 20 October under clear skies, after ten demanding hours on a beautiful but exposed ridge climbed without fixed ropes.

This ascent forms part of the Honoring the Pioneers Project, marking the 75th anniversary of the first French ascent of Annapurna I (1950), a tribute to those who opened the way, who dared the unknown with the means of their time.

As I often say, “The summit is an instant, but the journey is the story you carry inside you.”

Heartfelt thanks to Dawa Sangay Sherpa, the fixing crew, our logistics and base-camp teams, and to my partners and sponsors for making this expedition possible.
Ice samples for the Glacier Biodiversity Challenge were also successfully collected all the way up to the summit marking it a true success! 😊
Expedition logistics by @sevensummittreks

Now it’s time to rest a little… before the next chapter begins. 😉

📷 @sophie_lavaud and @dawasangay_

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #AnnapurnaIV #HonoringThePioneers #WomenWhoClimb #NepalExpeditions #MountainsMatter #Followership #SevenSummitTreks

The Final Phase of the Climb Begins Now! Annaurna

The Final Phase of the Climb Begins Now!
Annaurna IV (7525 m)
Honoring the Pioneers
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

We’re back from our acclimatization rotation, during which we reached an altitude of 6,400 m.
What a joy to discover yesterday morning, on our way up toward Camp 3, that the famous crevasse from the spring season which sent us all back is now completely filled in!
It really shows how much snow can accumulate at altitude during the monsoon. The cone between the two serac walls is now totally passable.
Sangay, Pema, and Nawang, whom you can see on the other side of the crevasse in the photo, still secured the passage, just in case! 😉

To reach this altitude, we spent one night at Camp 1 (5,500 m). The climb is steep and demanding, with snow making the terrain mixed, crampons scraping against rock, and teeth gritting!
At this season, the days are shorter and the cold already well set in… The 4,811 m of Base Camp, with –6°C inside the tent at wake-up, now feels like a small paradise!
The next day, we continued on to Camp 2 (5,900 m). And on the third day, we went up to pay a visit to the crevasse!

On the way down, with Sangay and Manish, we collected ice samples around 6,000 m for the Glacier Biodiversity Project. Once we reached Camp 2, we decided to go all the way down to Base Camp, a descent of 1,550 m. But for a good dal bhat, it was definitely worth it! 🍛 We also undertook a small search and rescue refreshment training at the BC.

Our Puja Ceremony is completed as well. We plan on making the final push starting tomorrow morning (Nepal time)

My dearest thanks to all our sponsors and partners and our crew members

📸 @manish.maharjan444

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #AnnapurnaIV #HonoringThePioneers #WomenWhoClimb #Nepal #ExpeditionLife #MountainsMatter #AMRAE #GrantAlexander

Some Glimpses of the Annapurna IV (7525 m) Expedit

Some Glimpses of the Annapurna IV (7525 m) Expedition 🇳🇵
Honoring the Pioneers!

📸 Sophie Lavaud & Dawa Sangay Sherpa
#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #AnnapurnaIV #HonoringThePioneers #WomenWhoClimb #Nepal #ExpeditionLife #MountainsMatter #AMRAE #GrantAlexander

First Phase of the Journey and Updates from Base C

First Phase of the Journey and Updates from Base Camp!!!
Annapurna IV 🏔🇳🇵
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

After days of rain across central and eastern Nepal 🌧, we feel quite lucky to have reached safely at Base Camp 🙏. When the heavy rainfall began, we were still in Besisahar, and though the jeep ride up to Humde was long and under constant rain, we managed without major issues, thanks to our careful driver.

We spent a rest day in Humde (3350 m), walked to the village of Manang, visited a monastery 🕉, and did a small acclimatization hike… total 18 km ! 😉. The next morning, the skies finally cleared ☀, and we took it as a good sign to move up.

The hike to Base Camp is a long, steady day, about 1,500 meters of ascent over 14 km, climbing to an altitude comparable to Mont Blanc (4811 m). It’s a beautiful progression through changing landscapes, and by the time we reached camp, the team had already done a wonderful job setting everything up ⛺.

Now, we’re settling in, beginning our acclimatization above Base Camp. More updates soon, for now, just happy to be here again and surrounded by the great Annapurnas. 🏔

Ciao from Base Camp! 👋

Sophie Lavaud
#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #AnnapurnaIV #HonoringThePioneers #WomenWhoClimb #Nepal #ExpeditionLife #MountainsMatter #AMRAE #GrantAlexander

The Annapurna IV Adventure Begins! Version frança

The Annapurna IV Adventure Begins!
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

It might seem like there’s an endless cycle of returning… but in truth, each time feels different.
This is my 27th trip to Nepal! Every time I land in Kathmandu, I feel a familiar sense of peace as if I am exactly where I belong. 🇳🇵✨

I reconnect with friends, share a few celebrations, sign the permits and endless papers, make sure all logistics are ready, and reshuffle the bags one last time. And then it begins again, the start of a new adventure.

That’s the magic of expeditions and travel: no matter how many times you go, there are always surprises waiting. It always feels, in some way, like the very first time.

We have left Kathmandu, just a small team, Simon, Oleg, and me, with Sangay, who is joined by his close Sherpa friends.

October in Nepal is a festive month, with Dashain and Tihar celebrations, and school holidays for the youth. This time, Sangay’s daughter, Yangdu, now grown up, will join us as camp assistant. She’s already been with us on treks, but this will be her very first expedition. 😊

Can’t wait to share more updates with you!
Annapurna IV, here we come again! 🏔️

📸 Sophie Lavaud

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #AnnapurnaIV #HonoringThePioneers #WomenWhoClimb #Nepal #ExpeditionLife #MountainsMatter

✨ As summer turns to autumn, here are a few glim

✨ As summer turns to autumn, here are a few glimpses from our Huascarán expedition last season.

A huge thanks to @juanp_toro for the stunning aerial views; bringing back the beauty and immensity of the Cordillera Blanca. 🏔️🎥

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #Huascarán #Peru #CordilleraBlanca #womenwhoclimb
@teamwork_vm @prioritypeople @ubp_group @ville_de_geneve @recco @millet_mountain @grivel @altitude_eyewear @airnoutdoor @aprotec_sa @timeline_longevity @tingerlaat @caravanproductions @virialvarezmx @cesarrosalesexpeditions @williamalvaradohenostroza

Nepal Warmly Invites!!! 🇳🇵✨ Version franç

Nepal Warmly Invites!!! 🇳🇵✨
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

In recent weeks, the world has watched Nepal go through political turbulence. For a few days, there was uncertainty, but today, stability has returned. Nepal is safe. And I wish to say clearly: do not cancel your journeys, do not hesitate to come. 🏔️

For me, Nepal has always been more than an adventure destination. It is a land I truly love ❤️. Oh I have seen a good few turbulent times here. I was here in 2015 on Makalu when the earthquake struck. I remember watching seracs collapsing all around, and with the team, narrowly escaping disaster. I have seen Nepal through some of its hardest times: the earthquake, the blockade, the pandemic, and now again, these moments of disruption. But none of this has ever diminished my admiration for the place, the people, nor my love for the Himalaya.

I am soon returning there once again, for the Honoring the Pioneers project on Annapurna IV. For me, coming back to Nepal is always a privilege. 🙏
What you see in media is often half the story. I suggest see it for yourself and I am hoping to meet good friends soon.

📸 @sophie_lavaud @dawasangay_

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #Nepal #Annapurna #HonoringThePioneers #Himalaya #TravelNepal #MountainsMatter #AMRAE #GrantAlexander

Shishapangma Central & Cho Oyu, Autumn 2012 🏔 R

Shishapangma Central & Cho Oyu, Autumn 2012 🏔
Remembering my First venture into the World of 8000ers
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

When I first climbed Mont Blanc in 2004, I never imagined that one day I would stand on the summits of 8000-meter peaks. From 4,000 m to 5,000 m, then 6,000 m, I built my path step by step, slowly daring to dream a little higher.

In 2012, I finally had the chance to attempt my very first 8000er. I was nervous at first because at the time I believed these summits were only for professionals, far beyond what I could achieve. But that Spring, I managed to climb not just one, but two:
👉 Shishapangma Central (8013 m) – May 11
👉 Cho Oyu (8201 m). – May 25

Two 8000ers in just one season, only 14 days apart. My very first steps in the Himalaya… a shock, a revelation, and the beginning of everything.

It taught me that you only truly know your limits once you dare to test them. We all carry incredible resources within us, sometimes hidden, sometimes untapped, and the only way to discover them is to take that step forward.

What was your first Himalayan adventure experience? Feel free to share 😊

📸 Sophie Lavaud

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #Shishapangma #ChoOyu #8000ers #First8000 #WomenWhoClimb #MountainsMatter #Followership

Je n’avais pas vraiment besoin d’une excuse po

Je n’avais pas vraiment besoin d’une excuse pour un plongeon froid, mais celui-ci est spécial pour le Mois de la Longévité!

Challenge accepted. ❄ Cold plunge for
Longevity Month with @timeline_longevity.

Who's next?

Mardi Himal Trek: Autumn 2022 🍂🏔️ Version

Mardi Himal Trek: Autumn 2022 🍂🏔️
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

After the Manaslu expedition in 2022, a very hard season tormented by heavy rains, avalanches and tragic losses, our team had originally planned to head west to Rara Lake. But major landslides blocked the way, and we had to turn back.

Instead, we chose the Mardi Himal Trek, and it felt like a reward 🌿. After weeks of difficult weather, we finally walked under clear skies, golden autumn lights, and the beauty of the Annapurnas opening before us.

The Mardi Himal Trek may be short, but it is incredibly rewarding. The trail takes you through lush green forests, diverse vegetation, and into a breathtaking panorama of Machhapuchhare and the Annapurna range. A perfect representation of why autumn is the trekking season in Nepal.

I can only recommend this trek if you want to experience the magic of Nepal’s mountains in just a few days. 🌄

👉 Have you ever done the Mardi Himal Trek? How was your experience?

📸 Sophie Lavaud & Dawa Sangay Sherpa

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #MardiHimal #TrekkingNepal #Annapurna #Machhapuchhare #WomenWhoClimb #MountainsMatter #Followership

Dhaulagiri 8,167 m – Autumn 2021 🏔️ The Unf

Dhaulagiri 8,167 m – Autumn 2021 🏔️
The Unfinished Mission ✨
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

After the spring expedition ended abruptly with Covid 🦠, I could not let the story of Dhaulagiri close that way. I asked the film director, @lisaroosli , to keep five minutes at the end of the documentary 🎬, a space I promised myself to fill not with a helicopter evacuation 🚁 following a failed expedition, but with a summit.

So, in autumn 2021, I returned. This time, determination carried me higher than ever. And yet, it was not just about climbing. My mother had recently passed away. When I finally reached the summit of Dhaulagiri, after years of setbacks, I released her ashes into the Himalayan winds 🌬️. It was more than any other summit I had climbed. It was a farewell to my earliest love and inspiration. I love you, Mama. Always. 💙

Thank you @dawasangay_ for the unique footage on summit.
From this experience, we produced the film Lady 8000 🎬, telling the story of Dhaulagiri in all its dimensions: the “Women Who Dare” expedition with incredible climbers like @klara_kolouchova and @naokowatanabe8848 , the chaos of Covid at Base Camp, the return in autumn, and the tribute to my mother on the summit.

Dhaulagiri will forever remain one of the most personal and special mountains of my life.

📸 @sophie_lavaud & @dawasangay_

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #Dhaulagiri #Lady8000er #WomenWhoDare #8000ers #Followership #MountainsMatter #Tribute

Dhaulagiri 8167m– Spring 2021 🏔 An Unexpected

Dhaulagiri 8167m– Spring 2021 🏔
An Unexpected Chaos
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

Some climbs stay with you for reasons far beyond the summit. In the spring of 2021, I returned to Dhaulagiri leading the "Women Who Dare" expedition, accompanied by my long-time partner Dawa Sangay Sherpa. The approach was exciting and loaded with tons of fun via Takam, Bagar, Dovan Kharka, Italian Base Camp, then finally to our Base Camp. With us was also Lisa Röösli 🎥, filmmaker and part of the crew, capturing the expedition for a documentary for Swiss television. Spirits were high.

But after a few rotations on the mountain, rumors began to circulate that Covid-19 🦠 had reached Base Camp. At first, it didn't seem much of concern. Then one after another, climbers began to fall sick… and eventually, I caught it too. In the middle of an expedition, on one of the world’s great 8000ers, everything collapsed. The climb was over, the film unfinished. I had to be evacuated 🚁 back to Kathmandu, leaving behind not only the mountain but also the story we had come to tell.

It was one of the hardest moments of my mountaineering journey, to be forced back not by the mountain itself, but by an unexpected invisible element – the virus.

Defeated but determined to come back for the unfinished journey, I was to visit Dhaulagiri again in the autumn of the same year. That story later 😉

Have you ever experienced a moment where everything changes suddenly, despite all preparation and effort?

📸 Sophie Lavaud & @dawasangay_

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #Dhaulagiri #8000ers #WomenWhoClimb #MountainsMatter #Followership #CovidExpedition #documentary #passemoilesjumelles

Attempt on the Dufourspitze 4,634 m – Monte Rosa

Attempt on the Dufourspitze 4,634 m – Monte Rosa Massif 🇨🇭🇮🇹
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

This summer, together with Dawa Sangay, we set our sights on the Dufourspitze (4,634 m), the roof of Switzerland 🏔️! We chose the Italian side, a wilder and less-traveled route compared to the classic Swiss ascent. From the Capanna Gnifetti, we started in the middle of the night 🌙, facing more than 1,000 meters of elevation gain above 4,000 m!

But just about a hundred meters below the summit, the ridge became too tricky: snow too soft, the crest too sharp, protection unreliable… Time was slipping away, the sun heating up ☀️… so we turned back!

Instead, we climbed to the Zumsteinspitze (4,562 m), a beautiful peak of the Monte Rosa, with a stunning sunrise above a sea of clouds 🌄. The Dufourspitze will have to wait for another time.

The adventure goes on, and the motivation remains as strong as ever 😉💪
Thanks to Dawa Sangay for sharing this nice climb!

Have you been here? How was your experience? Let me know ☺

📸 Sophie Lavaud & @dawasangay_

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #Dufourspitze #Zumsteinspitze #MonteRosa #Alpinisme #WomenWhoClimb #MountainsMatter #Followership

Back to Annapurna IV — Autumn 2025 🏔️🇳🇵
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

Sometimes, persistence is part of the journey. 💪 This past spring, our attempt on Annapurna IV did not reach the summit but as I often say, the mountains will still be there, waiting. ⛰️✨

As part of the Honoring the Pioneers project, which marks the 75th anniversary 🎉 of the first ascent of Annapurna I by the 1950 French expedition 🇫🇷, I will return this autumn to give Annapurna IV another try. At 7,525 m, Annapurna IV may be less known than its famous neighbors, but it offers a technical and beautiful climb in the heart of the Annapurna massif ❤️🏔️.

This project is not just about reaching a summit. 🎯 It is about paying tribute to those who opened the way, who ventured into the unknown 🌍 with the tools 🛠️, knowledge 📚, and courage of their time.

And as always, the rope is open 🪢 for a few climbers who share the same enthusiasm. I warmly welcome who may wish to join this expedition.

Onward, to the next chapter 📖 in the Annapurna story. 🏔️

📸 @sophie_lavaud & @dawasangay_

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #AnnapurnaIV #HonoringThePioneers #WomenWhoClimb #NepalExpeditions #Followership #MountainsMatter #Annapurna

The “True Summit” of Manaslu – 8163 m 🏔️🇳🇵 !
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

I first summited Manaslu in 2017, in good condition 💪 and with a positive feeling about the climb. The summit push had gone well, and I returned home content 😊.

Some time later, in 2019 or early 2020, while stuck in a traffic jam 🚗 in Kathmandu, I was speaking with my friend @thanes_977 . Out of the blue, he said: “By the way, Didi, you didn’t reach the true summit.” I replied, “Of course I did.” He insisted otherwise, and that conversation stayed with me 🤔.

Then, in 2022, Eberhard Jurgalski and his team published their research 📊 with updated data on the "true/false" summits, making a huge shockwave.

I decided to return to stand on what is now recognized as the “true summit” of Manaslu. It was interesting to be back on this beautiful mountain 🏔️ with a clear objective 🎯. I was actually curious to understand what I did wrong last time. The realization was somewhat disappointing 😅! It took me 20 more minutes to reach the true summit. Later I wrote 📖 in my book a chapter about the Manaslu incident entitled, "All this for that."

My point of view remains that the achievements of the pioneers should stand as they are. What they accomplished in their time, with the knowledge, equipment, and information available, is so remarkable. At the same time, I understand Eberhard’s position, which is rooted in precise and factual measurement.

I’ve also discussed this with @billi_bierling of the Himalayan Database. There are climbers who have since gone back to reach the “true summit,” and others who are no longer with us 🕊️. For me, there is no black-and-white answer. History in mountaineering is as much about the spirit ✨ and context of the climb as it is about the exact line or GPS point 📍.

What are your thoughts on the true summit incident in Himalayan mountaineering?

📷 @sophie_lavaud & @dawasangay_

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #Manaslu #8000ers #MountaineeringReflections #WomenWhoClimb #ClimbingHistory #Himalaya #Followership

A Moment of Stillness under the Stars in the Aigui

A Moment of Stillness under the Stars in the Aiguilles Rouges ✨🏔️🌌
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

Back in the Alps. With my friend Alex, we climbed the Aiguille de la Persévérance (2,900 m) 🧗‍♀️ in the Aiguilles Rouges range, in the Chamonix valley 🏞️ — a beautiful nine-pitch rock route accessible from the Col des Montets. A great way to reconnect with the rhythm and feel of alpine rock climbing after several weeks of expeditions.
We carried big packs 🎒 with the idea of bivouacking after the climb and that’s exactly what we did. Once off the main trails and away from the summer crowds, we found ourselves alone, surrounded only by silence, the beauty of the place… and a few ibex 🐐.

It was a big day, with around 1,600 meters of elevation gain ⛰️ from the Col des Montets to the summit. We dropped our sleeping bags by the Lac de la Persévérance 🏕️, a stunning mirror of water named after the very needle we had just climbed — facing the Aiguille Verte.

What a joy to bivouac under a starlit sky 🌠. A moment of stillness, time for reflection, to step back, and to contemplate around and above us.
As I always say, summit is often a moment but the entire journey is the story which stays with you 📖 ! The Perseverence is a good example. 😊

Do you have similar experience under the night sky? 😊

📸 Sophie Lavaud & Alex

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #AiguillesRouges #NeedleOfPerseverance #MontBlanc #WomenWhoClimb #Alpinism #MountainReflection #Bivouac #StarryNight #Chamonix #MountainsMatter

An Alternative Way Down from Karakoram — Gondogo

An Alternative Way Down from Karakoram — Gondogoro La 🇵🇰
Version française en commentaire 🇫🇷

As the climbing season in Pakistan draws to a close, it’s a moment to remember that in high-altitude expeditions, either you make it to the summit or not, after returning the base camp, there's this long way back home. 🏔️🎒

One of the lesser-known but most memorable descent routes after major expeditions like K2 or the Gasherbrums is the Gondogoro La Pass (5585 m) — a stunning alternative to the long return via the Baltoro Glacier. Instead of heading west from Concordia, you turn slightly south onto the Vigne Glacier. ❄️🧭

I’ve taken this route several times, and each time, it left me in awe. The approach to Ali Camp takes you across this vast glacier — flat at first glance, but dangerously deceptive in reality. In 2019, after our Gasherbrum I summit, Dawa Sangay and I were exhausted... and tried to cut across without a rope. Not our best decision. ⚠️🧊😓 Caught in a maze of crevasses, things got really tense — but somehow, nerves frayed, we found our way and reached the camp safely.

The descent is equally spectacular: it brings you through the base of Laila Peak, that elegant, needle-like summit with its unforgettable silhouette 🏔️✨, then begin a long and beautiful walk down along Gondogoro Glacier to reach the village of Hushe. The reward? A more direct route to Skardu, often saving a day or more compared to the classic Baltoro exit. 🚶‍♀️🌄🚙

Recently, a sad news followed. Laura Dahlmeier, a German climber, lost her life on Laila Peak after being struck by a rock. ⚰️🕊️ Farewell, Laura. May you rest in eternal peace. 💔🙏

It’s a tough but rewarding option, a passage that adds yet another layer of challenge and beauty to an already intense expedition. 🏔️🔥🌍

#SophieLavaud #LetsGoSummit #GondogoroLa #Karakoram #PakistanExpeditions #8000ers #WomenWhoClimb #LailaPeak #Gasherbrum #K2 #Followership #MountainMemories

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