Tacul - Supercouloir Direct
Last year I got to organize and shoot one of the classics of the massif, the Supercouloir Direct, for Adidas Outdoor.
The climb was bitterly cold, read in the -20 degree range, and there was near constant heavy spindrift. But it’s one of those cool winter shoots that I love doing — a strong team and a hard objective. Everything has to move right, and everything has to move fast; otherwise you don’t get the shots you want, and you don’t get to the top as everyone freezes. The results are great when this all happens, and now that Adidas has released the images and video in their marketing I can put some up for you.
Adam George heads in to the Supercouloir the day before to recce
4am winter start with Max and Steph
Steph and Max touring in to the Supercouloir
Gearing up at day break
Steph on the M6 crux of the Supercouloir Direct
Steph negotiating the snow plug on the crux of the Supercouloir
Steph negotiating the snow plug on the crux of the Supercouloir
Steph negotiating the snow plug on the crux of the Supercouloir
Steph pulling out of the crux
Steph pulling out of the crux
The second part of the route takes you up much mellower terrain but in to the shade which combined with the non stop spindrift made for some really unpleasant climbing….such is life.
Max and Steph about to head in to the couloir
Max questing out of the sun and in to the cold couloir with the Grandes Jorasses in the backgorund
Max questing out of the sun and in to the cold couloir with the Grandes Jorasses in the backgorund
Max questing out of the sun and in to the cold couloir with the Grandes Jorasses in the backgorund
Max high up on the ice of Supercouloir
Steph on the last pitch on the Supercouloir
Steph taking the spindrift on the last pitch of Supercouloir
Super F*cking Cold Couloir…myself and Adam ready to get out of there
Incoming!
