| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
vic rzonca
Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 820
Location: MA
|
 Posted: Jan 12, 2014 13:56 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
| How could those ladders be any steeper, Mike? Great post.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Don Lum
Joined: 03 Sep 2012
Posts: 2919
Location: Arkansas
|
| Posted: Jan 12, 2014 15:31 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
| Don Lum wrote: | Mike,
That is a wonderful picture of Mer de Glace. It looks like it was taken from an airplane or helicopter. Like Pierre, I don' t think that I could climb with you. I think I am getting symptoms of altitude sickness just looking at your picture. :-)
Don |
Mike,
Did you find any pink fluorite on Aiguille Verte?
Don
_________________
hogwild |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
|
| Posted: Jan 12, 2014 18:58 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Thanks Vic; yes the ladders are steep, the first one is forty feet or so and it is vertical. Most folks seem to use a climbing harness and a couple of cowstails (safety lines) with big carabiners to clip onto the ladders. And there were a lot of folks about on this occasion. I was with two friends in 2005 when an attempt on the Aiguille du Moine was made. One of them didn't like the look of the weather early next morning so two of us went for it, then it started snowing when we got halfway up, and about 200m below the cave we called it a draw and retreated. We managed to get back down to the hut before the weather turned really wet, but it was snowing wet snow at the Courvercle Hut. A very wet walk back to Montenvers ensued, and back down on the funicular to the valley, where we searched the streets of Chamonix for pizza.
Don, when I nearly got to the top of Aiguille Verte a year later I didn't see any fluorite, and I don't recall seeing anything much in the way of minerals, strangely enough. I think the good pink fluorites have mostly been found on the north faces of the Aiguille Verte and les Droites next to it - I mean in the last twenty years or so. Those are impressive places - I'll post a picture of them.
| Description: |
L'Aiguille Verte (4122m) north face, seen across Glacier D' Argentière from the summit of Le Aiguille D' Argentière (3999m).
les Droites is to the left, even more impressive a sight.
Photo taken 1992. Scanned from slide. |
|
| Viewed: |
30366 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
View from the Glacier D' Argentière towards the north faces of les Droites and Aiguille Verte.
Photo taken July 2005. |
|
| Viewed: |
30381 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Meanwhile back in the cave..This was obviously a pre-dug cave, the floor was a couple of feet deep in small rubble, which I had a scrape around in and found a few pink fluorite crystals! A bit rough but pink and octahedral to a cm or two, mostly broken. In the back of the 4m deep cave there was a mossy crack just big enough to get your arm in. My headtorch revealed shiny faces, at full arm stretch. I could see the big smoky; it looked as if previous visitors had seen it too as it had a few bruises where someone had tried to dislodge it by jabbing an ice-axe at it. I managed to lever it out with mine, also utilising the lumphammer. I found several loose smaller smokies in the crack by feeling around, and getting cut in the process. Some of them are nice little floaters.
After a couple of hour I had to go, back on route up the arete to the top. It was very exposed and I had to use a 'back-rope' kind of technique to protect myself; this was a first for me.
Photo scanned from slide. |
|
| Viewed: |
30413 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Looking towards Aigiulle Verte (south side) from the summit of Aiguille du Moine.
Photo taken 1991. Scanned from slide. |
|
| Viewed: |
30343 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Glacier de Talèfre from Aiguille du Moine.
Photo taken 1991. |
|
| Viewed: |
30412 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
|
| Posted: Jan 13, 2014 01:36 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Fantastic Mike! I will NOT do too well on those ladders. I have a measure of Acrophobia. Please keep on posting. :-)
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
|
| Posted: Jan 14, 2014 14:11 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Thank you Pierre, I'll post some photo's of the smoky quartz crystals soon. Meanwhile..
| Description: |
Grandes Jorasses(4208m) and the Glacier de Leschaux, from the summit of Aiguille du Moine(3412m).
Photo scanned from slide.
Photo taken August 1991, scanned from slide. |
|
| Viewed: |
30331 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Looking down the first part of the descent route from the top of Aiguille du Moine. This is the easiest way up and down the mountain, involving a few abseils on the way down. The route grading is not much easier than the route I climbed up, and follows a way down the South face over to the right (looking up from the bottom), ending at the same spot that I started my route up (South arete). There were a few people about but I think most of them climbed up and down the same way.
Photo scanned from slide. |
|
| Viewed: |
30245 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Just one more photo then - from the path down from the Courvercle Hut to the Mer de Glace, looking across to the 'Chamonix Aiguilles'.
Photo scanned from slide. |
|
| Viewed: |
30289 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
|
| Posted: Jan 14, 2014 18:43 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Smoky quartz from Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France.
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
127mm x 61mm x 53mm
Large smoky quartz crystal recovered from the back of a cleft in an old crystal cave, on the south face.
Though a little bashed on one face, the crystal is rather intact, with good lustre on four side faces (chlorite on the other two faces), and good lustre on the six pyramidal faces. The crystal is a very deep brown colour with good transparency, though with lots of internal flaws.
Collected 1991. |
|
| Viewed: |
30227 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
127mm x 61mm x 53mm
Same specimen showing the face that had been bashed (presumably with spike end of an ice-axe?) by previous visitor(s) to the cave. |
|
| Viewed: |
30210 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
127mm x 61mm x 53mm
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
30200 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
127mm x 61mm x 53mm
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
30207 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
127mm x 61mm x 53mm
Same specimen as above.
I only found one this size, plus a few that are 6 - 8cm, and a few smaller interesting 'floaters' that are odd shapes. |
|
| Viewed: |
30244 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
|
| Posted: Jan 17, 2014 12:10 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
A couple of floaters
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
38mm x 15mm x 9mm
Double-terminated smoky quartz crystal from the 'crystal cave', found 1991. |
|
| Viewed: |
30158 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
38mm x 15mm x 9mm
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
30133 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
38mm x 15mm x 9mm
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
30182 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
47mm x 15mm x 13mm
Another strange shaped smoky quartz crystal. In the middle there are some small quartz crystals and a bit of 'feldspar' matrix. Most of the main crystal is only 1-2mm thick. Found in the 'crystal cave', 1991. |
|
| Viewed: |
30159 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
47mm x 15mm x 13mm
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
30160 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
47mm x 15mm x 13mm
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
30155 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
|
| Posted: Jan 18, 2014 02:47 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Very nice! I would love to collect in the Alps some day. Thank you for showing.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
|
| Posted: Jan 18, 2014 11:49 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Thanks Pierre, glad you like them. I hope you get to go to the Alps someday, you don't really need to be a rock-climber to get to some areas where you might collect: I'm thinking of glaciers covered with boulders that have fallen from the mountains. Some very good specimens have been found this way. Also the walking around the base of the steep high mountains is reward in itself, as you can enjoy the surroundings, nature, incredible views - without worrying about the hazards of climbing - rockfall, bad weather, getting stranded, falling, etc... An added bonus of not actually climbing the mountains themselves is, your rucksack isn't as heavy! Because! You don't need rope, big boots, crampons, ice-axe, safety helmet, extra clothing...
Also you can look in the museum in Chamonix at the smoky quartz/pink fluorite combination specimens and blow your mind. It's worth going to Chamonix just for that : )
Here are some pink fluorites I found in the rubble on the floor of the cave. Most of them were just cleaved pieces, but some had a few crystal faces, and the smallest one was nearly complete. The other thing is, they are rather gemmy.
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
25mm (largest piece) to 10mm (smallest)
Some pieces of pink fluorite found in the rubble of the floor of the 'crystal cave'. Mostly cleavage pieces but some show crystal faces. The colour of the crystals has reproduced very well with photography.
Collected 1991. |
|
| Viewed: |
30096 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
25mm x 15mm x 15mm
The largest pink fluorite I found, fairly complete at one end. Looks like two crystals grown together. The faces are somewhat etched, but the colour is rich and inside the crystal is gemmy. |
|
| Viewed: |
30048 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
25mm x 15mm x 15mm
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
30045 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
25mm x 15mm x 15mm
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
30036 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
25mm x 15mm x 15mm
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
30067 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
25mm x 15mm x 15mm
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
30033 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
| In July 2005 myself and two comrades attempted to climb the Aiguille du Moine (as mentioned earlier). Two of us slept out under the stars (bivouac), while the other stayed in the Courvercle Hut for the night. Mark (pictured) went back down to the valley in the morning, not fancying the look of the weather, and seemingly remembering he'd climbed the mountain before! |
|
| Viewed: |
30052 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
| Myself and Colin set off to climb Aiguille du Moine. The climbing is steep and airy, but relatively easy. Colin was refreshed by his luxurious night's sleep in the hut and was way out in front - you can see him working his way leftwards along some sloping ledges. Actually I think at that point he waited for me 'cos a rope was required... |
|
| Viewed: |
30075 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
| Scrambling up the steep gully which leads to the 'crystal cave'. |
|
| Viewed: |
30035 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
| But about 2-300m below the 'crystal cave' it started snowing, much to our disgust. The clouds were continuing to become lower - it didn't look good. |
|
| Viewed: |
30043 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
| Photo of me at the same time, looking disgusted. We retreated, abseiling in some places, as the weather worsened. Good call as it turned out, it snowed all day above 2500m. |
|
| Viewed: |
30076 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Even this marmot looks disgusted.
I photographed this 'round the back of the Courvercle Hut, it was squatting on the ashes-pile eating some bits of onion that someone had thrown there. Kind of ironic that in the previous two weeks ('doing' the Tour du Mont-Blanc) I never got anything like this close to a marmot. Now here is one, large as life and less than two metres away, sitting on a rubbish heap. |
|
| Viewed: |
30074 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
|
| Posted: Jan 21, 2014 18:29 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
A small pink fluorite and a smoky quartz, from Aiguille du Moine
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
10mm across (tip to tip)
A single gemmy octahedral pink fluorite crystal, almost complete but for one face cleave where it was attached it's host rock originally.
Found in the rubble floor of an old crystal cave dig, in 1991. |
|
| Viewed: |
29932 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
10mm across
Same specimen |
|
| Viewed: |
29900 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
10mm across
Same specimen. |
|
| Viewed: |
29875 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
10mm across
Same specimen. |
|
| Viewed: |
29915 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Smoky Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
specimen 33mm tall
Smoky quartz crystal is 22mm tall x 15mm x 10mm, on a feldspar/granite matrix.
Found in a narrow cleft in the end of an old crystal cave, in 1991. |
|
| Viewed: |
29926 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Fluorite
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
specimen 33mm tall
Same specimen as above |
|
| Viewed: |
29871 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Quartz
Aiguille du Moine, Mont-Blanc massif, France
specimen 33mm tall
Same specimen. |
|
| Viewed: |
29914 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Don Lum
Joined: 03 Sep 2012
Posts: 2919
Location: Arkansas
|
| Posted: Jan 21, 2014 19:32 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Mike,
I really, really like your pink fluorites. Certainty worth the effort (easy for me to say).
I think I would have taken the tram if there was one :-)
Don
_________________
hogwild |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Pelman
Joined: 14 Jan 2014
Posts: 15
Location: Oklahoma
|
| Posted: Jan 21, 2014 23:10 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Did you collect these specimens yourself???
Love the pics and the specimens.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
|
| Posted: Jan 22, 2014 18:19 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Don, thank you for your nice comments :-)
Hi Mike, glad you like the photo's; yes they are self-collected
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
|
| Posted: Apr 10, 2014 15:50 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Back again: I had a week on the Isle of Skye a couple of weeks ago; and for no particular good reason I returned with only one small specimen of stilbite! That does happen sometimes. I spent six days walking and exploring with a heavy rucksack and taking lots of photo's, so at least got some exercise. Also it was nice to get away for a break from work, and the weather was good - just a little rain one night. Also the temperature was about 15C warmer than the same time last year, which was nice.
Might just post a photo or two so you can see where I've been..
| Description: |
Biod a' Mhurain, Duirinish, Isle of Skye, Scotland
'The Land That Time Forgot'
Dramatic scenery on the way to check out the calcite locality, where in the past I have collected some very nice rhombohedral crystals. |
|
| Viewed: |
29302 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Calcite
Biod a' Mhurain, Duirinish, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Crystalgroups approx 6cm across
Calcite crystals in-situ, about 6m above the ground and out of reach! |
|
| Viewed: |
29270 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
At least the local seals were happy. Seemed a shame to disturb them by making a noise, so I didn't.
There wasn't much to collect anyway, and time is very limited at this locality because of the tide.
As the saying goes - 'time and tide wait for no-one'. |
|
| Viewed: |
29290 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
Biod a' Mhurain, Duirinish, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Looking back down at where I had been earlier. Now comes the 10km hike back to the car.. |
|
| Viewed: |
29291 Time(s) |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pierre Joubert
Joined: 09 Mar 2012
Posts: 1605
Location: Western Cape
|
| Posted: Apr 11, 2014 03:57 Post subject: Re: Collection of Mike Wood |
|
|
Hi Mike. The scenery is spectacular (as on your other photos). It is a really harsh collecting ground. All that effort with so few rewards. At least you enjoyed the scenery and now, so have we! Thanks for showing.
_________________
Pierre Joubert
'The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace. ' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ 
Register
Log in
Forgotten your password?
