The mountains hold no secrets for them. They master it and practise it every day in all its finest aspects, but they also know its harshest sides.
At the PGHM, because every minute counts, kit must never be a hindrance — on the contrary, it must be a valuable asset.
Frédéric Souchon has chosen CimAlp for his personal kit and recommends the brand to all mountain enthusiasts, whatever their level or ambitions.
So that the mountains always remain a pleasure, CimAlp supports its enthusiasts through every move and invites you to explore a series of shots from the Mont Blanc massif.
You'll see the full range of possibilities your CimAlp clothing offers you...
Push your limits with CimAlp!
Frédéric SOUCHON has been passionate about the mountains since childhood. A high mountain guide, he also works with passion in the remarkable role of rescue operative within the PGHM de Chamonix (High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon). An exceptional playground, this region allows him to pursue his daily passions of mountaineering and paragliding.
Shots from the Mont Blanc massif...
Over the coming months, Frédéric will share his advice, his views on mountain kit, and talk about his passions. To follow his updates, feel free to "like" the CimAlp Facebook page:
Frédéric's expeditions
Frédéric has covered several major Alpine itineraries (Grandes Jorasses, Droites, Drus, Dolomites, Vanoise, Écrins…). But also abroad:
- At Yosemite, on El Capitan. Regarded as "the wall of walls" with over 1,000m of vertical granite. He has climbed aid routes there over several days (Tangerine Trip, The Shield) and spent consecutive nights in a wall-hanging suspended bed known as a "portaledge".
- In Patagonia, a land of fire known for its extremely harsh weather conditions, making every climb as unpredictable as it is demanding. After a failed attempt 200m from the summit of Fitz Roy via the Franco-Argentine route, he completed the technical summits of Aiguille Poincenot (via the Williams/Cochrane route) and Aiguille Guillaumet (Comesaña-Fonrouge route).
- Rock climbing in Morocco, Greece, and several other countries and massifs across Europe…
« Beyond the difficulty, it is above all the pleasure of being "up there" and savouring those moments that make us the lucky ones: the sun grazing the summits, an impromptu bivvy where you didn't close your eyes all night but will remember for the rest of your life, the sparkling look in your rope partner's eyes on reaching the summit, the long evening conversations with the hut warden, and the pleasure of a shared drink on the way back from a route. »
His goals?
- the Airtour, the longest French foot-and-paraglider race across the Alps (7 days and approximately 325 km)
- mountaineering with several major routes in the Mont Blanc massif
- a self-supported fly-bivvy departing from Chamonix and across the Alps
