Just a quick update on today’s activities. Super warm today and almost time to get out the rock boots! However, it is our last day at Cogne so we decided we ought to try and get a nice ice route in before they all turn to ‘eau’. we looked at various uninviting dripping icicles before settling on Tutti Relativo which was really pleasant.
Second pitch
UNUSUAL EVENT – prior to doing the second pitch we shared the route with four spanish climbers (three blokes and a quite attractive young woman – more of the latter later). One of the spanish climbers tried the second pitch but backed off (no disgrace there – it was steep and tricky). However whilst he tackled the second pitch pillar me and Mark were ‘privy’ to a most unusual exhibition of experimental physics – the permeability of goretex membranes. Obviously the cold and large amounts of coffee had an effect on the attractive young spanish woman climber and she must have needed to ‘go’ rather desperately (with hindsight I think she should have sorted matters out before embarking on the route – I am sure she would agree too). Anyhow reversing over the slight ice bulge below there stance must have resulted in a bit too much pressure. Hence it is now a proven fact that goretex overtrousers are not very wee watertight from the inside out – as it were.
wimpyalpinism 
Thanks for that wee observation! You should have been gentlemanly and looked the other way! The whole ice climb looks a little wet. A little more wouldn’t make much difference. Rachel
Tutti much info on the attractive spaniosh female but golden rain cant be bad! Great photo of the icefall…very artistic.
I agree about the quality of the photo. Amazed you can judge how attractive she was when covered in ice climbing equipment – perhaps its a special Yorkshire tallent (spotting attractive females when they are covered in thick layers of clothing)
Spotting attractive women – no one need be ashamed of enjoying himself there!. Only noone who has ever been on the heights can help feeling a little crestfallen in the cosy valleys and let noone imagine, because he has made merry in the warm tilth and quaint nooks of romance, that he can even guess at the austere and thrilling raptures of those who have climbed the cold white peaks of Art.