Euro Trash: Chamonix, France

After the work season ended, I flew to Geneva Switzerland where Sangwon picked me up and we drove to Chamonix, France, which is located in the French Alps. Sangwon had a Worldcup competition there a few days before, and placed 12th. It was so nice to just arrive spend time together; working really took it out of me and I needed the rest.

Sangwon knows a couple from S. Korea living in Chamonix so we met up with them and went on a day trip to an alpine lake. It was so beautiful-even as it rained!

Sadly, a good friend and mentor of Sangwon's tragically lost her life while climbing in the Himalayas. We booked tickets back to Seoul immediately and had to put the climbing on hold. Sangwon had known Go Mi-Sun, (Go Mi-Young 고미영) since he was a child, and she was a huge influence on him and his climbing career. On July 11, after reaching the top of Nanga Parbat Mi-Sun fell off the edge of a cliff while on the descent in bad weather. She was an mountaineer and was one of the only people to summit 3 8,000-meter peaks in one season-she did them in 6 weeks-Makalu, Kangchenjunga, and Dhaulagiri. She was on a quest to be the first woman to climb the world's 14 highest peaks (the eight-thousanders). I was thankful to have been able to be with Sangwon and support him during such a difficult time. So off to S. Korea we went.

Here are photos from Chamonix, France and surrounding areas.