I am a 26-year-old British alpinist and skier based in Chamonix, France.
I originally moved to Chamonix for the fantastic running terrain. The long distance trail races of the Alps were my calling and there’s no better place to be based for these than Chamonix. However, it wasn’t long before I was introduced to the world of climbing and ski touring. I soon became hooked and today trail running has taken a back seat to be replaced by a passion for alpine climbing and ski mountaineering. I have had a typical Chamonix upbringing in these disciplines, learning by doing, making many mistakes along the way but somehow surviving to tell the tales.
Today my greatest ambitions involve link-ups and enchainments of big, technical alpine terrain in fast, single-push style. In an era when many say the Alps are ‘climbed out’, I feel there are many new, exciting and innovative things to be done in this realm. The combination of strategy, fitness, technical skills and luck required to pull off such feats make it rare that I succeed, but all the more rewarding when I do. I hope to transfer these ambitions to the Greater Ranges over the coming years and look forward to the adventures that ensue.
This year I will be spending the bulk of my time in the European Alps focusing on some longstanding projects, but I’m also looking forward to a trip to Alaska as well as returning to the UK for a bit of Scottish winter action and summer trad climbing.
This blog chronicles my activities out and about in the mountains. I hope you enjoy it.
Instagram: timjoliver
Contact me: tim@timoliver.me
Tim Oliver Alpinist 
Hi Tim, thanks for the write up on the Afanasieff-Bodin.
I intend to climb this at the end of this month.
Can you remember the altitude of the cairn marking the top of the decent gully?
If not, using the distant photo of the route, can you describe the top of the descent
many thanks
Rick
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Hi Rick, glad youy liked the write up. I can’t remember the altitude of the cairn off the top of my head. However, if you find a copy of snow, ice and mixed (easily available in Chamonix) it’s detailed in there. I would check for you but I’m currently in Wales, rather far away from my copy of the book back in Chamonix! If you follow the instructions in the book and accurately calibrate your altimiter at the Col du Midi, the navigation to the route really isn’t that tricky and we found it all fairly obvious.
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