UKH

Hello, I am planning on climbing a route up the aiguille du dibona in the ecrins in france. The guide book recommends taking a ‘large cam’ for the final crux pitch.. (the madier crack).. I have searched but can’t find anywhere that actually states what size can to take. Has anyone done it and can recommend what to take?… any advice much appreciated!! Aiguille Dibona

In reply to Dan wilson:

Camp to Camp is generally the place to look for things like this. They say 'It's highly recommended to bring size 3.5 or 4 for the Madier Crack'. 

So the big silver in WC/BD/DMM. Have fun! 

In reply to Dan wilson:

cams didnt exist when I did it about 50 years ago.

In reply to PATTISON Bill:

What was your aim when posting this comment, Bill?  

In reply to MischaHY:

What was your aim when posting this comment, Mischa?  

In reply to Dan wilson:

When we did it back in 2003 there were a few bolts on the Fissure Madier. We carried a small alpine rack but didn't take any large cams. Overall we placed very little gear. Maybe the bolts on the crack have gone? Perhaps someone who's done it more recently could confirm.

In reply to Moacs:

What was your aim when posting this comment Moacs?

And just to anticipate the obvious question, mine was to point out what a pointless question Moacs had posted.  (Unlink Mischa's, which is a pretty reasonable point.)

In reply to PATTISON Bill:

Fair play!.. my mates have pointed out that I just need to grow a pair 😂.. how did you find you find the madier crack? I take it you could protect by other means .. or maybe not

In reply to MischaHY:

thank you!! 

In reply to Dan wilson: It’s about 10+ years since I did it. I took a No4 Camelot but I don’t recall it being crucial, there is other gear and I remember clipping a bolt. It felt about HVS+/E1 to me. There are options to miss out the fissure pitch.

Great route and brilliant mountain to climb on. The route Visite Obligatoire (TD+) is brilliant as is Voie des Savoyards (TD+), if you have more than one day there.

In reply to Martin Haworth:

A second vote for Visite, worth noting this is is pretty much fully bolted (some run outs on easy bits) we took a small trad rack but didn't place anything apart from slings on the final ridge. 

I also loved the fact its named after the hut manager (not quite sure if that's the right phrase?) And her daughter.

Also worth noting the desent can be snowy early season.

In reply to MischaHY:

Isn’t that obvious to you?

In reply to TheGeneralist:

Mine was to point out that smugly judgemental snide passive aggressive posts don't do anyone much credit

In reply to Moacs:

Good job - hoist with his own petard, methinks

In reply to Moacs:

What was your aim when posting this content, Moacs? 😝

In reply to Brass Nipples:

Nah I'd like to hear from Bill. 

In reply to Dan wilson:

Opinions seem to differ about the Soreiller hut, but I've thoroughly enjoyed the three times I've stayed there. Fabulous views of course. If you are there for a night or two, I highly recommend the tarte au chocolat:

In reply to Dan wilson:

Since everyone is derailing your perfectly reaonable therad.

I don't approve of moacs grumpy? comment, but I just seen that his second most recent logged climbs was Christmas Curry, which was the 3rd climb (2nd'ing) I ever did (when I was a nipper) so it brings back memories for me! Hope you had fun.

That "fascinating fact" is about as relevant to the original posts as half the other ones here    ha haa  (And Mischa's relevant post only got 1 upvote so far????)

Ignore the nonsense and just go and enjoy it Dan.

In reply to CantClimbTom:

Ha!

I didn't start off grumpy- just gently suggested that Mischa was doing exactly what he was criticising.  I even mirrored the smiley.

The logged climbs are a bit misleading - I don't use the log books any longer

In reply to Moacs:

You really need to use the log books more. No one here will take your opinion on world politics or global warming seriously if we don't know what you've done on grit.

In reply to chris_r:

Lol.  Not much recently.

Last thing I climbed was last year (before I broke my elbow) - dragged up the Plum and some other Tremadoc gems

In reply to Dan wilson:

And in other news, British Army abandon musket in favour of modern automatic rifle.

In reply to Dan wilson:

Did a 40'th anniversary ascent of it last summer! I first climbed it in 1982. Neither times did we use big cams. Also did the berthet boell stofer - lots more trad climbing involved and a really nice line - better but that's just my opinion. Visite obligatoire and voie des Nans were also excellent. We arrived at the hut for opening day, not at all busy, great food and super friendly guardians.....

In reply to PATTISON Bill:

Bill you’re awesome, I want to have your babies.