Rockfax Description
III, 700m, 7 - 8 hours. The shortest and mildest of the routes on the face, the Petit MacIntyre is a superb ice/mixed climb. Whether climbing it can really be claimed as an ascent of the Grandes Jorasses North Face could be debated but the ambience and technical sections are good nevertheless.
1) Cross the bergschrund and climb the lower snow/ice field for 300m, which kicks up to 60 degrees in places, to reach the foot of the narrow gully on the right.
2) Climb two moderate mixed pitches (Scottish III) through the lower gully. Where the gully widens out, traverse up and left for 40m to reach a second gully.
3) Follow the gully for three pitches of 60 - 70 degree ice to where it widens considerably.
4) Climb the wide ice runnel above and a final 10m mixed chimney to reach the ridge crest.
Descent - Abseil back down the route. Some of the abseils are quite awkward, especially the last one. If in doubt, do short abseils and take care not to get a rope stuck. There are sometimes fixed belays but count on using Abalokov threads. © Rockfax
UKC Logbook Description
Ice slope left of the Shroud
Macintyre, Todd, Rhodes Jun/1976.
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Grade: TD ***
(Aiguille du Plan)