Rockfax Description
III, 250m. The route is described in pitches but, if you are to do it in good time (3-4 hours is about right), then you will need to move together on easier sections or climb very quickly and efficiently. There are numerous variations on the easier sections of the route, so as long as you find the key pitches (4 and 11), don't worry too much about the exact line you take elsewhere.

1) 4a. Having reached the foot of the ridge, move onto the right of it and climb a series of easy cracks and slabs to reach the foot of a short, steep corner with two jammed blocks in it.
2) 5b. Climb the corner, which is more thuggish than hard, and follow the ridge crest for 5m, past some fun and exposed moves, to the bottom of a series of parallel cracks.
3) 4c. Climb the cracks and step left at the top to regain the ridge crest. Follow this for 10m to reach a ledge.
4) 5c. Follow the ridge for a few metres and downclimb slightly to reach a 1m wide gap which separates the ridge from the wall across from it. Take a deep breath and step across the gap before making a few steep moves onto easier ground. There are some pegs to protect this move and these are often used for aid. Continue left up the easier ground to a belay with an excellent view of the move across the gap.
5) 4b. Head along the ridge crest to reach some grassy ledges.
6) 4b. Climb easy but fun slabs, drifting leftwards, to the foot of a steep corner, just left of the ridge crest.
7) 4c. Climb the corner, which is steep and satisfying.
8) 4b. Move onto the right of the ridge and follow easy but exposed ground to a niche below a slab.
9) 4c. Climb up and left across slabs to reach a cracked wall directly below the 'letter box' gap between two rock walls.
10) 4c. Climb the excellent wall to reach the 'letter box' and a good belay on a jammed block.
11) 5c. Exit the letter box rightwards and climb a steep corner protected by pegs. Where this steepens further, make a committing step right around a rib and then carry on up a still steep but easier flakes to a large ledge.
12) 4b. Follow the ridge as it descends to a niche below a slab.
13) 5b. Climb the slab and belay just below the ridge crest.
14) 4a. Follow the ridge, staying a couple of metres below the crest, to a junction with Les Lepidoptères.
15) 5a. Continue along just to the left of the ridge crest and then get onto the crest itself after 10m via a steep little pull up over a bulge. Continue more easily on the crest.
16) 4a. Follow the exposed but easy ridge to a notch above a steep corner on the right of the ridge. © Rockfax

UKC Logbook Description
Classic route, good for a half-day's outting. Can be pretty crowded at times. Small rack of Friends and nuts required. Some in situ gear on the hardest sections. Does not top out so will have to combine with other routes if the summit is what you are after. Enjoy the "letterbox" pitch!

K Gurekian, L Pez and A Subut 10/Sep/1948.

Ticklists

Rebuffat's 100 Finest Routes in the Mont Blanc Massif , Batoux's 100 finest routes in the Mont Blanc massif , ROCKFAX Chamonix: Top 50 , Big Routes , Escalades Choisies Mont-Blanc Aiguilles Rouges (60 Routes 4 to 6a+) , Alpine Dreamz , Big Ideas , Alpine Progression , Alps 2023 , BMC - Easier Classics in the Mont Blanc Range , Summer easier alpine , Chamonix 2023 , Neonatal Alpinist 2023 , Fredventures Alps 24

Feedback Always Hide βeta