Rockfax Description
500m, 3 - 5 hours. One of the most popular routes in the area. The scrambling is excellent throughout and the rock quality is consistently good until the initial part of the descent, but this is low-angled and brief. Other than the pegs on the first pitch and bolts on the abseil, the route is unequipped so you'll need a rack, albeit a fairly small one.
1) 4a. Climb the deep-cut chimney (4a, 35m) passing a couple of pegs on the way to a ledge with plenty of good spikes for belays. There are some loose rocks around the belay spikes, so be careful not to knock anything down.
2) Go up and rightwards (passing to the right of the big boulder on the skyline) and follow easy, grassy terrain to the crest of the Crochues west ridge. You should join the ridge near the bolt belay at the end of routes 2 and 3, although you can join it just about anywhere. Follow the ridge easily for 70m (you can walk below it on the left if it is busy or wet) until the ridge drops away steeply and you are faced with a short descent down to a tower.
3) 3b. Descend towards the tower on the north side of the ridge for 5m, before coming around to the south side of the tower and making an easy but exposed traverse across the South Face. A 10m abseil back onto the north side allows you to pass the next, smaller tower on its north side, before climbing a short wall and slab (3b) to regain the ridge crest. The slab section can be bypassed on the south side of the ridge by following a grassy path.
4) Continue easily along the crest with interest until the summit. From the summit descend 30m back down the ascent route before turning east and following the ridge easily to the (marginally higher) north summit. © Rockfax

Ticklists

Big Routes , Alpine Progression , BMC - Easier Classics in the Mont Blanc Range , Summer easier alpine , TM Alps , Neonatal Alpinist 2023 , Cham Sep 24

Feedback

User Date Notes
Jhanshaw 20 Jun, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: No need for snow gear if you\'d rather save the weight and faff. Slopes up to the start coll have deep cut steps.
βeta?
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βeta: No need for snow gear if you'd rather save the weight and faff. Slopes up to the start coll have deep cut steps.
Luke W Edwards 8 Aug, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Two small patches of snow on approach (none on decent), a pole/axe would be advised but not essential, no need for crampons at all. The route was exceptionally busy despite getting a 0825 lift from Flégère, some french guides are rather rude and won’t let you pass, you have to overtake. Great route and easy to protect with slings on spikes or some trad placements if required, 4a pitch doesn’t need to be belayed, it felt much easier than the grade.
βeta?
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βeta: Two small patches of snow on approach (none on decent), a pole/axe would be advised but not essential, no need for crampons at all. The route was exceptionally busy despite getting a 0825 lift from Flégère, some french guides are rather rude and won’t let you pass, you have to overtake. Great route and easy to protect with slings on spikes or some trad placements if required, 4a pitch doesn’t need to be belayed, it felt much easier than the grade.
Rue_Ree 2 Aug, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Amazing! Approach is the only rubbish part, best to wear a helmet for rockfall. 2.5 hours from index ,the route and back to the flegere lift, even stopped for plenty pictures and food.like a British grade 3 scramble with small sections of maybe Diff climbing,but felreat exposure if you keepnto the ridge crest (ran from summit to the bottom)
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Amazing! Approach is the only rubbish part, best to wear a helmet for rockfall. 2.5 hours from index ,the route and back to the flegere lift, even stopped for plenty pictures and food.like a British grade 3 scramble with small sections of maybe Diff climbing,but felreat exposure if you keepnto the ridge crest (ran from summit to the bottom)
PATTY P 4 Jul, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Loose rock on approach- be careful
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βeta: Loose rock on approach- be careful
SharonKennedy 3 Jul, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Mainly clear of snow on approach. Dry on the ridge, soft snow down Lac Blanc
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βeta: Mainly clear of snow on approach. Dry on the ridge, soft snow down Lac Blanc
AlexD-L 15 Jun, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Large snow pitches in and out of route, definitely wise to take an axe and good boots.
βeta?
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βeta: Large snow pitches in and out of route, definitely wise to take an axe and good boots.
FerClimbs 16 Sep, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: 6-8 hours from lift to lift. The route itself is a lot shorter. I wish UKC/Rockfax made it clearer the timings of the routes in Chamonix.
βeta?
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βeta: 6-8 hours from lift to lift. The route itself is a lot shorter. I wish UKC/Rockfax made it clearer the timings of the routes in Chamonix.

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Voting
High AD-
Mid AD-
Low AD-
High PD+
Mid PD+
Low PD+
High PD
Mid PD
Low PD
Votes cast 28
High 4b
Mid 4b
Low 4b
High 4a
Mid 4a
Low 4a
High 3+
Mid 3+
Low 3+
Votes cast 7
Votes cast 35
Style of Ascent
Alt Leads
Lead
Followed
Soloed
Bouldered
Not Set
Onsighted
Repeated
DNF
Flashed (β)
Not Set
Route of Interest
Trois Monts Route

Grade: PD+ ***
(Mont Blanc)

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