Rockfax Description
IV, 740m. A brilliant route that weaves its way up the large face. Contamine was a master of finding clever ways up some of the biggest faces in the massif and his routes often stand the test of time as classics. This is no different and as is often the case, features somewhat old school, strenuous climbing!
1) 5c. Gain the large corner and follow this in four pitches (several pegs) to a terrace on the right where the route junctions with Anouk.
2) 5b. Climb a series of corners on the right of the ledge that lead to a small ledge with two cracks above. Take the left-hand crack and follow this up and through easier ground to a belay.
3) 5a. Continue heading up and right to gain a chimney. Climb this and continue rightwards across broken ground to terraces in roughly three pitches.
4) 4a. Follow the ledges leftwards to below another chimney, being careful of the large amount of loose rock on them.
5) 6a. Climb the chimney in two pitches. It gradually gets harder and is a somewhat thuggy struggle at its climax.
6) 6a. Climb the slab on the right (pegs) and then regain the chimney.
7) 5c. Keep climbing the chimney which becomes more like a corner. Pass a small roof (pegs) and gain a belay up and left at the start of the slabs.
8) 4c. Cross Anouk and descend slightly leftwards to gain a large ramp crossing the face.
9) 4c. Follow the large ramp to the triangular snowfield, which is hopefully mostly dry.
10) 5a. Climb up and right across a slab to gain a ledge above the snowfield and then follow this right, descending slightly to get to the spur.
11) 4c. Follow a chimney line just to the right of the spur. This leads back to the crest of the spur and to easier ground and crosses near Anouk several times.
12) 4c. Follow the path of least resistance in 3-4 rope lengths to the summit staying left of Anouk and mostly left of the spur. © Rockfax

UKC Logbook Description
Free at F5+ acc. Damilano guide

Ticklists

Rebuffat's 100 Finest Routes in the Mont Blanc Massif , Extreme Alpine Rock , Big Alpine Routes , Great Alpine routes not in Chamonix Rockfax 1st Ed. , BMC - Easier Classics in the Mont Blanc Range

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