SkiSickness

The L'M: the poor man's aiguille. It not's really high, nor super hard. But it is still cool and occupies a nice place in the valley above the Mer de Glace. The Montenvers train is still closed due to some rockfall and cigarette smoking so there is no one in this zone because it requires an 1h30 minute hike to access. NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While the climbing was never that hard (5.8/5.9/5.10a) (minus one flake and some aid sections), it presented a challenge because it was all pretty damp and dirty with massive lichen formation.

Tom, right before after in the flake.


We happened to run into some anglophone friends who decided to take on the Voie Couzy in their fat boots. That didn't work out so well for them.


Tom seconding up to a nice ledge.


Tom leading the hardest pitch (6b and some A0 then a weird blocky roof with a huge surfboard jammed in it).


Last scramble to summit.


Then we looked off the back and saw the real Aiguilles just as it started to piss rain.


The M on the left with the Plan et al further on. The route follows the left-most piller on the bottom and continues to the summit. It is apparently the most direct line. At this point we realized we had missed the last benne and had to walk 6 miles and 5000 vertical feet to Pizza Paradis. That castrated our stoke.


Now I'm packing to get out of here. Dommage.

Que lata!