I came, I saw, I was conquered. Cham's Rocky Backside
Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 5:38 pm
This spring has been much of a prolonged winter in the Western alps. Frequent northerly storm tracks and constant precipitation have brought the mountains around Chamonix into a death-slurpee cycle reminiscent of a May in the Cascades. There are the lucky few who who continue to get the rare high-quality snow followed by thousands of vertical meters of collapsing seracs, massive death runnels, isothermal mank traps, and general fuckery. I am not one of them.
I personally chose to pick up my climbing rack and hit some of the fabled splitter on the backside of Chamonix's Aiguilles, the characteristic needles that compose the Chamonix skyline. The 'envers' as they're called, are a series of rock pinnacles ranging in height from a few hundred to several thousand feet high. Typically comprised of fissured granite, this zone is a paradise for those who seek all that is splitter.
A panorama of The Zone.
After taking a cog railway up to the terminus of the rapidly vanishing mer de glace, we clambered down a 150-meter high ladder system to reach the ice. About 2 hours later, we were at the Refuge de l'envers. My buddy Dave and I were the only two climbers before the official opening, so we got to enjoy solitude and huge stockpile of wood.
The via ferrata.
Scenery on the approach. The Leschaux basin with the Grandes Jorasses poking out on the left.
This refuge is perfectly situated, a nice ten minute glacier stroll to some of the finest splitter around.
The refuge on the right.
Impeccable location.
The first day we warmed up on Le piege, or 'the trap' on the tour verte. Six pitches of fine splitter with a nice thin-hands to off-width 6b start. Cracks are over-graded here, that's for sure. Slabs, as we will later learn, are not.
Approaching the Tour Verte.
Me starting up the aforementioned crack.
Higher up, you can see how close the access is.
The next day we had our eye on the Aiguille de Roc. We wanted to climb the classic 17-pitch route Tout va mal. After heading up a series of slightly wet runout slaps and spicy, sustained climbing, we were already worked about halfway up. Then like clockwork, evening thunder showers reinforced our decision to turn around at pitch 10.
Dave seconding on some 'Piola' slab (sandbag and runout).
Our lunch ledge and turn-around point. About 1000 feet off the deck.
Amazing granite flakes.
The upper headwall is slightly overhanging and sustained in difficulty.
I am now sitting in my room suffering from granite withdrawal. I must return.
I personally chose to pick up my climbing rack and hit some of the fabled splitter on the backside of Chamonix's Aiguilles, the characteristic needles that compose the Chamonix skyline. The 'envers' as they're called, are a series of rock pinnacles ranging in height from a few hundred to several thousand feet high. Typically comprised of fissured granite, this zone is a paradise for those who seek all that is splitter.
A panorama of The Zone.
After taking a cog railway up to the terminus of the rapidly vanishing mer de glace, we clambered down a 150-meter high ladder system to reach the ice. About 2 hours later, we were at the Refuge de l'envers. My buddy Dave and I were the only two climbers before the official opening, so we got to enjoy solitude and huge stockpile of wood.
The via ferrata.
Scenery on the approach. The Leschaux basin with the Grandes Jorasses poking out on the left.
This refuge is perfectly situated, a nice ten minute glacier stroll to some of the finest splitter around.
The refuge on the right.
Impeccable location.
The first day we warmed up on Le piege, or 'the trap' on the tour verte. Six pitches of fine splitter with a nice thin-hands to off-width 6b start. Cracks are over-graded here, that's for sure. Slabs, as we will later learn, are not.
Approaching the Tour Verte.
Me starting up the aforementioned crack.
Higher up, you can see how close the access is.
The next day we had our eye on the Aiguille de Roc. We wanted to climb the classic 17-pitch route Tout va mal. After heading up a series of slightly wet runout slaps and spicy, sustained climbing, we were already worked about halfway up. Then like clockwork, evening thunder showers reinforced our decision to turn around at pitch 10.
Dave seconding on some 'Piola' slab (sandbag and runout).
Our lunch ledge and turn-around point. About 1000 feet off the deck.
Amazing granite flakes.
The upper headwall is slightly overhanging and sustained in difficulty.
I am now sitting in my room suffering from granite withdrawal. I must return.