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brunoschull
May 31, 2009, 8:56 PM
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Registered: Nov 10, 2004
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Hi everybody,
I´m looking for some information about moderate trad routes near Chamonix and in the Mont Blanc Massif.
I have some of the guide books, and am planning to climb some snow/ice routes, but I have had less success finding information about rock routes.
I did hear about the "Normal" rock route on the Pyramid du Tacul. Around eight pitches at about 5.7.
Anybody know of similar routes? Four to eight pitches. 5.6 to 5.8. Routes that could be done in one day as a good introduction to the area....
Your help is appreciated.
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altelis
May 31, 2009, 9:04 PM
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Registered: Nov 10, 2004
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it is just a TAD longer and a TAD harder than you are looking for, but the route is pure magic. The Rebuffat on the back of the Aiguille du Midi. If you find yourself doing well while there, definitely give it a go!
Rebuffat on SP
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Guran
Jun 2, 2009, 10:28 AM
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That's a great alpine route (albeit crowded as hell), but hardly a "trad route" in the normal sense.
Great for ropework practice etc, but only two short piches of actual climbing.
(OT: Who the F**k chipped the crux step of aręte des cosmiques? Two perfect footholds drilled just beside the crack.)
I rememer spotting some intresting moderate climbing just above the Albert 1er hut. Great place to spend some acclimatisation days. Never looked it up in a guidebook though.
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yves
Jun 2, 2009, 9:55 PM
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Registered: Nov 10, 2004
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In Mt Blanc massif but from Plan de l'Aiguille you also have the following rocks routes:
1. Aiguille de l'M (M needle); Couzy route . 5.8.
7 to 8 pitches. Menegaux on the same needle is much harder : 5 9/ 5.10.
2. Aig des Pelerins; Vaucher route . 5.8/5.9. 10 pitches or +.
3. Arete des papillons. 5.8. 10 pitches. Very crowded.
For these, you do not need big boots except to reach the base of the Vaucher. They are not purely "trad" (in the sense of the Gunks and the US), but they are far from being sports climbs; are great routes, on beautiful rock with some pitons here and there and the scenery is great.
Otherwise on the glacier du Geant :
1. Cosmiques spur; rock route: 5.6 / 5.7, which then takes the Cosmique ridge: already mentioned. Crowded but elegant and classic. Crampons might be used most of the time.
2. Tacul Pyramid; the one you mentioned , 5.6/5.7 . 5 pitches.
3. Pointe Lachenal . Harder . 5 9 to 5 10 free.
10 pitches similar difficulties to Rebuffat south face aig du midi.
4. Salluard route also harder . 5 9.
8 to 10 piches .
Y.
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.sam.
Jul 11, 2009, 11:44 PM
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Registered: Feb 19, 2008
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hey just thought id let you know the index in the aguille rouge is a great climb, i think i remember it being in the seven pitch range no harder then 5.5, aguille la chappel is n ice too about the same maybe a little bit harder. its nice to go over to this side of the vally if the weather isnt that good up real high, if your staying in a campground the bus ride is free and a chairlift tacks you up to the base of these climbs
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fool
Aug 2, 2009, 2:38 PM
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Registered: Dec 14, 2006
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There is a guide book for the aiguilles rouge that is pretty good. My friend and I stayed in the the hut there last year and did some great routes, anywhere between 15min to 2 hour approach. Amazing - absolutely AMAZING - granite and you get away from a lot of the tourists and non-climbers: we were the only Americans in the hut. We spent about 4 days there, but you could easily stay there for much longer. Be warned though, a lot of these climbs are put up by a guy that climbs HARD (I think bolting routes from the bottom @7C or something like that): I'm telling you this because some routes in the rouges that were graded on the easy 6a scale were REALLY tough whereas across the valley at flegere 6a/6b didn't seem nearly as bad, just FYI.
There's also some good day-trip routes at flegere. Index, which I think someone mentioned above, as well as some other ones.
The climbing over there is AMAZING: you're going to have a great time!
-fool
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dhorgan
Aug 4, 2009, 6:52 AM
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Registered: Jul 25, 2007
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I think there are a couple of via ferrata around Chamonix also. It's not really rock climbing (it's ladder climbing) but I tried it for the first time (in Switzerland) a month or so ago and it's quite a hoot. Not exactly a leave-no-trace ethic, but fun!
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FabienenCordoba
Aug 4, 2009, 8:03 AM
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Registered: Apr 17, 2008
Posts: 12
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Here is a list of routes with free climbing between French 4a and 5c (i.e. moderate difficulty), with an alpine grade of less that "D" (=difficult) and low commitment (less than III):
http://www.camptocamp.org/...grat/%3C18/erat/%3C3
Not all the routes are described in English, but it'll give you a list of names to investigate (some are bolted).
Good luck!
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