UKC

Hello UKC community.

My question is: With it in mind that our goal is to walk up to the envers hut in mid august and campout/stay in the hut, then walk over to the start of the grepon - mer de glace, could it be a distinct advantage to ditch the boots and crampons and go with approach shoes and some decent spikes, whilst still taking an axe.

I've been to this area early last summer but there seemed a lot of snow last year and like I said it early June. This year is hotter and mid august. I know walking up the glacier will be ok without crampons and the ladders and path up to the enver is likely to have little to no snow, but then the small snow field between the hut and the bottom of the route could still be there maybe? To me it just seems excessive to take the stuff just for that little stretch. Thoughts?

In reply to NeilOMalley:

A pair of fell running shoes, some micro-spikes or a single axe to cut steps if you come across something that isn't sugary snow is probably all you need.

In reply to NeilOMalley:

You want to climb the grepon east face route?

Then what descent are you planning on using on completing the route?
Or are you just climbing the various routes from the hut & returning to the hut?
Your intentions will obviously dictate wherever you need crampons as the Nantillon glacier will definitely need crampons.

In reply to NeilOMalley:

25 pitch abseil to the hut? Or go off the back. If off the back, then I would use boots and crampons, if abseiling, maybe not; the route is not hard for the majority, there is a lot of scrambling and we did all of it in boots, encountering a few patches of snow high up that would have been uncomfortable in stickies.

In reply to jonnie3430:

yeah I was thinking just returning the same way. I'm a bit unsure of the descent down the glacier at the back so although probably a bit more interesting the plan is to ab back down.

In reply to jonnie3430:
So if we were in approach/fell running style shoes do you think these would be suitable for the whole thing? even the top pitch?

In reply to NeilOMalley:
I did this route on my first trip to Cham, the old hut was on the face so spent a night in that then up the route and down then nantilon and back to Cham. If I were you I would go for it this way, take light bivi gear, crampons, axe and climb in big boots, it's not a hard climb and doing it this way will set you up more alpine routes. Abbing down the route would be a nightmare and you would have to leave loads of gear + stuck ropes. Take the train up about midday, climb to the old hut site with enough water etc, bivi, start early you should be fine, the glacier should be ok, it's shrunk back a lot over the years.

In reply to NeilOMalley:

My memory of the top pitch was that is was more if an awkward graunch than one requiring careful footwork. We went over the top and down the Nantillons glacier. It looked like a lot of abseiling down non-too-steep terrain to reverse the route for my liking.

In reply to NeilOMalley:


Probably, especially if you go French Free on the top pitch. You are crossing a glacier to get to the bottom of the route though.

The ab doesn't go back down the route, but down La soleil recontre avec la lune, a bolted sport route.