UKC

Just read Ron Fawcetts Book, Rock athlete-Boy it's lit a fire inside me!
Would appreciate some advice from Alps/chamonix regulars please, for a two week trip in Chamonix end of august.

I'm just going spur of the moment, one of things to do in your life, to have a look and bimble about, hike a couple of days, perhaps get some mountain ridges done, possibly solo, roped solo on a grigri or with a partner from there if I'm lucky enough. I don't know anything about alpine grades or ethics over there, or even gear required. Won't be getting involved in axes and crampons so looking at just long rock routes, ridge climbs, scrambles, and the like.

Probably camping, bivvying, hutting it(can you just turn up-prices?) Travelling about, doesn't matter where I end up really, would like to buy the minimum amount of guide books though. Not afraid of gopping walk ins. Any really necessary gear? Jetboil or pocket rocket, thermarest or foam? Bivvi bag or tent?
B2s or scarpa cruxs?

I had a quick look and found these three climbs which look and sound excellent

Via corda alpina
Traverse (ecandies ridge)
La traversée des perrons

Traverse of the Perrons (AD 4a)

Via Corda Alpina (PD+ 3+)

Écandies Traverse (D-)


Is there anything else, as good or better that you've found to be great? Something like ordinary route on Idwal/cribgoch/cuillin ridge/north ridge tryfan/amphitheatre buttress but in the Alps?

Or does this all sound the same as a European making a trip to Scotland to go hill walking on the moors?
Appreciate it. Going for it!

In reply to zimpara:

Don't overthink it - your success on the climbs you mention won't be down to whether you brought a foam mat or a thermarest.

But definitely go; Chamonix is a great place even if - god forbid - you don't get any climbing done. Go and gawk at the mountains and it'll just stoke the fire even more.

Enjoy!

In reply to zimpara:

It is a great place, but very busy in August. Campsites can be impossible if the weather is good. Only one of the routes mentioned is actually in the valley and one is in the Ecrin, a long, long way south.
If you are by yourself. do simple things like the Belvedere (no hut needed) or traverse of the Crochues - also a day route. The views are fantastic and give you an idea of what it is all about with minimum fuss. Quite a few huts can be reached without glacier travel and it is worth going up for the experience = perhaps the Albert Premiere or the one for Mont Buet (Pierre Berard), which is a worthwhile walk anyway. Lifts can eat up money!

In reply to zimpara:

Via Corda Alpina is good, quite easy slabby climbing made up of many "pitches" of 10-20m in length, only two bits which I felt any concern on climbing it unroped in trainers a few years ago.

SE Arete of the Index is fantastic but the starting corner is incredibly polished, definitely no harder than VS as I wouldn't have got up it otherwise!

Going to Chamonix and only climbing rock is however missing the point to some extent I think, the snowy stuff is much better, from what I've been told there are other better areas if you want to focus on rock (Val Di Mello and the Maritime Alps have both been mentioned but I haven't visited them).

In reply to zimpara:

Good advice : the words you wanted were "a lot", not "alot."

In reply to Derek Furze:

Bit confused by your geography here. All three routes mentioned are in the Cham area? Admittedly the Ecandies is a bit further out but nowhere near the Ecrins? Unless I'm missing something...

OP - would also recommend Traversée des Crochues (PD+ 4a), as mentioned above.

In reply to Derek Furze:

I'm not an old hand - only been once - but here's what I learned...


Also be aware that even the simple things can freak you out if you aren't prepared for the level of exposure that you get out there. On the other hand, so long as you aren't afraid to back off and don't climb up anything you can't reverse (ie don't project the descent route) then you might as well go and see what happens.


We spent a night in the Lac Blanc hut which is a fairly genteel walkers' hut but has a fun approach from the top of the Montets pass, nice food and a truly stunning view across the valley to the Mont Blanc range.

Other advice: use the public transport pass from your campsite / accommodation. Learn to drink slowly unless you're rich.

In reply to zimpara:

The Aig Rouges is good place to look for non glacier approached climbs.

South-southeast Arête (Chapelle de la Gliere) (D+ 6a)

VS in UK money. One of best routes I've done (see my ukc pics)

Traversée des Crochues (PD+ 4a) second this.

These are both in the piola guide for Aig Rouges (pt1)

Also check out fun alps http://www.alpine-club.org.uk/funalps/?fdx_switcher=true

In reply to zimpara:

All I'd say is if on your own, don't "rope solo" as at the standard you'll be climbing at, the terrain with be broken and slabby so it'll be a nightmare, even if you are very practised at it.

Pick easy objectives and just enjoy them. The scenery is fantastic and the scale is something else compare to the UK!

In reply to zimpara:

Don't do what I did and go out during the worst period of "summer" weather you can possibly find...

As others have said, if going alone the Aiguille Rouge on the north side of the valley is probably the best bet as it's unglaciated (don't cross a glacier alone and unroped!). Think the Cuillin Ridge, but higher up with views to Mont Blanc and cable cars to take care of the initial ascent.

Campsites will be very busy. As well as virtually everything in August. It's the main season of summer and popular routes may have few hours waiting times.

Generally meeting people is easy especially if you stay at hostels or campsites. Just walk around and speak about climbing plans. However I bet that most of people in August will be after something over snow line. It may be difficult to gang up if you are not willing to cross glaciers.

I spent numerous nights wild camping around. It's better to take down the tent in the morning and stash it. Over wise there's a chance of not finding it once back from the route. You can get lucky by sneaking in to huts showers. Some of huts use tokens to power showers. Normally they don't sell them to non residents. But cold water still flows for free.

Water is generally fine to drink if it comes from glaciers or streams with no vegetation.

Since you are doing only rock it's probably worth leaving boots back home. At low altitude it's going to be hot and dry.

You don't get a free ride like in UK then shit hits the fan. Bill for a helicopter rescue will have 4 digits on it. Alpine Clubs memberships cover rescue. Or you can get some posh insurance like Climb Britain.

In reply to zimpara:
Consider Arête des Papillons (AD-), 20yrs since I bothered it but from memory it's not too sustained, no monster approaches and escapable at a few points. No axes needed for a normal ascent. Mind blowing exposure right where it should be, on the hard bits. Otherwise, and I'm no alps regular, at least not for 15 yrs, make sure you trust your partner totally, I had one alps trip ruined by someone who talked more than they walked. Don't be too set on ticking any one route, be flexible in your plans and be prepared to bail if you get the heebie jeebies. My first two weeks in Chamonix I was like a moth with a candle, many attempts at many things, few 'ticked' routes but a huge amount learned.

Oh, and hydration is king.

In reply to zimpara:
Papillons Arête (D+ 5c) even.

And don't worry, granite has got some holds

In reply to zimpara:

I don't have any information to offer, but I do hope you have a really great time.

What I am curious of though, is that you've read Rock Athlete and its made you want to go to alps. How come it hasn't stirred you to get thy sen to Yorkshire?

In reply to zimpara:

There is still a lot of snow in the Aiguilles Rouges so accessing the traverse of the Aiguilles Crochues, mentioned in some posts, will probably require axe and crampons.

As others have suggested walking up to some huts can be a great day out.

To correct what one posting states, as far as I am aware rescue by the PGHM in Chamonix is free.

In reply to zimpara:

Buy yourself a multiday pass for the cable cars, you can do this on line before you go. I spent 116 Euros for a 6 day pass in July and in my 6 days did more than 350 euros worth had I bought individual tickets. There are loads of good walks from cable stations especially at the 2000-2500m level. The trip up to Aiguille du Midi is worth doing even if you did nothing else. I stayed in a rented apartment, my share of the rent for 6 nights was 110 euros. It was cramped but good enough.

In reply to David55:

Thanks all, for some very useful advice! I'm with everyone when they say keep an open mind and be prepared to not tick much.

I'm not really going out to tick anything, I've had great days bailing off routes, not even making it to the start of routes before abbing off, always found having no plan leads to doing something gentle, but afterwards you think to yourself, god- that took a day and it was awesome, now I'm tired and happier than if I had gone ticking things, just punching away all day being efficient.

Can someone tell me, why there is such a water shortage as you get higher? Surely you just jetboil a few litres of snow?

In reply to zimpara:

Boiling snow gives H20 but no electrolyte or minerals so only provides some of what's needed, it also takes a surprising amount of snow, fuel and time to produce any reasonable amount. If you are going this way take fruit tea bags and powdered glucose and/or rehydration salts to make it more palatable, but bottled water is useful and easily jettisoned weight, I never regretted taking twice as much as I thought I'd need.

In reply to zimpara:


TBH even just slogging up to a hut is pretty spectacular. I reckon if you don't do anything stupid and get your self killed/maimed you can't have a bad time there.

In reply to alexm198:

My mistake obviously!
It's been a while...

In reply to /tmp:

Nice one, thank you!
Any idea what the best mapping to use out there is? Both in terms of readability and having a usable grid ref in an emergency?

In reply to zimpara:

Sent you a PM

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

Received, Thanks very much for all the detail. Will respond once I get a guidebook and see actual distances, and decide where I'd more likely be based.