UKC

3519m.

Rockfax Description
III, 8 - 12 hours. The Dorées provides a beautiful traverse in a wild part of the massif. It takes in a lot of different types of alpine terrain and is a good test of all round alpine skills.
1) Climb up a couloir on the east side of ridge to the Brèche Crettaz. This can be snowy early in the summer.
2) From the Brèche, follow ledges on the Saliena side to below the Tête Crettaz, where easy slabs (4a) gain the summit.
3) Downclimb back to the ledges on the Saleina side and follow these to below the Aiguille Javlin. Climb a chimney (4b) to reach the summit.
4) Climb back down to the ledges on the Saliena side and follow these around the Le Trident (descending slightly). Then follow the ridge. This leads you to the top of the large Copt Couloir.
5) If snow conditions are good, climb round the rocky step on the Saliena side in the snow and regain the ridge. If not, then climb a strenuous corner (5c) to the ridge line above.
6) Follow the ridge around two rocky summits on the Trient side and climb a rocky chimney-couloir (better rock on the banks) then a short crack to get to the summit of the Tête Biselx.
7) Make three abseils off the far side of the Biselx and descend a chimney on the Saleina side that gives way to a ledge that allows the Pointe Flynn to be navigated.
8) Climb up to the ridge and follow it to the brèche and then move up easy mixed ground on the Trient side to get to the brèche between the summits of the Aiguilles Penchées or keep going and skip the summits completely.
9) Follow the ridge passing gendarmes on the Trient side before moving (possible abseil) to a ledge system on the Saleina face. This gives access to the top of the Aiguille de la Varappe.
10) Cross the summit blocks and descend the east ridge for 30m. Take the right branch and follow this to a bolted anchor. From here make two abseils down to a spur and then scramble along this to another anchor. Continue abseiling from here down to the col and then the glacier. © Rockfax

UKC Logbook Description
Classic ridge traverse, usually East to West. In Rebuffat's list of 100 finest climbs in the Mont Blanc Massif. Moves of IV sustained. Climbed from the Trient or Saliena huts. Guidebook time is 10hr for the round trip from the Trient Hut, 12hr is more usual. 14-15hr from the Saleina Hut. Can be escaped at 3/4 length.

Ticklists

Rebuffat's 100 Finest Routes in the Mont Blanc Massif , Batoux's 100 finest routes in the Mont Blanc massif , Great Alpine routes not in Chamonix Rockfax 1st Ed. , Alpine Progression , BMC - Easier Classics in the Mont Blanc Range

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