Rockfax Description
V, 1200m, 2 days. A toughie and just maybe the overall toughest route in this book, with its combination of difficult rock and difficult ice climbing. The length of the route also means that a bivouac is almost inevitable, adding to the weight of your bag and making life even trickier! Start at the toe of the buttress.
1) 5a. Follow the right-leaning chimney (5a) to a long, horizontal ledge and follow this rightwards for 30m to a vague ramp leading back left.
2) 5c. Climb this easily to where it begins to overhang. Pull through the overhang (5c) and follow easier, blocky ground to the ridge crest.
3) 5a. Continue up the ridge crest over blocky ground (4c - 5a) for 4 pitches to where the ridge hits a steep, 10m high grey wall shortly after a wide chimney. Make a rising 20m traverse rightwards and rejoin the ridge by climbing a 20m chimney (5c).
4) 5a. Follow the ridge crest directly (5a), making short detours off to each side, to reach the foot of an overhanging face.
5) 5c. Step onto the left side of the ridge and to climb a corner in two pitches (4c then 5c) to regain the ridge crest.
6) Continue along the ridge to a steep buttress split by a wide crack. Move right around this and then return to the ridge crest.
7) Follow this to the brèche at 3407m, moving right around any difficulties.
From the brèche, follow the Tournier Spur to the summit. © Rockfax
UKC Logbook Description
Also called Northeast Spur Direct.
Ticklists
ROCKFAX Chamonix: Top 50 , Extreme Alpine Rock , Big Alpine Routes
Feedback
| User | Date | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alasdair Fulton | 23 Mar, 2022 |
Show βeta
βeta: Up to the bréche is around 900m of actual climbing, with many pitches requiring guile and strength (especially in wintry conditions with bivvy kit), despite only being "600"m (elevation gain) in the guide. Not a lot of romping ground but fantastic situations and a real big alpine wall feel. Rockfax description is a bit misleading - far better to take heed of the fuller route description on camp-to-camp. The possibly bivvy after the second 5C dihedral pitch is sloping, but in winter can be flattened out a bit with snow. It's a bit round to the right of the mini-breche. The main breche at 3407 looks like a poor bivvy spot in winter, not sure about the one higher up.... | βeta? | |
|
Show beta
βeta: Up to the bréche is around 900m of actual climbing, with many pitches requiring guile and strength (especially in wintry conditions with bivvy kit), despite only being "600"m (elevation gain) in the guide. Not a lot of romping ground but fantastic situations and a real big alpine wall feel. Rockfax description is a bit misleading - far better to take heed of the fuller route description on camp-to-camp. The possibly bivvy after the second 5C dihedral pitch is sloping, but in winter can be flattened out a bit with snow. It's a bit round to the right of the mini-breche. The main breche at 3407 looks like a poor bivvy spot in winter, not sure about the one higher up.... |
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Logged Ascents
Guidebooks for Les Droites
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The Jackson-Shea
Grade: ED1 ***
(Les Droites)