The Finest Routes in the Alps
Grandes Jorasses - Polish Combination/Michto – ED (V, WI5, M5) 800m
All photos, drawings and text by Ben Tibbetts
in association with
Grandes Jorasses by night - 6am, 27th September 2014
We left about 3am and walked slowly up the glacier, turning the last corner around 6am to get a full view of the face, and the numerous teams already high up on routes. We later spoke to several climbers, and the first team on the Colton Macintyre started the route at 11pm to avoid climbing below other people.
We had no fixed objective, we just wanted to climb without getting hit by falling ice from climbers above. Whilst putting on my crampons I got a photo of the face twinkling with head torches. Myself and Ross had already climbed the Colton MacIntyre separately some time back and so were interested in other routes anyway. Seeing the popularity of the Colton Mac and the Croz Spur it was clear what routes to avoid!
Mont Blanc, Pointe Marguerite and Aiguille du Midi from the Grandes Jorasses
Dusk at the Rocher de Reposoir on the descent
Gear
The route climbs both steep ice and mixed terrain. 2 x 60m ropes. Sharp crampons and technical axes. 8-10 ice screws + extenders, c.4 cams, rack of nuts, thin pegs.
Approach
From Chamonix take the train to Montenvers. Descend onto the Mer du Glace and walk to the Lechaux Refuge. In an autumn of good conditions this refuge can be full and so a bivouac under the face can be more peaceful.
Route
Cross the rimaye under the Pointe Hélène. Follow the broad gully for 400m (60-70º) until it splits below a blunt rib. Move left up a ramp line for 100m before breaking left again into mixed terrain up a blunt rib with a slender goulotte of ice (75º). From the ice-field above either (a) continue leftward into a broad corner. Climb steep terrain for 40m (80º) to find a delicate line traversing back rightwards (M5+). Or (b) continue a little rightwards to find the steep corners of the route Michto and climb these in two pitches (M5) up ice and mixed to reach the same point. Continue in the gully and after 25m where a thin runnel continues upwards break right over a step to find an impressive diagonal ice smear ramp line. Follow this for 60m to belay on rock. Follow the broad ice slopes above before breaking out left after a pitch to follow a gully system to the ridge in 200m. One can also finish straight up which joins ‘La Belle Hélène’ and has a short vertical step before the ridge.
Descent
If there is good snow cover on the rocks immediately below on the south face on can descend directly between the Pointe Croz and Pointe Hélène to the glacier below. On the Glacier trend rightwards to top of the Rocher du Reposoir. (By poor snow cover climb up to the Pointe Croz and take 5 x 60m abseils before traversing the glacier rightwards to the Reposoir.) Follow the Reposoir crest down until it steepens and 4 abseils or a scramble leads down to the glacier below. Keep on the right side of the Rognon de la Bouteille and descend to the rock spur leading to the Boccalatte hut. Cairns lead to the hut but it is well hidden from view on the SW point of this rock band. From here a path with ropes leads to the valley floor.