UKC

Any suggestions on non glaciated multipitches in the ecrins ?

The only route I know there is the dibona.

Also where would be best to be based ? I know there's a good campsite in ailefroide but any suggestions advice is welcome 

Thanks 

Hi Aled. Hope alls well. Will come back to you on messenger with a few ideas

I've no idea, but have you booked anywhere there? The whole valley was pretty much washed away in a flood last summer. They've done some amazing work if you're able to drive up and stay there. 

I looked it up as I was curious myself. 

https://en.oisans.com/acces-a-la-vallee-du-veneon/

Not directly related to the question, but some information on access to the Dibona side. 

We have just come back from the Ecrin. The campsite at Ailefroide was busy - but it is large and there was still some space. You cannot book a tent pitch, you turn up, register at reception and then search for a spot. Lots of multi-pitches on the nearby crags and access to some of the higher mountains. 

We also drove around to the Veneon (Dibona access) side, about 2.5 hrs drive from Ailefroide to St Christophe to get access to the Selle Refuge.

There was a lot of remedial road repair going on. St Christophe was as far as you were officially allowed to go by private car, there is a small amount of parking there. When we were there the Gendarmerie was checking cars.

To get further up the road, (Dibona-Soreiller/Temple Ecrins Refuges), you are meant to pre-book online, a (free) bus that travels approx every 2/3 hours between Bourg d'Oisans to a Terminus 1km prior to La Berarde. The bus picks up/drops off, at various points along the way. The bus slots were full when we wanted to go, the local information office in St Christophe suggested we might be able to just pile on without a reservation.   

Enjoy your climbing!

Hi Aled,

You may need to be a bit more specific on which part of the Ecrin's? there are lost of valleys on the north, east and west that have climbing. There isn't really one base that works for all of them. there is a lot of driving to link them up.

You asked about the Dibona. That is in the Veneon valley (North Écrins), as others have said this got hit with a massive flood a few years ago. Most of the higher village has been washed away, there is shuttle bus access now (the road is shut to cars). You would need to contact refuges and campsites up there to see what is open. There is a guidebook for this area called Escalades a la Berarde (his total may have changes with newer versions), most of the stuff in that guides in non-glaciated. There is also the guidebook Oisans nouveau Oisans sauvage Ouest, this covers le Berarde and the big alpine rock routes north and west Écrins. 

Ailefroide is in the east, there is lots of climbing in Ailefroide and the surrounding area that is non- glaciated. There are two guidebooks Ailefoide Climbs (available in English) this covers all the single and multi pitch in the valley. Plus the Oisans Nouveau Oisans Sauvage est. this covers everything on the eastern edge including the Cerces, great limestone towers with routes up to 400m and the stuff in the height Écrins.

If you are just looking for some where to climb this way, then Ailefroide is probably easier at the moment due to access. But the camping in the village does get busy. 

How glaciated is too glaciated?  Aiguille de Sialouze has good routes on it that are quite alpine-feeling, approach is up a dry glacier but it's mostly gravel - when I went there we were fine without axes or crampons. They were helpful in the guides office in ailefroide when we asked them how much snow was still around

Thanks for the advice 

Got bus booked for dibona but the hut is full

Is biving an option ? Thanks 

Aled

There are lots of flat camping spots a few mins passed the hut

We did this last year, no glacier approach and in a day from the CP.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/sagnette-8989/soleil_glacial-95047

Lots of good multipitch routes around Ailefroide, Rockfax has a good selection. We stayed at the campsite in Ailefroide, the Dibona is is on the other side of the écrins so not really accessible from Ailefroide. 

Can also recommend a couple of routes at the top of the Ailefroide valley;  Le Communard (D) and Soleil Trompeur (D), both good multipitch climbs that don't require crossing the glacier. 

We did the one a few years ago, no glacier although some semi permanent snow and some interesting burns to cross on the way out.

Le Diable par La Queue (D+ 5c)

Thanks everyone 🙏 ailefrode is lovely thanks for the route suggestions and advice