UKC

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had done the south Face of the Fou or knew what the insitu-gear situation was? Are there bolted/insitu ab points and or pegs/bolts? And also, did you approach the route from the bottom via the sketchy gullies or rap down the line?

It's such an inspiring face. I'd love to climb it.

Thank you,

Alan

In reply to Franco C:

I dunno Alan, but I know someone who might. Try messaging Franco Cookson, he says on his blog that its his objective for the alps, so he might know a bit about it. I believe he is banned from the forums at the moment, but you can probably contact him through his blog http://francocookson-climbing.blogspot.com/

In reply to mattmurphy: Thanks, but that's one of the chaps i'm climbing with. He's a bit of a void of knowledge as well.

In reply to mattmurphy:

Smiles. I think there may be some confusion here ....

In reply to pog100:

I believe there is, I didn't think Franco 'did' bolts

In reply to Franco C:

You come up from the bottom, from the Mer de Glace. I haven't done the Fou but we had a go at the Point Lepiney many moons ago. On my photo gallery the snap of me sitting in the door of the Tour Rouge bivy hut is up that way. The hut's gone but the platform must still be there.

As for gear there was very little on the route we tried, and failed on as we couldn't find the route after a bit. The Fou is harder apparently. Before you head up check out the way back down, we didn't and if we had got to the top we discovered later on that there are no simple ways down. As they are South facing water may be a problem too. Either of these two climbs would be pretty good value though, the rock is splendid.

In reply to Bruce Hooker:

I have heard of people coming on from the top in recent years (possibly combined with a traverse of the Aiguilles?) to avoid the approach which is supposed to be hideous. You'd want a pretty good stretch of weather to do the traverse and the S Face of the Fou though.

In reply to tobykeep:

Do a route on the West Face of the Blaitiere, up to the Reynaud ledges and along these to the Col du Fou, bivvy there, then there's an abseil line down the couloir. From the top of the route abseil or downclimb (it's about VS for a pitch) the NW arete to the col then back down the West Face.

ALC

In reply to a lakeland climber: Thanks for that. I was thinking of doing something similar. Does anyone know if there are insitu ab points on the route though?

In reply to Franco C:

The route is a diagonal line in the lower part so abseiling may be a bit tricky though Al Rouse managed it with a broken ankle! I think there is a line of abseil points on the right of the face where the newer routes go. The crux on the classic route is low down - 2nd or 3rd pitch - and it's considerably easier after that with just a short section around F6c.

ALC

In reply to Franco C: Has anyone on here done it?

In reply to Franco C:
There is a bolted abseil line down the Blatiere W face at the moment, which is a supposed to be a good descent. Might be worth doing the British route first, just to suss this out. Looking for a partner? :P

In reply to luketheape:

You mean a decent after topping out on the Fou? How would you get down to the base of the Fou though?

If you're about you should come up Not in the Karakorum?

In reply to Franco C: I did the first few pitches 32 years ago and there was feck all fixed gear in it! We approached via the couloir and escaped down the same way, I don't remember that being too traumatic but maybe we were lucky with the conditions, plenty of snow in those days.

In reply to Franco C: Bolted descent down the left side of the face. Don't remember the name of the route though. You can ask/research at the OHM when down there.
Said route and an excellent topo of the Harlin in the new Piola guide.

In reply to Franco C:

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150997/aiguille-du-fou.html

Do a search for Fou on here as seem to remember someone mentioning difficulty crossing a bergshrund a couple of years ago doing something in the area and stonefall as well. I know it was in that area though not which aiguille .

In reply to Mr Lopez:

Is that in the envers guide?

In reply to Franco C:

Les Ailes du Désire. Seems to be a few bolts on your route.

http://www.camurrilamberto.it/bianco/aiguille%20du%20fou/aiguille%20du%20fo...

In reply to John P:

Awwww.... Legend! Cheers for that.

Bolts? on the south face? I pity the Fou....

(sorry couldn't resist)

In reply to John P:

Yeah, that's the one.

In reply to Franco C: I would also love to climb it but all i know is its a ball ache to get to which ever way you go at it! Mr piola reckons that you should only go up the gullies in good ice conditions as they puke rock down,
Which route where you thinking of? most of the routes have lots of bolts if not entirely bolted. But we are talking about france.......