UKC

Sorry if this is old news I've missed, but an article in Le Dauphine shows a huge collapse of this iconic feature.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

For those on FB, pics here...

https://www.facebook.com/steve.dorrity/posts/10157802623572576

From what I understand its the wall on the right side of the gully abseil. 

In reply to Rog Wilko:

Here's the link:

https://www.ledauphine.com/haute-savoie/2018/08/22/l-arete-des-cosmiques-s-...

Amazingly, though there climbers on the route at the time, no-one was injured. 

In reply to GarethSL:

Amazing pictures.

 

In reply to Rog Wilko:

Courtesy of Google Translate

What is called in the middle "the Reminder", after the spur of the Cosmic, is almost entirely on the ground, leaving instead a light gray void on the cliff and an impressive cone of cum on the ground 

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

I can imagine the noise of the thing would have that effect..!! 

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

don't like the sound of what it's left on the ground!

In reply to Rog Wilko: It was pretty scary to watch, we were very lucky, basically stopped to chat to some guys we'd met the day before, otherwise we'd have been a lot closer, possibly under it!  The huge block that you normally stand on to gear up for the ab folded in two and collapsed possibly >30m3 of rock. we have a small amount of video that I may post later

In reply to Rog Wilko:

Saw a couple backing off, 10 minutes later they'd have been on it

In reply to SteveD:

Backing off at the first abseil? I wonder if the wall was showing signs of instability and dropping some smaller stuff before the main collapse which prompted them to turn around.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

Hmm.  Another on the routes-I've-done-that-have-fallen-over list!

In reply to SteveD:

Have you bought a lottery ticket this week?

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

I saw that too, but forebore (is that a word?) to draw it to people's attention. )

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

While anyone up there now could be called foolhardy, I like to think that they've got plenty of spunk.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

I remember climbing the Cosmiques arete year's ago and abseiling the gully. I had shoved my rather long ice axe between my rucksack and my back so that the spike was protruding from one side next to my hip and the pick end the other near my shoulder. I then, having started the abseil, proceeded to get stuck in the gully as both ends conspired to make contact with the walls of the gully opposite to each other. It took me at least 2 or 3 minutes of vigourous wriggling to get free of this trap and the thought did cross my mind that I might cause the rope to snap and plummet to a snowy death or even worse face the indignity of being rescued!! Eventually I broke free and managed to climb the rest of the ridge without incident. I wonder what other stories there are behind the demise of this particular piece of rock?

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Puts an alternative slant to "Watch out where the huskies go ..."

I remember doing it a month and a half ago and feeling like a bit of a wuss for demanding a belay from further back while I threaded the rope through the rings and set up the abseil at that spot. Vindicated I guess