UKC

If you're in argentiere (chamonix) and walk up the jeep track from the lift station towards the Helipad, turn off at cremerie restaurant and over a bridge crossing the argentiere glacial runoff- you climb a massive slab, probably 500metres worth-with bolts spray painted lluminous orange.


On map 3630 OT grid ref- 9555 50938 E/NE of the Helipad.
Very similar to via corda alpina at rocher des mottets that goes at 3c. Any ideas?

Thanks!

In reply to zimpara:

its called the orange u-8 warm up route,,, fore they move onto the 7a+ black route!!!...how did you pass for an u-8?

In reply to zimpara:
It has no name that I'm aware of, there are actually 3 different lines of bolts working their way up those slabs, two next to each other and another route one block of slab over. They just kind of peter out, unfortunately. I'd agree with a grade 3 for much of them. Around two thirds of the way up, there are another five or six bolted single pitch routes, tucked away in a shady corner. None of them look to be much harder than 5+.

If you persevere and hack your way through the jungle to the crest of the ridge, near to where the very old lift station used to have an intermediary pylon, you might find a couple of bolted anchors for some slightly more exciting routes dangling down the other side, below the Argentiere glacier snout, soaring high above the river bed.

I have to say, 500m seems optimistic. Climbing-wise, you definitely don't do more than 100m, and maybe that again of bushwacking.

For what it's worth, I like to take my dog up there every now and then

In reply to Pete Houghton:

Nice one dude!

In reply to zimpara:

You are very welcome. For more Argentiere forest bolt action cragging, walk through old Argentiere and take the path that goes under the railway past the Protestant church, walk one hundred metres up into the woods past the handful of chalets, and there on the right is a three route, three bolt lump of quarried rock, perfect for a quick afternoon hit. I'd give the routes, left to right, 7a, 6a, 6a.

In reply to Pete Houghton:


Nice one.

Didn't the Great Beast say something similar about the supposedly unclimable Beachy Head?

Mick

In reply to Pete Houghton:


Be aware, allegedly, lots of adders on the slabs enjoying the afternoon sun.

A local guide had suggested that the local guide's bureau had stopped going up there because of that reason!!

In reply to Mick Ward:
Didn't understand the reference, so I googled it. Lovely bit of history, thanks.

“The general opinion was that no one had ever climbed [Beachy Head]. There was, however, a legend that it had once been done. I settled the point by walking up, smoking a pipe, with my dog - I had no woman available - in nine and a half minutes from the beach to the coastguard station.”

I've gone one better... I've taken my dog AND a woman up my slabs, at the same time! She and I used a single 27m half rope (don't ask) between us, she not being the most confident of climbers, whilst the dog scampered about on his own route, wondering why we were bothering with string and jingles.

Here he is after soloing some blocky grade 4 yesterday:
https://scontent-cdg2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/14361395_1790838357800824_6057...



In reply to walts4:

Good to know, thanks for that. Can't blame them for it, it's a great place to sunbathe! The first time the dog ever saw adders was near the Chapeau slabs, a seething mass of them wrapped up together, the proverbial nest of vipers... the dog, after surverying the situation from about 3 metres away, decided to give them an even wider berth, and he's not been close to a snake since. He's a fairly clever chap, I think he knows who would come out on tops in that battle.

In reply to walts4:

(...and I can't help but wonder what miserable prick gave you a dislike for that comment! How sad do some people have to be?)

In reply to zimpara:

Following up, I noticed a fairly-new sign nailed to a tree on my dog walk this morning which pointed in the vague direction of the Argentiere slabs, saying simply "Via Damou". Lo and behold, a short session of googling provides this bulletin from the Compagnie des Guides from mid-July:

https://www.facebook.com/chamonixguides/posts/1079702715442026

So, there you go. Via Damou.

In reply to Pete Houghton:

That's the one, nice one