UKC

Luke Davies shares tips and tactics for climbing the six classic north faces of the European Alps—with some history to boot...

In the 1950s, Gaston Rebuffat, one of France's leading Alpinists devised the list of what he called the 'Six Great North Faces of the Alps' in his book Starlight and Storm, and was the first person to climb all six of what he considered were the greatest faces of the Alps and some of the harder climbs of the time.

Today, climbing these six routes is still a big undertaking that requires favourable conditions and timing as well as a range of skills on both rock and ice, a healthy approach to suffering and a risk tolerance for bad rock and being strapped to a face for days at a time. However, with the advancement of climbing gear and skills, most can be climbed by experienced climbers rather just being the realm of the total elite.

Read more

Good Article Luke!

Walker and Matterhorn left for me!

You're a god, Tom !!

Good article. I had always fancied the Walker, but all that talk of rock fall has put me off!

An excellent article, thanks!

Hey Jon,

Hope you and H are well. 

I presume that is reference to my name change?

I changed it on Instagram shortly after I qualified, and for some reason Meta also changed it on Facebook too. 

Since then I get quite a lot of private messages asking for guiding, so I thought it was worth doing on UKC (which is sort of social media) too. 

Cheers,

Tom

p.s: The BMG is 50 in 2025. We’re going to do some sort of celebration. Would you like to come?

Great article, very nice overview of each route in one place.

A ticklist to aspire to for sure!

Great article! All sound like dream sends.

What is french freeing for the uninformed among us?

Pulling on gear. 

Luck of the draw. When we did it in late August 2016, there were only a couple of rocks that zoomed past (not particularly close) all day.

“However, most people have probably had their fill after these six and probably want to stay on the classic South faces…”

In which case this would be the perfect route…

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/barre_des_ecrins-15442/pilier_sud_...

Just seen your report on the log book. An entertainng read, from the comfort and safety of my lounge.

Excellent read. Thanks for posting. Starlight & Storm was possibly my first ever climbing book circa 1968. This is worth a watch on Netflix if you missed it...

https://www.climbing.com/videos/review-climbing-film-race-to-the-summit/

However, most people have probably had their fill after these six and probably want to stay on the classic South faces…”

In which case this would be the perfect route…

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/barre_des_ecrins-15442/pilier_sud_.

Me and my mate got up it fine in 1988. Fine long route and then back to Ailfriode for many grande Bieres!

Nice article.

A few comments

A bit circumspect for me to give advice on general conditions as its 32 years since I did any of the routes but regarding the Walker, this is generally a spur so major rockfall goes off to sides. Starting early gets you above the most exposed lower part of the route and the upper  glacier in cold conditions. Starting later after a morning walk in from montenvers, could risk stonefall on the lower route and a flog up soft snow.

On the Badile, planning on a N ridge descent gives the advantage of leaving a gear dump at the col before the short abseil and ledge traverse. This means any hut/ bivi gear does not need to be lugged over the hill and a last minute decision could be made on whether axes are needed for the traverse. Ffiw we left bivi gear about midway between hut and col. Boots and some clothing at col. Did the route and descent in rock boots. 

On the Eiger, the note about cable car seems wrong, I thought the train went all the way from Grund to Jungfraujoch. 

Above the tunnel windows, the rock is quite solid I recall. The scree below is quite unnatural being the tunnel blasting debris. 

Still not many completers of the UKC ticklist. I digress to mention the  hidden is probably Goucho, but thats another story!

Returning home after his last of the six, the Matterhorn, my son showed uncharacteristic interest, when I pointed out that if he filled in his logbook he would be the first completer. He was delighted when the computer screen erupted like when a £1000000 win occurs on WWTBAM. Top marks to the UKC programmers.

In recent years there have been some large rockfalls that have hit the lower part of the Walker Spur near the Rebuffat corner.

Yes, with the Badile returning via the North Ridge allows excess stuff to be left at the hut below or in the area before the col, however, if planning the up and over method I would think that planning on staying in the hut on the other side or walking all the way down and staying somewhere in the Val di Mello area before coming back round would eliminate the need to carry much extra stuff anyway.

In regards to the Eiger, currently the train isn't running between the station in Grindelwald and the Kleine Scheidegg and the new Terminal cable car is used to get up that part before boarding the train again to Jungfraujoch. Either way, using the lift is quicker anyway than the train was. I seem to remember it mostly being easy snow climbing before the Difficult Crack - didn't encounter but loose scree but we were there in early March so might just be earlier in the year. 

Ditto 

I’m impressed. I wouldn’t call it a fine route though. 

As a caver turned climber, we did three in 1975, the Eiger being our first mixed route. On our next visit to the Alps in 1977 the Walker was our first route in Cham. out of condition and a cornice to tunnel at the summit. The only other people on the mountain were Nick Colton and Gordon Smith, but they had an accident and went down. Finished with the Matterhorn in 1983.

One of em left to do... but probably too old now...

Barbeg

All of em left to do...  but probably can't be arsed now...

Which of the routes has the hardest moves? 

And what sport grade would each get? 😀

Having done cassin on Badille and will be doing the tre cime one later this summer, and hopefully the Petit Dru next year (guided/unguided), what are the chances of completing the rest (probably guided) in the next six years with approx two weeks per year to get to the alps

Understand all conditions dependant, just considering a life target 

I think the very first step onto the start of the Eiger Nordwand would be the hardest move to make for me.

I hear the sit start is even harder.

Trying to decide if this quip is flippant or really astute.

Basically you need to get off your a*** , get training , experience, and try these routes when your head and body are ready.

I did have in mind that it would be very hard "off the couch" and wondered if anyone would pick up on the idea.

I'd guess either the Comici (which is about 6b+) or the Waterfall pitch leading to the Brittle Ledges on the Eiger.

It's possible, but you'd need to be able to drop everything and come out when conditions are good. 

For the Matterhorn I'd thought you'd be looking at late May into June.

Eiger - whenever it is good. 

Walker Spur - June into early July. 

Petit Dru - Early summer. 

Dan Moore in Interlaken would be a good Guide for the Eiger. 

Thanks Tom for the info

Thanks for the great read! If people are interested to learn more, here are a couple of videos from Lockdown zoom shows jointly organised by The Rucksack Club https://rucksackclub.org/ and The Alpine Club http://www.alpine-club.org.uk/

Part 1 - Mattahorn, Eiger, Grandes Jorasses vimeo.com/432065231

Part 2 - Dru, Badile, Cima Grande vimeo.com/437609243

You can experience climbing all six in around two hours, in the company of elite Alpinists (and me), all from the comfort of your sofa. Enjoy! Cheers, Dom 

In a million years I would never have the guts to do the Eiger north face. So much for my bravery 

Can you do them on a 60m?

Starlight and Storms was the first book I read that showed me an international world of climbing beyond Bonington and Brown.

This is a fantastic article.  Probably academic for me now - but still fascinating to read.  Thanks

It’s true that the belay/rap bolts facilitate an efficient descent from the end of the difficulties on ADIP. However the last 2 pitches of easy climbing up to the ridge are diagonal, on loose rock with rickety bolts. Identifying the line from the ridge and managing diagonal abseiling to get to the first of the proper bolts would be very serious. Even having climbed the route the rap bolts are not all that easy to spot and some are on rather thin ledges, in failing light this would be very serious indeed.

June a bit early for the Walker? 

The one getting you up from the sofa!

Totally agree.  Bonkers describes it well. Cannot understand the downvotes.

Iirc the north ridge is quite broad and the finishes of routes onto it are not at all easy to spot. The north ridge is also probably the main source of rockfall down the ne face.  I also recall an abseil from col to gain the access ledges, this need would to be  climbed if the ADIP abs followed.

Fwiw , I did it early July, 1987. Talking to other climbers the following  autumn , it could have been the only opportunity that summer.

June might be the new July nowadays.

Probably the Comici according to the guidebooks but expect any of the big three to have nails sections in less than ideal conditions.

In finest ukc tradition, I have not been on the lower Dru nf, only the upper section after the American Direct. However, would suggest, in its original style as done by the first ascentionists, the Fissure Allain might have the hardest pitch of the Six.

We also had this suggested to us but were entirely unconvinced that we wanted this level of uncertainty and excitement on the way down (and had always planned to go the Gianetti hut and enjoy a nice walk down the Italian side).  

Some guys we met at the top (who were locals and extremely competent) seemed to think there was a new (in 2019) line of bolts for abbing all the way down the Italian side from near the summit.  We decided against this on the basis we'd had quite enough excitement without ending up stranded halfway down having followed a random set of bolts.  Does anyone know whether this is now a viable way down? 

It takes a while to get clear of snow. Once the hut opens the gardienne regularly posts photos on FB so people can judge for themselves… We did it in late August in perfect conditions (no rockfall and dry rock) but that’s probably quite rare. Tom’s key point that you’ve got to be able to go whenever conditions are good is bang on. Unfortunately unrealistic for most people so having plans b c and d is important. 

Indeed. I wonder if the downvoters would care to explain? it doesn’t read well an aspirant guide suggesting a dangerous way off a mountain

I've had a really fun day out with Dan Moore, +1

Eh that seems a bit harsh. I've not been up there myself, but I have heard of people abbing Another Day in Paradise to get down after doing the Cassin and saying it was good. A friend did Another Day and commented afterwards that it would be a decent way down after the Cassin. A different friend had to descend the North Ridge in the dark which didn't exactly sound 'safe'.

Given the trouble many people have being sure they are abseiling from and to the right places when descending the ridge, I think the main issue is finding the top of ADIP with certainty.  I’ve no doubt that if you’re familiar with exactly where it finishes, it does indeed provide the quickest way down (although you do then still need to get back up to the bottom of the ridge from the starting terrace).