UKC Logbook - 'Voie Normale (Aiguille de Roc)'

Rockfax Description
III, 800m. This route is rarely climbed but it is one of the few lower grade routes in the Envers area. The best way of doing this line is to combine it with an ascent of the Grépon Mer de Glace Face (p.193) which makes for a longer, tougher but worthwhile day as long as you don't get benighted! Using the new Tour Rouge hut can help break some of the length down.
The route begins at the foot of a light-coloured slabby ramp.
1) 4c. Cross the bergschrund (usually easiest on the right) and climb easy glacier-polished ramps to a terrace at the foot of a short corner. Climb this (4c) and step left onto easy ground.
2) 4c. Go diagonally up and left across easy broken ground to a collection of slings around a block at the foot of a long, left-leaning chimney/corner with a jammed block in it. Climb the chimney/corner in two pitches (4c) and move out of the corner to easy slabs leading to a belay on a ledge with a large boulder.
3) 4b. Traverse left across the foot of a huge grey couloir (which the Voie Normal (République) tackles) and then descend a short gully just before reaching the col behind the Tour Rouge. Climb back up to the col and downclimb (4b) another short gully on the far side. At the foot of the gully, traverse into the huge couloir descending from between the Roc and the Grépon.
4) Cross the couloir and then climb broken walls and ledges to reach a large ledge system.
5) Traverse across the ledge system to reach a narrower couloir leading straight up. Climb the couloir and then follow it as it traverses diagonally up and right to a brèche.
6) 4c. Follow a ledge system left for 20m to reach a steep crack. Climb the crack (4c) to a large ledge and then traverse right across this for 20m to a corner capped by an overhang.
7) 4b. Climb the corner (4b) and then continue up a series of short cracks and corners (maximum 4b) to reach a vague couloir. Follow this leftwards and onto the southeast arête and head up this for 25m to reach a large platform.
8) 5c. Climb a thrutchy chimney for 25m and step right at the top. Either free climb (5c) the ridge above onto the summit or lasso a mushroom-shaped piece of rock just to the left of the summit and then haul yourself up the rope. This lasso manoeuvre is easier said than done! Either descend from here or continue to the summit of the Grépon.
9) Grépon Summit - Make a 30m overhanging abseil followed by a 40m vertical one down the Roc's North Face to reach the gap separating the Roc and Grépon. Scramble up and left for 10m to the foot of a steep 10m corner. Climb this (5c, physical) and a tough overhanging chimney above to reach a small col. Climb the bold arête to the right of the col followed by increasingly easy slabs which lead you onto the horizontal ledges - section 7 in our description of the Grépon Mer de Glace Face (p.193). Finish up this.
Descent - Abseil the route on anchors of varying quality (be prepared to supplement them) to reach the top of the couloir of section 5. Downclimb this and make an abseil rightwards at its end to reach the ledge system below. Traverse the ledges rightwards and, either abseil down Pyramid, or reverse the route all the way back to just above the short corner of section 1.
From here, make 4 x 45m abseils from bolted belays down to the glacier. © Rockfax