Rockfax Description
III, 650m. A classic route taking an amazing line - just look up from Chamonix town centre at sunset and you will instantly want to climb this. The West Face of the Charmoz catches the evening sun and the Cordier Pillar is the prominent line. It is an alpine route and all the belays are on pegs. It is advisable to carry some spare tat to potentially back some of these up if they are looking worse for wear.
Two possible starts depending on glacial conditions:
1) 6a+. The traditional start follows a crack system up to a ledge and then a steep finger crack up to easier ground above in 3 rope lengths.
1a) 4c. Start higher up the glacier on a ramp system that trends leftwards, first up broken ground then up a spur left of a depression to easier ground in 2 rope lengths.
2) 6a. From the back of the easier ledges, move left and then right again to climb cracks up a right-trending groove line for two pitches. This takes you to easier ground.
3) 4c. Trend up and right across ledges to a crack system on the right-hand pillar.
4) 5a. Follow the crack system up for 2 -3 rope lengths until past several pegs until a corner/depression leads out to the left, splitting the face.
5) 6a+. Climb across the diagonal corner system to where easier ground leads to a large system of corners heading straight up the face.
6) 6a. Follow the corner-crack system for 3-4 rope lengths passing many pegs. Eventually, you will hit a small roof, pass this on the left to easier ground.
7) 5c. Once on slabbier ground, look out for a large flake crack on the left and follow this up, passing two distinctive parallel flakes on the right before moving back to another flake crack on the left. Follow this to a large ledge system.
8) 3a. Follow the ledge system up and right for 60m to meet blocky ground above.
9) 4a. Follow the easiest ground up through the blocky ground for 2-3 rope lengths to reach a chimney system.
10) 5b. Climb the chimney to the top of a vague pillar.
11) 6a. Climb the finger crack above.
12) 5c. Climb an easier crack above to gain the base of a wide crack.
13) 6b. Climb the wide crack. Bigger gear can be useful.
14) 5a. Climb the corner above exiting right.
15) 3c. Easier ground leads to the summit ridge and then another rope length can lead to the summit itself. © Rockfax

UKC Logbook Description
An awesome climb, following a series of interesting cracks to a two-thrid height ledge. From here you have some of the best climbing of your life to the top, from finger-locking to off-widthing, every kind of perfect jamming can be experience.

****!

Addison, Cordier, Fagard and Jouty 06/Jul/1970.

Ticklists

ROCKFAX Chamonix: Top 50 , Big Routes , Alpine Grande Courses , Alpine Dreamz , Big Alpine Routes , Nick and Tom's awesome Ticklist , Road to the Walker Spur , BMC - Easier Classics in the Mont Blanc Range , TM Alps

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