Rockfax Description
III, 200m. An excellent alternative finish to the Peigne Normal Route or Papillons Arête. There are numerous variations on the route but this is the most commonly climbed way. There is some fixed gear here and there, but count on building your own belays. Follow the Peigne Normal Route to Brèche 3043m, climb along the ridge crest for 20m up some fun cracks (4b) and then step right onto a large ledge. This is where this route and the Peigne Normal Route separate.
1) 4c. Drift right across ever-steepening and well-featured terrain to a ledge 10m below the ridge crest.
2) 4c. Climb straight up to a notch in the ridge.
3) 5a. Traverse rightwards across a slab and up a short corner to an excellently positioned belay ledge.
4) 5b. Step left into a steep corner and grunt up this to reach another scenic ledge.
5) 5a. Follow a narrow ledge out right to a corner. Climb this and scramble onto a block covered ledge beneath the Lépiney Crack.
6) 5c. If such a thing is possible, the Lépiney Crack is both famous and infamous. What is not in doubt is that it is difficult and extremely traditional in nature - this is one for the granite thug rather than the sport climbing athlete, and it has been the scene of many a humbling! Start by climbing up the wide crack leftwards until a bolt on the left leads to an 8m traverse to the left and easier ground to the summit.
Descent - As for Peigne Normal Route - p.230. © Rockfax

UKC Logbook Description
The description here and in the guide for the Lepiney crack is significantly incorrect.

At the bolt, after the first crack (the Lepiney crack), traverse left for 8m then continue right up a crack. The route does not go right from the bolt.

Pierre Dalloz, Jacques and Tom De Lepiney 11/Aug/1922.

Ticklists

Alpine Dreamz

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