Rockfax Description
II, 200m, 2 - 3 hours. This delightful traverse which is best done from north to south. It can be done the other way but that involves climbing to the south summit first and this section is quite dangerous and prone to rock fall now.
1) From the Col de Rochefort, follow the North East ridge mostly on the south side.
2) 4b. From where the North East and South ridges intersect, climb a 20m steeper section of ridge on the right (4b) to gain the summit. There is usually abseil tat to allow the final moves to be descended safely.
3) Go back to the intersection and follow the South ridge to the brèche before the south summit, passing some gendarmes.
4) At the brèche locate the fixed abseil point and make a 30m abseil (or several short ones) down the gully on the right to take you to the glacier and a short 30 min walk will get you back to the Helbronner. © Rockfax
UKC Logbook Description
Ascend south ridge, descend east ridge.
Ticklists
Alps 2023 , BMC - Easier Classics in the Mont Blanc Range , Summer easier alpine
Feedback
| User | Date | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan2013 | 10 Jul |
Show βeta
βeta: All parties now climbing north to south - starting further from the hut and heading back towards it. Follow the well worn ridge throughout, a couple of sections that might need to be pitched depending on ability, 1 abseil needed. After this there is an anchor where some abseil off, at this point it’s possible to extend the route slightly (full traverse?) which is well worth it. Head left around the corner from the abseil point and follow the bolts. One pitch is marginally harder than all previous, perhaps severe, 2 cams will get you up it (red and yellow) one more abseil and you can scramble down the rest of the route to meet the glacier. | ||
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Show beta
βeta: All parties now climbing north to south - starting further from the hut and heading back towards it. Follow the well worn ridge throughout, a couple of sections that might need to be pitched depending on ability, 1 abseil needed. After this there is an anchor where some abseil off, at this point it’s possible to extend the route slightly (full traverse?) which is well worth it. Head left around the corner from the abseil point and follow the bolts. One pitch is marginally harder than all previous, perhaps severe, 2 cams will get you up it (red and yellow) one more abseil and you can scramble down the rest of the route to meet the glacier. |
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| chris smith | 16 Sep, 2021 |
Show βeta
βeta: Did it front right to left, some serious amounts of loose rock until you get to the middle (alternative start) be careful | βeta? | |
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Show beta
βeta: Did it front right to left, some serious amounts of loose rock until you get to the middle (alternative start) be careful |
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| Mark Brand | 23 Jul, 2019 |
Show βeta
βeta: Climbing S to N, then you can also climb the gully marked in the rockfax topo as an alternate start - there's a bolted belay at the bottom of it, and following the obvious line of weakness to the right felt about HVS/5a to me, and leads a solid belay on the ridge. Would strongly recommend against the original start without a lot more snow it's certainly not "easy mixed" terrain at the moment, it looked more like a fragile slope of dry, desperate choss. | ||
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Show beta
βeta: Climbing S to N, then you can also climb the gully marked in the rockfax topo as an alternate start - there's a bolted belay at the bottom of it, and following the obvious line of weakness to the right felt about HVS/5a to me, and leads a solid belay on the ridge. Would strongly recommend against the original start without a lot more snow it's certainly not "easy mixed" terrain at the moment, it looked more like a fragile slope of dry, desperate choss. |
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| GOS | 20 Jul, 2019 |
Show βeta
βeta: Most do it north to south. If south to north the ascent gully is loose low down and is safer with a good snow cover. At the second gendarme don't go from high ledge up to that.. instead down climb the corner. Else you have to abseil off far side into a loose (if dry) gully | ||
|
Show beta
βeta: Most do it north to south. If south to north the ascent gully is loose low down and is safer with a good snow cover. At the second gendarme don't go from high ledge up to that.. instead down climb the corner. Else you have to abseil off far side into a loose (if dry) gully |
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Les Courtes Traverse
Grade: AD 2 ***
(Les Courtes)