UKC

Griffith and Steck - Les DrusFri Night Vid

© Jon Griffith / Alpine Exposures
Following on from our UKC News report last week, now we have a short video from Jon Griffith about his ascent of the Lesueur (with variation exit).

Jon has commented on his blog about this route and the reports following his and Ueli Steck's ascent:

"Quick short video about climbing the Lesueur with variation exit last week. I stated twice very very explicitly on my report that we did a variation exit so a comment that I was claiming something false is a bit unfair. I fully understand the importance of honesty and I think anything that I write I am very mindful of that. Anything which is even slightly controversial I shy away from (our 'fast' ascent of the Cassin this year for example). I climb for myself and the pleasure that I get from taking shots in these amazing locations, and sharing them with other like minded people. 

It was a real joy to climb with Ueli on such a route and to watch him free the cruxes of it. I'm sorry if somehow this offended anyone but I didn't gloss over our route choice or try and hide anything in my report. The full Lesueur summer route has yet to be climbed in winter free, but then parts of it have fallen down and the original line is definitely not what people have climbed in winter in the past. Being a summer line it naturally favours the rock and avoids any ice or mixed gully systems. It is logical in my eyes to chose the line of least resistance in winter as we did it in winter - it is not logical to avoid a mixed chimney and favour a steep rock wall to the side of it. However as I explicitly said in my report we did traverse out early from the route thus missing some upper mixed pitches. 

In any case maybe just watch the video for what it is and remember I'm not paid to do this stuff. It's a short video with some nice winter climbing on it. Regardless of any claims, enjoy it for that at least."


Ueli Steck is sponsored by various companies including Mountain Hardwear , Scarpa , Petzl , Beal

Jon Griffith is a professional mountain photographer - see his work on Alpine Exposures

 


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28 Jan, 2012
excellent climb and a top vid Jon, well done.
30 Jan, 2012
I like it, I'm sure many people would have found it daunting knowing they have to keep up with the Swiss Machine!
30 Jan, 2012
Ironic that neither of the two most recent parties on this route had a topo handy on the leftward traverse across the terrace! Following the nose leads into the gully and to the brèche. One party hadn't planned this route at all and had being following the nose from the lower Allain terrace. "What's that? Looks amazing, let's do that!" It follows the most incredible line of weakness for fourteen long pitches from terrace to terrace, cutting through steep compact granite. There's only one way to go here. The stone is perfect, the protection is perfect, the angle is steep, the position is mind-blowing. I'm sure that it will be a modern mixed classic, as long as the Dru doesn't fall down... It was the second week of December with one brand new head-torch packed in soon after Montenvers slowing things down. Traversing the terrace in the dark with one LED and no topo was only ever going to lead the easiest way, the "North Couloir Finish." Too bad as this missed out what I should have proposed as a True Finish. That's the way you would go if you set out in winter to climb an independent line to the right of the North Couloir, with no knowledge of existing routes. All the climbing is on the Petit Dru so the natural summit would be the Petit Dru.
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