Aiguille Rouges

New to climbing in the Alps? Want to improve your skills but feel the routes here are all A5 , 8a+, run-out, avalanche-prone, big, gnarly, death routes? Well fear not, dear novice… Below is a little information that will help you choose some easy multi-pitch routes in the Valley and give you some good crag areas to start climbing when a) the weather is poor up high or b) when you don’t feel like a big route but still want to climb. Most of the routes below are rock oriented, and some mixed. There are also several easy mountaineering routes here in the Valley, but they are too numerous to detail here.

Its first worth noting that no, you don’t have to be Wolfgang Gullich or Ueli Steck to do some really fun and beautiful routes here. Most people who will come to Cham to start their mountain climbing here probably are not 100% utter beginners, and they may have had some experience in climbing at the indoor wall or done some cragging (either single or multi-pitch.) * There are even routes in Cham that are completely bolted (to the joy of some and the disconsolation of others…)

*If you are completely and truly new to climbing, a bigger and committing route is not where you should start unless you actually like, and seek out mental trauma. If you are indeed a total newbie, try going either to a local wall or a local small crag with a knowledgeable and experienced friend or join a course. You’ll need to know how to belay and some basic safety info before getting your teeth into anything outdoors or bigger. If in doubt, go with a friend who has more experience than you and take it conservatively to help avoid potential epics.

A good way to start, if you are visiting here, is to try on your first day some multi-pitches at a local crag like Le Gailland, with its park atmosphere and interesting gneiss rock (Don’t swim in the lake. Apparently there are eels in it.) Or, if you like slabs, try Vallorcine. There are several routes here that have a couple pitches or more, and that are well bolted and available in a range of grades. These kinds of routes can help you iron out any kinks or slow parts between you and your partner that will become painfully obvious on longer routes… (things like: swapping leads, organising your rappells, rope tangles, etc.) The sooner you make sure you can organise your ropework quickly, the sooner bigger and more fun routes are open to you. (A terrific book with useful tips on improving your efficiency and speed in the hills is the Mountaineer’s series’ ‚ÄúAlpine techniques to take you Higher‚Äù by Kathy Cosley and Mark Houston. Also ‚ÄúFreedom of the Hills‚Äù or even better, The Climbing Handbook by Fyfe et al. Explains everything you ever wanted to know about ropework and technique but were embarassed to ask. Rebuffats 100 best climbs in the Mont Blanc area is gorgeous and gives some great ideas on routes as well.)

The south facing Aiguille Rouges side is a good side of the valley to start on, as it is often in the sun and is usually bolted. As some of the routes are more run out, it is a great place to start working on placing your trad gear in a safe way (if it all blows, you still have a bolt nearby, and the belays/abseils are often bolted as well.) Routes like Index have some bolts and pins / pitons and are a good way of learning how to use natural protection as a way of moving quickly. You can also place a bit of gear here and there. There are also some routes on the face of L’Index but they are a bit loose at the top, so be aware of moving rock. Also the Traverse Crichues is a good beginners route, and although harder to find and not bolted, it an easy intro to the style of climbing here ‚Äì and the descent through the snowfield and lunch at the Lac Blanc makes for a great day out. Also, Barberine, just past Vallorcine also has a beautiful multipitch slab crag and a variety of fab routes.

Good routes that you can also practise trad on are on the Aiguille de Gliere (Manu Puliti and Nez Rouges, mostly bolted, save for a couple gear placements if you want, and both go at about f5+). If you are feeling good and moving quickly on the routes, Chapel de Gliere is fun and has an exciting airy ridge (The route is somewhat long, though, so you’ve got to be fairly quick with your climbing and ropework.)

Around the valley there are loads of great areas that are a bit farther afield. It helps to have access to a car to get to lesser climbed routes like the Dalle D’Amone…

Once you are confident on these routes, then you might want to try some routes on the North Facing side of the Valley (the Mont Blanc Side.) Roues like Aiguille De L’M are great beginner / improver routes. (Note the classic route on L’M can be polished and is a long walk in.) Other routes that are great are Nabot Leon on the Blaitiere (approaching from the Midi mid station, you pass the Blaitiere and double back on yourself as there is frequent rockfall if you approach directly ‚Äì if in doubt, ask at the maison de Montagne for them to show you on a map.) Nabot Leon has fun flakes and a jungle-gym style with the hardest move (at a bolt) as a 6a /+.

If you want to go up higher, the Cosmiques Arrette is one of the most beautiful classic mixed climbs you can find. The views are stunning. You must be competent in crampons and know how to self-arrest with your axe, etc. The route is a lot of walking a scrambling on good quality rock with a few harder climbing moves done in crampons (the only “hard” move is near the end, and is about a f5 but offers a big bolt and a sling ladder if you want to use it.)

Tips:

‚Ä¢Older Alpine Grades are often harder than you would think. Rebuffat Routes and older grades from the Michel Piola guides can be under graded by a good amount. Newer Piola routes and routes in the Aiguille Rouges often feel more generous. What is comfortable for you on a single pitch at Stanage will feel very different with a pack, at altitude, after a longer walk-in and amongst several pitches. We’ve seen 7c climbers here fall off of 6cs. A lot, come to think of it.

•Work on your ropework and efficiency and speed (in a safe, redundant way, of course!)

•Have a working knowledge of basic elements like abseils and multi-pitch skills. If you are crossing glaciers, know about Glacier travel and crevasse rescue. If you are climbing in Winter or at a time where there is an avalanche risk, take a transceiver, shovel and probe and know how to use them before you actually need to use them.

•Often finding the start of a climb is one of the hardest parts of the day. Allow time for this and know how to read a map and use a compass (which is a useful skill anyways.)

‚Ä¢Don’t be afraid to ask local climbers for advice on routes and conditions (but take what they say with a grain of salt, don’t ask the local piss-head or the area’s ego-maniac if you can help it.) The Maison de Montagne staff are knowledgable and very helpful.

‚Ä¢Don’t blindly trust in-situ gear like slings and pitons. They have been know to fail. Check it and don’t be afraid to leave behind a nut, sling or tat if you are in doubt as your life is worth more than ¬£10.

•Find out the weather report – in summer, afternoon thunder storms can come in quickly and lightning takes lives each year. If you are caught out abseiling on a wet rope, remember it is as attractive to lightning as a hairpin and electric socket are to a two year old.

•Find out about routes near to your climb so you can recognise if you get off route or if you have a problem and need an alternative or escape option.

•Learn the means of descent and any alternative descent / escape options (e.g.abseiling off nearby routes or trails or paths close by.)

‚Ä¢Don’t rely on Mountain rescue to save your butt. Try to be self-reliant and make good decisions, even if you are epic-ing. Calling out a rescue costs a lot of time and money and takes the rescuers away from someone who might be dying. (Of course if you are actually in the process of dying, or are pretty sure it might happen shortly, then please ignore last point…)

•Look at the kind of climbing specified in your topo- if it is 6a continuous cracks on trad gear, then it will be a LOT harder than a 6a jug-fest. This is especially true near the Envers hut.

•Easier and popular routes can get crowded. If you go early, you are less likely to have to wait in a queue

‚Ä¢Having a couple of different guidebooks will be useful as sometimes one will omit important or changed info and sometimes the grades disagree. You can always bring a photocopy of the topo so you don’t have to lug books in your pack.

•If in doubt, always be safe and redundant in every situation. And take your apprenticeship in the mountains conservatively and prudently. Your mum will thank you.

 

Routes to start on:

Gailland crags

L’Index- the ridge

Grand Floria (Bolted, some are a little run out but bolts are almost always in the places you need it.)

Try in order of difficulty: Athena, Sentier Lumineux, Robin Wood, and la Lampe D’allardin (with a fun 6a+ crux) You can walk off but its a great place to work on your efficiency mutli-pitch abseiling. You can sometimes jump over to other routes if you want to avoid a pitch, just be aware of getting in the way of others

And Neighbouring on Floria:

Asia (5+) If that is too easy and you’re feeling strong. There is a also Fraise de Boatches (6a?), and the exhilerating Neiges de Kilamanjero (spicy second pitch- technical and not easy but well bolted.)

Frisson Roche on the face of Brevent. (Well bolted, 5/5+, with 2 pitches of 6a well protected. Final pitch is one of the most lovely corners in the world and the walk off is 5 minutes to the telecabine. Can get crowded.

Cosmique Arrete (must be comfortable on Crampons and know self arrests etc….) – Trad, occasional bolts and pitons and bolted abseils.

Aiguille De L’M (trad- classic route. Long walk in and is now a bit polished but fun.)

Nabot Leon on the Blaitiere (mostly bolted, you might want to bring some cams/aliens and slings.)

Arrette de papillion on the Peigne – One of the most gorgeous and fun routes in the Valley- very exposed and airy in places but generally not too gard climbing. About f5+ trad. Note that the only escape is after the letterbox section, so be aware of time and the weather. Abseil and scramble descent then cross a small glacier/snowfield.
Dalle D/Amone (the Amone Slab) in Val Ferret. 6A+. can be run out but if you like slabs this is a classic. Walk off from the top.

Tcaio Godillo in the Col du Colombiere (f6a be aware when you abseil that the rappells are on a different route next to yours and that the limestone has sharp ridges sharp in places.)

Crags: There are loads of great crags around. Check out – Gaillands, Vallorcine, Bouldering near the Cremerie at Grands Montets and at Les Bossons, Le Fayet. Harder crags include: Foron, Pont des Gets, and Gietroz. Great for a day when its not great up high.

Harder but great routes:

Rebuffat on the Eperon of the Midi (6a+ roof has a piton and a sling usually. Finish on the Cosmiques arrete. The rest is about a f5 / 5+. The start has changed due to the lower snow line and begin often to the left along a series of crumbly ledges for about 10 metres.

Rebuffat on the Sud Face of the Midi (The direct start is a lot harder now as the glacier level is lower. Many start to the right of the roof near the Contamines start and traverse. Short abseil onto viewing deck of the midi station.)