Chamonix
Back to Chamonix! This time around we had our eyes on some bigger and more involved routes. The main goal was to build up our ability to move quickly together in the mountains for an upcoming Patagonia trip, and tick off some fun climbs while doing it. In typical fashion, Jeff and I were roped up on the first climb only a few hours after I landed in Geneva. We started with a “warmup” on the Arete des Papillons, a 250m climb rated 5c/D+ a short hike from the Midi mid station. By the book its 16 pitches, but between linking and simulclimbing I think we did it in about 4. Once we got to the top, Jeff suggested continuing on to Aiguiille du Peigne normal route, which would be another 350m up to 4c. Of course we kept on moving up and summited with incredible views of Cham as well as the north face of Midi, our objective for the next day.
We settled in for a bivy below the north face of Midi, and after just a couple hours of sleep that was occasionally interrupted by rockfall, we woke up and headed up the Frendo Spur. This route is absolutely massive, around 1200m of vert, with rock pitches up to ~5c, plenty of steep simulclimbing terrain, a beautiful knife edge snow arete, and several hundred meters of steep snow and ice to the top. This route absolutely blasted me, between jetlag and a lack of sleep, the altitude, a crampon that kept falling off, and of course the climb itself. But we made it, and after a few beers at the hut I was ready to go for the next day!
After some much needed rest at the Cosmique hut, we teamed up with our friend Mark to try the Swiss route on the Grand Capucin. Almost every pitch of this route was great. Steep and sustained, and on perfect granite, this route is a must-do. Unless you are stronger and want to hop on the Bonatti-Ghigo!
Now that we were acclimatized, we took on Mont Blanc itself. But the easier normal route wasn’t really our style, so we decided to climb the Kuffner Arete on Mont Maudit, link it up with the upper half of the Trois Mont route on Mont Blanc, and head down the opposite side of the mountain to the Grands Mulets Hut for beers and food and a bed for the night. This made for a pretty big day, with lots of fun climbing, incredible views, and a bit of slogging :)
We rounded out the trip with great food and drinks in town, and some fun multi pitch sport climbing at Vallorcine. Couldn’t ask for more!
