Les Tropiques - Maladiere

 

Maladiere in the Valléé de l'Arve

A superb crag thanks to its airy climbing on numerous long routes on generally excellent, well-featured, and grippy limestone. The atmosphere is heightened by the rappel access, which is particularly steep if you approach from Les Tropiques. Sun shines from mid-morning (earlier on Divine Comedy and Cassonade, later to the right of Vade Retro Satanas) until late in the day, even in winter. The cliff dries quickly, except for a few rare seepages, and some routes dry very quickly after rain: Cassonade exit via Gillopettro, Indiana Jaune, Le Temple du Soleil, Cobra-Cabana, Noli Me Tangere, also Vade Retro and No Angel with sun on the first pitch. 

There is a possible "rescue" route to ascend in case of a failed attempt on Eclipse at Noli Me Tangere: reach the large cave of Dante's Inferno, descend directly below it, then to the right, and ascend below the Petite Maladière (beware: steep grassy slopes)

The rock wall is one of the best in the valley for multi pitch sport climbing considering the easy approach. My favorit routes are Indiana Jaune, Vade Retro and Les Tropiques, which now is re-equipped with a fixed stainless steel bolts in 2018. Pitch 3 is a bit trilled bolted, easy to miss the 4th to 5th bolt. It's a no fall zone sort of...

Approach for Les Tropiques

les Tropiques

Take D6, the parking is on the left just after passing la Frasse village. Follow the trail uphill towards "Pointe de Chevran". At the first fork, take the left-hand trail towards "Saint-Jean". Always stay on the uphill trail. After about 20 minutes, you'll reach a fork where the trail is almost level. Continue to the left. At the next fork, take the left-hand trail (yellow arrow painted on a tree)

The path climbs a little further and then descends. Look for a wood sign with Tropiques on it The rappels are located on a ledge very close to the trail, some 15m

Heads up for the second rappel which really need no less than 50m ropes! Otherwise the rappels are straight and easy pull on the ropes and you end up at the very start of Tropiques

(30 minutes approach +/-)

Route

L1 6a+ 35m Pitch ascending left, typical slab with a small crimp in the first part. Some fragile rock in the small roof.

L2 5a 30m Pitch traversing left, passing a bulge that is easier to the left of the bolts. Finish on the ledge, watch out for loose rock.

L3 6a+ 40m Superb pitch, climb the obvious dihedral then traverse under a roof to the left to reach the crack.

L4 4b A short pitch of 15m, traverse right a little, obvious sort of. Belay at some small trees.

L5 A0 / 6a or 7c free. 15m First part traverses left to a good ledge, then joins the A0 section which is easily passed on 5 bolts, after the last bolt a slab move with good handholds to reach the belay above the tree.                                                                                                                                              

 

L6 6a+ 30m Pitch ascending left with a nice crack section.

L7 6b 35m Beautiful pitch, still ascending, with several delicate moves and an awkward rest, finishing in grass to reach the ledge. 

 

L8 2 10m Traverse right on the ledge to reach the last pitch of "L'Écho des Savanes" (Echo of the Savannahs). The original 5a finish is abandoned.

 L9 5c+ 25m Average rock in the second part; be sure to move right after the bolt in the wall.  A small slab above leads to the top.

 

Equipment

2x50m ropes, 14 QD's, some extra slings for the belays

Route history

Michel Piola & Pascal Strappazzon in 1991

Re-equipped with a fixed stainless steel bolt by Michel Piola in 2018 with route modifications 

Arrow showing the rappel

The rappel anchor

Pilier Brand - Solalex

 Here you can find 2 quite remote and beautiful routes on a wild pillar of the South of the les Diablerets

The approach is possible from both Sion and Derborence 1464m and via Martigny, Gryon and Solalex

le Pilier to the right
Red line Tchieu c't'équipe

 From Solalex traverse the Anzeinde plateau and continue towards the Pas de Creville. A little before the col head up the scree slopes to the left towards the lowest point of the pillar on the 2464 side. The routes begins on the middle of the spur, to the left of the big dihedral. The 1st spits on both routes are quite high. To the right of the spur begins the classique "Pilier Brand"starts to the right.

The routes are true opposites regarding protection.

The new route Tchieu c't'équipe is well bolted and the classique Pilier would need a good number of cams and nuts, this one has a few bolts where needed and to show the way sort of.

I can tell it was very interesting and engaging to lead with only the bolts in place as protection...

Pilier Brand Pitch 4

Iconic run outs!!

Route description

Pilier Brand - voie classique

Engaging climbing that can be found difficult to protect well. Expect some run outs but always good belays!

L1 5b First bolt is quite high, can be difficult to see. Upwards, left / right to a good ledge.

L2 6a+ 45m Up some delicate slabs to a piton, then up the corner system with an other serie of bolts high up.

L3 6a+ Straight up some loose looking corner, stay to the right on the slabs, up to a steep section ( well protected) to a belay out to the left

L4 Good start up some beautiful slabs then a corner/layback system up to the base of a big ledge system with a lot of loose rock

Move the belay over the ledges to the single bolt

L5 Up the crack system, some loos rock 

L6 More slabs

L7 Slabs to the summit

Rappel down the same line

Equipment

2x50m Rope

8-10 QD's

Good selection of cams to BD 4

a set of mid size nuts

Anna enjoying life on "Pilier Brand"

Forcing the chimney P7 of Tchieu c't'équipe

Tchieu c't'équipe

Modern climbing, well protected

L1 6a 45 m Take the left side of a large dihedral which deviates to the left. Then cross to the right by an easy ledge between roofs to reach the belay on the spur.

L2 6A+ 40 m A little right up grooves then on the left (slabs) to the belay. In the middle of the pitch, a spit line leaves to the right to reach the path of the Brand pillar.

L3 6A 30 m Short beautiful pitch up cannelures. Belay on a ledge.

L4 6A 30 m Short pitch rightwards, belay at a small ledge below the big roofs.

L5 6b+ or 6A/A0 45 m First fairly easy on some slabs the left and then crossing right to a small arête. 

A few meters up then rightwards over the roof to arrive at the belay (A0 possible).

L6 6A 45 m Interesting and solid climbing, again well protected. 14 bolts

L7 6B 45 m grooves at the start then big crack before an extraordinary outing in opposition in a large air chimney. Optional belay to the right on the sortie of the chimney (allows you to see the second climber), Descend from here or from the descent belay on the other side, on lookers left of the chimney.

Equipment

2x50m rope

14 QD's

P6 of Tchieu c't'équipe

Take care about the cows...

 Weissmeiss Arete Nord

Approach

* From the Bergrestaurant Hohsaas (3140 m), follow the marked path that climbs towards the E along the Geissrücken. Around 3200 m the path ends; advancing as best you can in the scree (tracks, cairns), go around the upper part of the Geissrücken on the right (S slope). Set foot on the glacier around 3300 m and, via a slightly marked pass, reach the Hohlaubgletscher. Cross the rocky slope from p.3572m (cairn, not very visible at night) and, via an ascending traverse towards the NE, reach the Lagginjoch (3499 m, last meters on unstable rock). Approx. 1 hour.

* From the Weissmieshütte (2726 m), follow the path that leads to Hohsaas up to around 3000 m. From there, climb in an E direction in the scree (tracks) until reaching the Holaubgletscher, which you climb as best you can (crevasses) to the Lagginjoch (3499 m, last meters on unstable rock). 2h

N Ridge 3-5h

From Lagginjoch, attack the ridge first from the E side then follow the ridge while staying on the edge as much as possible. The slightly steep start leads to the slab in 4, protected at its foot by a piton and a bolt, in the slab there are a total of 2 bolts, a bar and a red friend stuck in a crack 1 m to the right of the edge. You then easily reach a antecime from which the ridge becomes more tapered. 

Start of the Arete

The route is still long and the climb remains steep, many passages from III to III+, often on small exposed slabs. Follow the ridge as easy as possible or go around certain teeth, several descents equipped with rings (useless rappels). The crampon marks help to remove doubts about the route. With the IV slab at the beginning, only one other passage is equipped, a sort of 1 meter wide slab (2 bolts) which leads to the top of a small tooth, 2 pitons at the back of this summit (observations of 12.09.22). Finally we reach the snowy ridge which we follow without difficulty to the summit.

Approche

* Du Bergrestaurant Hohsaas (3140 m), suivre le sentier balisé qui monte vers l'E le long du Geissrücken. Vers 3200 m le sentier s'arrête ; en avançant au mieux dans les éboulis (traces, cairns), contourner la partie supérieure du Geissrücken par la droite (versant S). Prendre pied sur le glacier vers 3300 m et, en passant par un col peu marqué, atteindre le Hohlaubgletscher. Franchir la côte

 rocheuse issue du p.3572m (cairn, peu visible la nuit) et, par une traversée ascendante vers le NE, atteindre le Lagginjoch (3499 m, derniers mètres en rocher instable). Env. 1h.

* De la Weissmieshütte (2726 m), suivre le sentier qui mène à Hohsaas jusqu'à environ 3000 m. De là, monter en direction E dans les éboulis (traces) jusqu'à atteindre le Holaubgletscher, que l'on remonte au mieux (crevasses) jusqu'au Lagginjoch (3499 m, derniers mètres en rocher instable). 2h

Jack Roseland on the Weissmeiss arête 

Arête N 3-5h

Du Lagginjoch attaquer l'arête d'abord par le côté E puis suivre l'arête en restant au maximum sur le fil. Le début peu soutenu mène à la dalle en 4, protégée à son pied par un piton et un spit, dans la dalle il y a au total 2 spits, une barre et un friend rouge coincé dans une fissure 1 m à droite du fil. On rejoint alors sans difficulté une antécime à partir de laquelle l'arête devient plus effilée. La course est encore longue et la grimpe reste soutenue, de nombreux passages de III à III+, souvent sur de petites dalles expo. Suivre l'arête au plus facile ou contourner certaines dents, plusieurs désescalades équipées d'anneaux (rappels inutiles). Les traces de crampons permettent de lever les doutes concernant l'itinéraire. Avec la dalle en IV du début un seul autre passage est équipé, une sorte de dalle d'1 mètre de large (2 spits) qui mène au sommet d'une petite dent, 2 pitons à l'arrière de ce sommet (constatations du 12.09.22). 
Au final on atteint l'arête neigeuse qu'on suit sans difficulté jusqu'au sommet. 

Jack Roseland on the summit after 3hours of climbing. 

Krister Jonsson
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Alpinemadness.se