Just made for Rock climbing!
The last week---s has been more then strange for this parts of the world
During the time that the Etats Unis - more know as USA, has had some of the coldest weather since the -40ties, with even the Niagra falls starting to freeze up!
No elephants, still, but sure enough a lot of the sunny stuff
Europe and the Alps has had very annoying temperature changes from cold to warm. Making the thin snowpack even more unstable and a lot of casulties
So, the best way to stay out of trouble would just be to ski among rocks, or even better, climb the vertical stuff.
Said and done, Balme it was. Three days, three routes
Picking Balme as the goal isn't to facile since the approach is made between 10 second to 10 minutes
Staring up with an easy, and a little jardine route wise, the Angle d´Attaque, 7a, 210m of variated climbing.
Printemps an Balme
This is very recommendable route! Good bolts, good belays on good rock. 12 QD´s and a couple of spare biners and 2x50m ropes
Good stuff on Angle d´Attaque
Next one, a little harder at 8a, Duel. A five pitch fight hop the central of the rock face.
With the first 2 ones a little easier as a warm up. And the a pure fight for most of it.
So a little more realistic grade for me was 7a/A0…#herrejävlarsstenhårt
Topo of DUEL, 8a 5pitch - Balme
Warm and happy…!
No3, a "modern" classic - "Punks Not Dead" 6b and also 5 pitches. On perfect rock and with a nice enjoyable distance between the old bolts. So don't bother bringing 2 many quickdraws!
Pitch 1 on "Punks"
Friday 10 of January and +12degrees celsius, what a joke!
But on the other hand, I guess that is what makes this area massif du mont blanc/les Aravis such a great place!
Belle belle
Just to make it a little more interesting I found out a little variation with a new bolted line. No idea of name or grade, but what a junkyard! Stay away in my opinion!
If you by chance find a hold that stays, KEEP to IT!
So after a middle pitch of this catastrophe we pendeled back to the Punk one. Taking old bolts better then loose holds
Anna enjoying vertical steep rock
Third and fourth pitches of Punk is both very beautiful climbing on solid rock and this day sunny and warm as well. And as always, very uncrowded…
January in the Alps!
Finally, as everything has an end. Second last pitch and the little section of wet, it was wet!! bye passed and the summit fever made entrance! ;.)
Anna on pitch 4 of Punks not Dead
This route has all new anchors and new bolts on pitch 4. Otherwise its the only issue on this one, you should be ok with the grade or just have a goldfish memory about the bolts. Overall, its a great climb as most of the Balme ones
Trudd i lutt
Rock on and look out for the next snowfall!
Equipment
2x50m ropes, 10-14 QD´s, 2-3 extra biners and some company
//Ensamhet är det pris man får betala för att slippa sällskap…by the way
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