Presles - a south facing vertical limestone dream for mulipitching

 

 

It's warm, it's steep and the 6b...is just a grade.

After a loong week with rain, rain and more rain the only reasonable plan was to head south, to get some decent sun on the skin. After a no from our premium plan, Italy. Cause of a closed hut, we quickly rearranged in the hallway and headed for Presles in the heart of Vercors.

 

At an altitude of 800+ it's low enough to stay warm during most of the year. During the summer it most be way to hot, specially since the limestone walls are mostly south facing.

The village of Presles is very picturesque and very small. If you don't step on break in time, you will miss it!

Le chez Ezéo, the small "restaurant" in the village performs great Coffey and after climb beer. Don't miss the béer rouge Belgique!

Chez Ezéo, Presles, always velcome, if it's not to close to closing that would be...

To give any advice regarding the climbs is difficile, mots of the climbs are 3* and above. But, take care of reading about when the routes are put up and by who. The "bomb" signs in the topo "Escalade a Presles" made by Dominique Duhaut is very accurate, even though the pictures leaves a lot for the mind

For hot mid days or afternoons a ballade to the village of Pont en Royans is a nice one, with it's hanging houses. It also has some good fishing right in town.

And, some very good restaurants and bakerys

Having a good time on Temps de Guenilles, 6b+

Anna fighting on 7a at Singes en L'hiver

 

For the camping, either stay in the hostel of Chez Ezèo, about 12€/night, or wild camping is an other option. But, take care of where you amp and stay"low profile" since there has been many disputes with some of the local habitants. Just to keep it climbable for the future

 

Bazaar de Jazz Et bier

 

Otherwhise, looking for a great place to climb multi pitch routes on steep limestone, no reason not to go to Presles. It's a great place, at least if you dont care to much about the grading, cause its a little bit hardish...

Free camp and stay low

 

 

Le Chrysanthèmes, a nice route if you forgett the first pitches and focus on the rest. But an advice is also to take a short cut and climb the last pitch variation to the right at the top

 

You need/Equipment

50m rope, 2x50 if you rappel, 12-14QD's, 2 free biners and a sling for most of the belays, a lot of chalk...

For some of the routes a smaller set of stoppers and some cams are useful

Bring extra cord for the Belays, to start changing the old cords (remember to bring the old stuff home)

Time to go

March to June, September to November

//"När det är tyst och stilla som marken, hörs dånet av ett rytande högt genom rymden..."

 

Fly what you climb...!

Berner Oberland Eiger trip

Eiger, kanske det mest mytomspunna berget i hela Alperna. Dess 3970 meter höga topp bestegs första gången 1858, 11 augusti, via västryggen

Men den brutala och 1800 meter höga Nordwand fick vänta till 1938. Vilket föregicks av många och dramatiska försök...för en komplett historia rekommenderas Vita Spindeln - the White Spider

Arete Mittellegi från Mittellegi hutte

En modern klassisk led är annars via Mittellegi arêten som nås via Eismeer glaciären från Jungfraubahn stationen inne i berget! En ytterst spektakulär anmarsch i sig självt

Sommarens sista alpina klättertur?!

Efter att vi värmt upp med en tur på aig. du Midi och fått en bra acklimatiserings dag så hystade vi oss iväg bil ledes via Martigny och Interlaken till Grindelwald. Efter lite ompackning så satt vi slutligen på tåget som skulle ta oss upp till Kleine Scheideeg och Eismeer stationen, som via fönster rutorna ger en inblick i vad som väntar

Vy från Eismeer stn. Hyttan ligger högt upp vänster i bild

 

Varifrån man sedan tunnlar sig ut på glaciären och gör en ytterst spexig anmarsch upp till Mittellegi hyttan. Som är rätt utsatt bara den!

Anmarsch ut mot Eismeer, kom ihåg att slå på lyset!

Efter en trivsam eftermiddag/kväll med en utbra middag så väntar ett par timmars sömn innan den obligatoriska alpina frukosten 04:15, punktligt på Schweiziskt manér. Solnedgången över Mittellegi, Eiger och de kringliggande Alperna är högst påtaglig!

Kvällsvy över Eiger och Berner Oberland

Sen från hyttan så börjar klättringen direkt upp mot det hägrande målet, högt ovanför. Vi är ett antal mindre antal som i morgonnatten ger oss iväg ut på den luftiga areten. En natt som snart börjar att gry och en ny dag börjar ta form. Klättringen flyter på fint och snart har vi tagit oss en ansenlig bit ovanför hyttan.

 

Det bjuder på korta crux passager här och var och varierande klättring oftast uppåt men ibland neråt då man följer ryggen hela tiden, över alla dess små tindrar och torn. Kul klättring helt enkelt!

 

Efter dryga tre timmars klättrande så står vi snart på toppen, målet är nått och drömmen är uppfylld. Att stå på toppen av Eiger, igen!

3970mts Eiger

Så återstår bara en lika lång neråt klättring via syd ryggen ner till Mönchjoch hütte på 3650m. Som görs medels genom neråtklättring och korta firningar. Hela tiden på sydryggens exponerade sluttning. Så det är en lång dags klättring innan vi strax innan 14:00 är nere vid hyttan för en välförtjänt eftermiddags kaffe i solen

Arete du Sud, retur ner mot Mönchjoch med Mittellegi i bakgrunden

 

Nästa morgon fortsätter vi den inslagna alpina vägen och tar en ny alpin frukost. Men nu inte förrän 04:30, så en extra 15min sovmorgon! Innan vi ger oss av mot det 4107m höga Mönch. Som vi klättrar som avslutande topp via dess exponerade Sydöst rygg. Ytterst spektakulär klättring likaså innehållande allt i klätterväg, scramling, klippa, sö och is...

Toppkammen ut mot Mönch

Nästan att ta på toppen...Eiger står vaktad av le Mönch

 

Arête Mittellegi - Eiger

Eismeer stat - Mittellegi hütte 1 1/2h

Mittellegi arête - Sommet 3h+

Descente arête sud - Mönchjochhüt 4h

Utr 40m rep, 2-3 mellanstora camkilar, 2QD's, 1st 120cm slinga (6QD's för klätterpartiet upp fr Eismeer)

 

//Sluta tänk på vad du inte kan, fokusera på vad du kan!

 

Fly what you climb...!

Kliff Sellette

Kortel Design har gjort det igen.

Sellette Kliff, 230gr

 

Kända för att producera nytänkande med innovativa selar för Paraponte och speedflying. Med selar som Karver och Kruyer har dom på många sätt legat steget före

 

Nu kommer den, hitintills, mest ultimata selen för Paralpinism, Kliff

Med en vikt på 230gr och helt integrerad med vilken vanlig klättersele som helst så märks inte Kliff av överhuvud. Redo att användas när den behövs...génial !

I kombination med en skärm som Ozone Xxlite...så har du ett optimalt lättvikts paket på 1043gr!

Känn då den!!

 

 

//Tvivel håller tron levande!

 

Mountainpassion

L'eau rance d'Arabie - 6b/UIAA VII, 250m

L'eau rance d'Arabie - 6b/UIAA VII, 250m

As said before, the approach to Blaitiere is most easy and well worth the effort of its 1 1/2h walk. This late in the season it's not even necessary with crampons or even a piolet.

Nice to have, le piolet, but not necessary at the moment. But things change...

 

One the walls best and to its grade persistant route on the red pillar is told to be "L'eau". So, we just had to climb it!

Once again, the slab climbing in Chamonix is hard like in Hard! A crack 6b isn't even close to what a slab 6b will give you, in my opinion at least...

The first pitch has a crack though, but the moves are still closer to slab and pure friction. But very good protected, actually the route it self is a bit over protected with bolts, still in my opinion...

Pitch one, 6b! Anna Backlund over gravity

Every single pitch has enjoyable climbing and its not until the last one on the original route that it's possible to relax.

 

The line is very obvious except on the third pitch wich follows some flakes but instead of continue up the flakes and cracks the route falls back to the left and finish over again some slabs, just aim for the bolted anchor. All which are perfect the whole way.

 

Climbing L'eau gives everything from slab to finger cracks and one the second last pitch even a great off width, have no#4 Camalot ready, or bigger...

Sadly it's places a totally unnecessary bolt at the top though

Second last pitch on L'eau, a little offwidth amusement drôle

 

The summit is very obvious and then it's just to rappel back mo or less the same way

Early morning at le lac

 

You need

2x50m rope, or rappel line

Small set of mid size cablés

Set of cams Green-Red Alien, 0.75-4 Camalot

5-7QD's

Route 119

 

More info on camp to camp

 

//Hellre skapa rykten än att bara sprida dem...

 

Mountainpassion

Voie Rebuffat aiguille de Peigne

The north west pillar on the upper part of Peigne has some well kept secret cracks. Well, maybe not so secret since they are visible from the village of Cham. But anyhow

Aig du Peigne

Cracks that Monsieur Rebuffat off course has found out and climbed long time ago. But still holds its grade and gives some great pitches of everything from fingers, rattle, up to heavy duty off width!

 

The alarm set on to early I feel a lot for just staying in my comfortable bed. But after a couple of snoozes I pull myself out and get downstairs for a good coffee to start with

I can't really see the point if heading away with the first lift for this small, short and quite easy tour...

Our plan, head up to plan de aiguille, walk up to Peigne and climb Lepidoptere. And then scramble up to the upper face and the NO pillar of the Peigne. The beautiful Rebuffat cracks, which is said to seldom be climbed

One reason off course would be that it's loong way to get to, second that its supposed to be quite hard regarding the altitude and grade, up to UIAA VII/6c

Arriving at the base their is an other team just heading off the second pitch. But Lepidoptere is a quite active route so not suprised. We just take it slow for a while giving them some time

 

A super cold morning makes one mostly want to keep to "slabjamming", fist wise sort off...The first pitches up to the Papillon arête goes quick and easy, despite the cold air. At some places their is even a thin layer of ice covering the rock. But it's easy to avoid. Up at the arête we can finally get some heating sun on our frozen souls and the going goes even easier

Classic "slab jamming"...

After a pitch of airy but easy climbing on the arête we continue climbing together just short roping. But it's quite a lot of scrambling to get to the upper wall, but all on very easy terrain

At 12:00 we are happily standing below the first Rebuffat pitch. And to our surprise one more team as well with the same intention. A team from Tasmania off all places!

We share some belays and stories but at the finger crack crux they decide to take it a bit slower so we leave them behind

The finger crack

Actually seen all the way from the valley and Cham the crack is just as good as it looks. Perfect fingers at the start getting a bit wider up to hands and open fist higher up. Finishing up to a big ledge below the next interesting part, the off width!

A no#4 cam supports the firsts moves but after a #6 would have been the only choice, or even bigger... Just great excellent climbing on perfect Chamonix granit!

Then it's a short section of easy climbing again before the twin crack pitch. Which also holds an open dièdre and a very suspect downward section that is just made to give some rope drag of the year. Just make sure not to clip the pitons or place any gear. Otherwise you will probably need to climb back to free the rope. Or, maybe the use of twin ropes would be good at this point...?!

 

My single lead rope would be a nightmare so I continue without placing any gear. But, since the climbing is easy on more brilliant cracks that's no issue

Next thing I know I'm under the summit it self. And judge of my suprise... A train scoup is to be found on the top!

Anna, playing the angry train...woman...doing to well...!

Time to head down... To a loong waiting cup of java and a nice bivvy for next days climbing...

Evening over le Plan, tres bien!

 

You need

Voie no81...

1x60m rope(ok for the rappels as well) 1 small set of mid size wires, cams up to #4 Camalot (2 of 0.5-1.0) 5QD's minimum

 

 

 

 

// att definiera betyder att utestänga och begränsa...

 

Mountainpassion