Balme - Vallée d´Arve - Chamonix

Balme - Vallée d´Arve - Chamonix

Climbing on Balme is one of my favorite climbing areas in d´Arve. Its south facing wall keeps warm enough do be climbable all year round. Well, it might be a bit to warm during july-august. 

But I have had some great days there in december as well as february, in between skiing days.

The approach is nothing but short and quick. La vieux de la montagne might be one of the most complicated to get to…and it is still super easy. So if you have the effort of a max 15min approach, it might be a good choice.

Expect anything on Balme...

The climbing

The limestone is overall steep and crimpy. But a bit of friction on slabs as well. 

The only issue is the effect of parking the car. This fall it was a big rockfall which took out a car completely. That ”pocket” is nowadays closed. But the grass field between the road bend isn’t super safe either.

Last week I took some days off and climbed some off, in my opinon best routes.

First out was the classic ”Punk not dead”. A straight forward 5 pitch route at 6b max. Some loose holds at the start but after it just gets better and better. The 4th 6a+ pitch is close to perfect. And now there is both new bolts and re-equipped anchors.

Anna on the crux section of la vieux de la Montagne

An other great climb is its neighbor ”Zébra” A 6c max route which has a couple of boulder crux sections at the top pitches. But again at this date at least, very good bolts and not to far between them. The first and fifth pitch is amazing. But except the 6th rope length it is a very uniformed route.

Steep climbing on Zébra

A little shorter but still well worth the effort of climbing is ”les parapluies de Cherbourg”. A 7a+ Piola route. Steep and crimpy!

Then ”les Jardins de Neptune”, a 7a classic. With a very smooth 3rd pitch and a close to desperate 4th one. Three 6c rope lengths in a row that keeps the focus up.

Cruxing at one of the 6c pitches of Zébra

An other nice climb is "La vieux de la Montagne” 6c max. Very good climbing on compact and steep rock. Pay attention on the start of the 3rd pitch, if you like me aim for the bolts going out to the right you will end up on a 7b instead…

Fingery...

Airy rappelling of "de la Montagne" 

How to get there.

Between Cluses and Magland. Follow route D1205 and take the road towards Araches at the roundabout close to the Super U. From the highway, take junction Cluses.

Balme

Classic routes

Punk not dead 6b, 130m

Les Jardins de Neptune 7a, 190m

Must do

de Cherbourg 7a+, 90m

La vieux de la montagne 6c, 170m

Not to be missed

Réalité non ordinaire 7a+, 180m

Zébra 6c, 160m

Equipment

2x50m rope, 13-14 QD´s

Most of the bolts are 10 or 12mm, But some routes still holds old 8mm, like l´Urgo dans l´air!!

Bring some extra slings in case of needing to re-equippning of the anchors. 

Rappel of the routes or take the long walk back via the road.

//Livet är en kamp mot tiden. Måltider är en kamp mot kroppen...

Beau temps dans le montagne - Three days, three routes

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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