Three great routes at Brevent - Flegere - aiguille Rouges

Three great routes at Brevent - Flegere - aiguille Rouges

Per at ”Tatie Crochue” 6b

 Unfortunately the Brevent/Flegere side lifts are closed for the season at this date. Which now makes the climbs on that red side of the valley a little more difficult to access…

Otherwise the huge amount of climbs makes it perfect for a resting day, or if you pick any of the longer harder ones; a full day out!

The nice thing is also that its possible to find easy long good bolted climbs as well as hard self protected routes

The rock is totally different to the south side granite. This gneiss sort of rock has high friction as well. Shapes more likely what to be found on limestone. And if its wet, look out!

Specially in late winter and spring the climbs here are most enjoyable, with a ski in/ski out access direct from the lift!

And the micro climate on this side of the valley makes its best to dry the rock out to be warm and comfy to climb early in the season. As well as quickly after a heavy rainy night.

I have many favorit climbs here, with the most know the Frison Rouge probably the most known one. After mr Frison, a local Cham guide and journalist

An other frequent climb. But nothing close to the previous is ”ASIA” at l´index lift

Easily reached from the lift with about 15min walk and fully equipped with ”swiss mod. bolts”. Put up by M Piola, who else!?

The hardest move is actually the very first over the first bolt. With that one done, the rest is a nice cruse, well almost. A couple of awkward moves on the third pitch is very much 5c!

 

"Asia" Pitch 3

An other nice variated climb is ”Tatie Crochue” 6b. A 120m climb suited above the pistes from l´index towards lac Blanc 

”Tatie Crochue” 6b

The climbing is variated on good rock. Still it looks quite loose at places, but the holds are there. Its just not frequented that hard. Probably cause the most of the five pitches is self protected. A small rack of midsize nuts and cams from 0.5-3.0 makes its most dupable though. And most of the cruxes has a bolt there anyhow. 

Just take it for what it is, and enjoy that there isn’t chalk all over as on many of the other ones. 

At the start, aim for a glued in bolt a couple of meters up, then head rightwards, probably much more then you would think first. A little strange first pitch, but after that it gets better. The start of the 2nd pitch is most enjoyable with good cracks

And once at the top, the descent is very easy with a fix rope and easy scramble back down to the path that takes you back to l´index lift

Great climbing on ”Tatie Crochue” 6b

The last of the three. But not the last in the maner of quality! "Bodinosaure", a 220m route at 6c is just the route for you that wants to improve your jam technique

Bodinosaure!

Only sad thing is that the whole thing is fully equipped! In a climbers point of view it would have been more of a climb if the bolts would have been left somewhere else on this one

But still, a great climb. And why not bring a set of cams/nuts and really free the thing anyhow!?

Anna on Bodinosaure, 6c

Equipment

Bodinosaure 220m 6c - Fully bolted. 10QD´s, 2x50m rope (1x50 if you walk to the base)

Asia 250m 5b - Fully bolted. 10QD´s, 2x50m rope (1x50 if you walk off, possible out climbers right down the slabs. Easy terrain and quicker then rappelling) For route finding, follow the ”swiss hangers"

Tatie Crochue 120m 6b - Partly bolted. 7-8QD´s, midsize nuts and Cams from 0.5-3.0. 1x50m rope. Easiest to walk off and back to l´index chairlift. Fixed rope out climbers left

Anna on Bodinosaure, 6c

// I vedmodets höstkänning gäller att ge, dela och förlora

L`Envers refuge climbing, Une Gueule du Diable 6c+

l`Envers Refuge - backyard climbing

Approach to l`Envers refuge from "merde du glace"

Looking for a just outside door climbing place, somewhere to have a relaxed time with short approaches shared with ”climbers only”!?!?

Well, that would be refuge l`Envers for what Im about to see

Merde, du Glace!! Verglace"

Even though it takes a bit to relies this ”secret” place. Guess it isn’t that secret after all, well known to a whole bunch of climbers already. But still, why tell even more? Well, why not!

There is so many climbs around the corner and I just like the Gardiens so much. As they don’t just keep the place clean and neat, they got a big heart and serve the most amazing food as well.

Just go and you get a memorable time surrounded by the Chamonix red granite.

A regular 40min train trip up to the Bellevue of Montanvers. Taking the ladders DOWN to mer du glade, what is still left of it. Finding the way UP towards the lower part of Grand Charmoz and the trail up towards the refuge l`Envers. A gentle 2h walk, well 2 1/2h more realistic but still. Easy hiking. 

Once at the hut we just stow the extra things away in one of many baskets. And order a well deserved coffee. Served with a nice biscuit on the side…and the bellevue…great to be back

We have as always or almost, not made any made-up plans, so just enjoy the sunny weather, which has made its entrance for a day. Tomorrow has a bigger plan in mind but the winter conditions might just change it, AGAIN…!!!

Well anyhow, there is a whole bunch of climbs around so we aim for Natillons and ”du le faire”. A straight forward 6a climb. But as not always but often…i see this great splitter crack heading up the rock face. 

No way, I wont keep away from a splitter like this!

And since we didn’t even have a chance to cross the rimeye to get to the start of the thought of climb, why not change plan again!? 

So starting of with ”Melissa” we traverse over to le Faire and then take the obvious cracks of "du Diable”

WOW, what some great jamming! What ever you do, don’t miss this great route. First climbed by…Mr Piola (of course) and Pierre-Alain Steiner (of course again) in 1985!

But it very much holds it up, amazing climbing, which finish up the last pitches of ”Guy-Anne”

Anna fights the gravity, which doesn't have any effect to me...

Once on the top it starts to dropp and rain a bit again. The humid and wet cracks, well its a confirmation of the weather of the summer of 2014

We rappel of and get back to the hut for a late afternoon coffee and relaxing time before supper. Which don’t send anyone disappointed for sure

Next morning is supposed to be a big day, among for the easy on grade but long climb, Mer du Glace. 

As always with a big show coming up I have a hard time to sleep. So the 01:00 a clock check shows me a lot of stars in the sky. Looks like the weather forecast is messed up wrong this time! Yess!!

An 04:00h check, well looks like the Cham meteo is right again…light rain/show…and a 06:00 check…snowing hard….back to bed…f:-=!k

refuge l`Envers et le bellevue

A late breakfast, as late as it can on a place like this…

And, actually, the breakfast at l`envers is good. Their fresh bread is…!!!

Just as with most French huts, the coffee is a little miserable but still

So, we pack the bag and just get ready for a descent back down. With a 5cm of fresh snow outside there isn’t much to climb really

Splitters!!

If, it wasn’t for its south facing aspect and very much friction covered granite though! 

A couple of minutes walk down the path…I rise my head a couple of times…well maybe…it is super boring to just walk down…a night in a nice hut sure but…

Reconsider your mind, why not just try a something out, I mean just one singel wet pitch would make the day. And it dosnt look that bad here and there…

As people start to descend back towards mer du glace, we hold up and start glancing around. Hmm...

Amazing day to come….hang on!

Climbs

Le Piège 5c max

Une Gueule du Diable 6c+

Equipment

For le Piège 2x50m rope, a small set of midsize nuts, Camalots 0.5-3.0, Alien green to red

For du Diable 2x50m rope, a small set of midsize nuts, Camalots 0.5-3.0, Alien green to Red. Double of midsize probably makes the journey easier

A movie..?! Yea sure at 

// Stort, är att vara större än sina motgångar  

Aiguille Moine - Arete Sud Classique - 3412m

Aiguille Moine - Arete Sud Classique - 3412m

Ok, now your not tied in to anything!
The words comes from Anna, maybe a little desperat…but I definitely realise that I actually had throw both ends back when thinking that I only untied from one of knots when trying to get a little bit longer rope outI´m standing at the one of the crux sections on the Arete Sud voie ClassicFirst climbed by Fernand Belin, Etienne Bruhl, Lucien Valluet, Arthur Ravanel, in Septembre 1928And as it looks and feels it a little more like a winter ascent a this time. With snow on the ledges and ice filled up in the cracks. And with a fighting sun high up on the sky which doesn’t make enough of a differens to change the situation. Its going to be a long day out!

Site du Choucas - summit of Moine 3412

The aiguille du Moine´s south face is a big classic climb, also in the 100 classic climbs of Rebuffat.
The climb up to its 3412m high summit can be done via a couple of ways but the Arete sud is supposed to be one of the best. With climbing up to 5c.
The wall is reached from refuge du Couvercle which it self takes about 3-4h to reach from le train de Montanvers. From the refuge its an other 45min walk up easy terrain to the base of the climb
And as always there is an Intégral as well. Which makes the climb even more intégralistic
With the summer of 2014 almost behind the conditions has been like in the late fall the whole summer…a couple of days with sun, a couple of days with rain and snow togheter with heavy strong rafael winds

snowy peaks

Our trip to the Couvercle area is just the same, trying to do a high mountain climb the day after a serious snow fall…well bonne chance!
Something that we gets very well reminded of on the walk in and up to the hut. The mountains beautiful covered in a layer of fresh neige while we walk surrounded of these stunning peaks, le Dru, le Droites, aiguille Verte (not so verte at the time) les Courtes and Grand Jorasses…as said a stunning area

Once up the long section of ladders, seems its been a lot of them this summer, the last bit of walking to the refuge is quite nice. Its just the boring bit on Merde du Glace that is a bit on the negative. But, with the lack of glacier crevasses, its quite easy at this time

mr Rèbuffat on the last crux of Moine arete Sud, in leather shoes and the rope round his waist!

The Couvercle hut has some good history as well with monsieur Ravanel working in the hut as a gardien in his late years 1926-1931, actually until his death. Which happened just after the construction of the new hut (finished 1932 and took 70 people, a newer one which stands there today was ready 1952 and hold 120 beds)
Ref Couvercle history

Going to be a great day out! Climbing on aig. Moine

After a reasonable breakfast with an 08:00 start we leave the hut with the words from the gardien, "the conditions is very terrible” and "no one has climbed it in this” we must at least have a ”look see”
And yes it doesn’t look good kind off, but not to bad either.
-Why not just go for a couple of longeurs and see how it is, I mean we are here anyway. I happily announce

a lot of snow around. les Courtes in the front, the old hut under the rock

And Anna doesn’t have any opinions at this point. So we crampon up the last bit, balance over a thin snow ledge and find ourself at the base. And suddenly we are 3-4 pithes up and the sun starts to get some effect on the snow-covered ledges, starts to dripping and dropping sort of. A nice mix with the ice to get some melted variation also, which is doing its best to sink into the cord

Balancing over the thin snow ledge

The verglaced rock keeps onsending me away from the route, which makes it necessary to take more difficult options, the normal one isn’t, and then some rising traverses back again. So it takes a while but finally we are up on the ridge just below the obvious and characteristic T formed block. 

Never a good sign...

Up to here we have been changing between 25 and 50 meter rope and sometimes moving together But with the now iced up 5c cracks on the ridge the climbing gets a little sharper. So a couple of most interesting pitches send me up to the very top of the big T. A super sensual climbing!! A short down climb secured by a sling that I leave on the top, and then up again on the other side over a most spectacular ledge. Almost like the bicycle ledge on Grepon!

me leading the "ice cave colouir"...

...and Anna following

Then, a cold vertical pitch, again, but even harder then the former ones…is this never going to end. I find my self fighting my way up in the shadow with the fingers getting number for every second, and there is a few! Before I finally get a foot over the edge and traverse out to the sun and a nice belay

mini bicycle ledge of Moine

Icetime!

The last hundreds meter of climbing is a small adventure over broken rock with hard sections here and there and le Monk dosnt give any away until we finally reach its summit. Already occupied by a serious amount of Choucas, just waiting for a late lunch served by two frozen climbers…

LUNCH!!

the T stone of Moine!

A couple of minutes rest in the sun, amazed by the beautiful surroundings, we share the packed lunch with our flying friends. Which we realise will be back in Cham in about 10 steep minutes. We, we are looking on a late night arrival back to car at some 21:00h
Well not to bad. 4 1/2h climbing and a great day out
Time to descent…some 2500 meters downhill

Happy climbers...

You need
Equipment
Rope 50m (possible to do the climb and rappel with one 50m rope but easier with 2x50)
A small set of nuts
Friends 0.5-3.0 Camalot
Piolet/Crampons

Time
Approach from Couvercle 40min
Climbing 3-5h
Descent 2h (the descent is well marked with cairns as well as rappel points. There is some walking and down climbing on the middle and lower section)
More info at
Camp to Camp

Rappeling of the summit, a lot more to come

//Framtiden. Är en virtuell förlängning av nuet