UP-CLIMBING: Mont Blanc - Envers des Aiguilles

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Envers des Aiguilles - Dalles Inferieures ph.mario sertori

Envers des Aiguilles - Dalles Inferieures- red Vingt mille... - yellow Pilier rhodo - purple viola Voie Georges - blue Un sale affaire - white Vertiges de l'automme - green Troi e troi font quatre ph.mario sertori

Envers des Aiguilles - Dalles Inferieures - The new first pitch of Vingt mille... - ph.mario sertori

Envers des Aiguilles - Dalles Inferieures - Vingt mille... - ph.mario sertori

Envers des Aiguilles - Dalles Inferieures - ph.mario sertori

Mer de glace e Montenvers from Aiguille Rouge - ph.mario sertori

Petit Dru from Montenvers - ph.mario sertori

MONT BLANC

Envers des Aiguilles

July 04, 2011

Places to rock climb in the Mont Blanc massif are unlimited, and one pleasant possibility is the lower slabs (Dalles Inferieures) of the Envers des Aiguilles.

They are located on the left side of the Mer de Glace and have been worn over time by the glacier so that the start of the routes is characterised by smotth rock with tiny “reglettes”.

The first routes climbed on these granite slabs date back to the start of the Eighties, and are the work of Michel Piola, the inventor of modern bolted climbed in the Mont Blanc massif.

Une sale affaire de sexe et de crime is a historic milestone, with an extreme 7c friction pitch (7a obligatory). It was bolted bottom-up in 1983, with hand-drilled bolts and graded 7a!!!. Jean Baptiste Tribout and David Chambre excelled themselves on this climb in 1984, climbing it on-sight.

Michel Piola has come back to the “scene of the crime” in the sucessive years to rebolt various lines. Now in this sunny corner you can climb on slabs equipped with glue-in bolts – at times, very well-spaced – with belays equipped for abseiling. Friends and nuts are indispensable for protecting the cracks, which usually don’t have any pegs.

The climbing is technical, rarely strenuous, and the setting fascinating but, at the same time, relaxing. The ongoing receding of the glacier makes getting to the start of the routes difficult at times, or in some cases adds one (or more) pitches, and makes it hard to work out from the guide where the routes start.

From Chamonix a funicular railway takes tourists and climbers to Montenvers at 1913 metres. From there, you descend, first on a good path, then on a series of metal steps to easily reach the glacier.

You can drink your morning coffe in Chamonix and, without rushing, climb a nice route at the Dalles… and descend back down to the town in the afternooin and go bouldering or climb at Galliand.

Envers des Aiguilles - Dalles Inferieures

Main sector

Approach:

The slabs are reached from Montenvers station 1913 m (funicular railway from Chamonix – first service 8.30 and last train down from Montenvers 17.30) in summer) in approx 1 hour 30. From the station follow first the path then the metal steps that take you down onto the glacier.

Continue southwards passing the turnoff for the Envers des Aiguilles refuge, going around the first big slabs (more vertical and with streams running down them), until you arrive at an area with more easy-angled rocks before the start of an area with big crevasses (approx altitude 2150 m).

A diagonal couloir down which a little river runs forms the right edge of the face, while there’s a grassy ledge with a roof above it 70/80 metres up. Take care when reaching the base of the face: loose blocks left balanced by the glacier.

Discent: Usually you abseil back down the routes or in 30’ approx you can reach the Envers des Aiguilles hut.

Equipment: for walking on the glacier, 12 quickdraws, 50/55 m rope, nuts and Friends

Period: late spring until autumn

Guide: Michel Piola – Envers des aiguilles – Geneva 2008

Pilier des rhodo dindons

M.Piola – G.Hopfgartner – P.A.Steiner 1984

Difficulty: 6a (5b obl.)TD-.

Length: 300m

Descent: ab down the route or better – if there are other teams on the route – down the nearby Une sale affaire de sexe et de crime.

The easiest route. Start near to the stream on the right. The first pitch is in common with Vingt mille lieuses sous la neigeand isn’t shown in Piola’s guide (glacier keeps getting lower).

A faint corner from left to right which you leave after some 15 metres to climb straight up to reach a glue-in bolt from which a fixed rope hangs. From the bolt, diagonally right to the stance with glue-in bolt and ring. (start of Vingt mille lieues sous la neige). From here rightwards following a vague corner then a small crack leftwards with a glue-in bolt high up.

Vingt mille lieues sous la neige

M.Piola – R.Ghilini 1983

Difficulty: 6b (5c bbl.)TD

Length: 300m

Descent: ab down the route

Start as for the last route. From the new S1, first stance (ex S0) proceed straight on a good smooth wall with close bolting (6b). At S2 continue straight up 5b/c which leads to a stance at the start of a big grassy ledge. Walk leftwards, taking care not to dislodge stones, until you reach the comfortable stance at the foot of the stupendous crack pitch which has two glue-in bolts in the first section.

Une sale affaire de sexe et de crime

M.Piola – G.Hopfgartner – R.Ghilini - A.Cheneval & G.Bettembourg 1983

Difficulty: 7c (7a obl.) ABO-.

Length: 270m

Descent: ab down the route

Take 11 quickdraws. Start to the left of a more vertical zone near to a small corner on the left (nuts) to then launch out up the smooth slab (glue-in bolts).This is also the first pitch of Troi et troi font quatre. The second pitch is truly extreme (7c) and leads to the grassy ledge. From here you can see some glue-in bolts – to the right of the route – where the route continues.

Voie Georges

M.Piola – R.Ghilini & G.Bettembourg 1983

Difficulty: 6b (5c obl.)TD

Length: 300m

Descent: ab down the route

From the stance of the current second pitch (6b) of Vingt … traverse left on the ramp (6a+, glue-in bolts visible) until reaching the grassy ledge. Proceed from a glue-in bolt with a ring under the roof on the right, crossing une sale affaire and then climbing to the left of it.

Les vertice de l’automme

M.Piola - R.Ghilini 1983 – the corner - Piola with F.Schemmel 2003 the last 4 pitches

Difficulty: 6b (6a obl.)TD+.

Length: 220m

Descent: ab down the route

Start: follow Vingt … as far as the grassy ledge. Follow the big corner that starts from the roof (3 bolts), belay at the stance after the exit from the crack of Vingt … From here to the left. In 1983 the glacier almost came up to the grassy ledge!!!

Troi et troi font quatre

Muriel and Michel Piola – Gerard Hopfgartner – Barbara Koslowska 1985 and Christian Hug and Michel Piola – lower part 2003

Difficulty: 6c (6b obl.)ED-

Length: 300m

Descent: ab down the route

An almost-entirely bolted route – bring some small-medium Friends and a few nuts. First pitch as for Une sale affaire… (Pitch climbed after the glacier receded.) The second pitch is often damp after rain.

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