Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - Trip Reports

Tells Us About Your Latest Trip!

Topic Date User

Rod's Euro 2010 - Trip Report 11-Jul-2010 At 6:38:37 AM rod

Message

L'Envers des Aiguilles 2/3

After the approach we discovered that there was a 10m deep (at least, it was so black you couldn't see any further down) 3m wide snow hole obstructing us from the base of the starting pitch. I had the rack so it became my problem: kept the mountaineering boots on, found a slot for a C3 #0 about 3 metres up off the snow bank 5 metres right of our line, downclimbed, pulled on the climbing shoes which got absolutely drenched then had to traverse my way around an ill defined slabby arete into our line. It was a bit hairy, wet shoes, a suspect placement, etc - I was glad when I got onto the line and could place a decent C4 #0.75. Thereafter some easy crackwork lead to a 15m rising traverse to the left across a slab before reaching a small finger crack that took a tiny nut where I got totally shut down because I couldn't get my fingers into the bloody thing. I aided 3 metres on some sketchy nut placements until it widened enough to get back to work. Continued on upwards until reaching a roof with crumbly crystals which took a C4 #1 and underclinged left to the gratefully clipped bolted belay. 2 pitches in 1 6a+ (aided section) and 6a.

Axel then had a nice short pitch which was a little steep for about 3 metres before backing off into a well protectable crack system. Pretty nice section of climbing on second.

According to the route guide I then had a 5c pitch: slab with bolts for 10 to 15 metres before a section of aid in order to access a brilliant sustained 20m or so lieback crack. Got pumped in this top section and a foot slip whilst placing a C4 #2 led to a nice little ride onto gear. A good finish on direct hand and fist jams lead to the bolted belay.

Axel then got to lead a really good pitch, lots of variation in the crack size with plenty of little pods to slot the hands and feet into so as to find rests whilst placing pro. Probably 5b or 5c and great fun.

I seconded my way up and then things went a bit pear shaped: our route guide said to lead in a rising traverse rightward across a slab at 4c before establishing a belay which lead into the next pitch heading up leftward into a chimney/corner system at about 5c. The 4c was probably a section of 5a/b slab and easily protected but only 10 metres long and no belay station to be found I just headed straight into the next section thinking that I was still on the easy pitch...even if it wasn't I was thinking "it's only 5c so it'll be a stroll". On I go and well into the corner section get in a nice C4 #3 about 15 metres above the slab. 10 metres later I'm at the entry of the chimney and there's no gear placements in sight, a few metres later I spot a semi possible C3 #0 and opposite that a C3 #1...up climb past them in hope of something better...down climb back and put them in because there's bugger all...get about 5 metres above them through some bloody stiff super physical climbing with nothing remotely likely to take a piece of gear and then I'm facing the top out. It's full of loose rock, table top sized with very sharp edges and all slightly less heavy than I am, grab any of it and I'm likely to lob and cut the ropes in the fall: it was a pretty freaky situation. I can't remember how I flopped over onto the ledge but none of the rock fell and I was one happy man....there was even an old belay station to clip, oddly inconsistent with the earlier belay stations.

I belay Axel up, he had an equally fun time on second and is full of superlatives for the C3 placements. Primarily the superlatives featured the F word and thanking the creator it wasn't him having to top out above those C3's, then he encountered the loose rock top out and nearly had a fit, then he saw the belay station and went silent before glancing upwards at the next pitch...

"Yes Axel, I suspect we're off route...time for lunch"

...and an agreeable location it was too!

Some contemplation time later, Axel decided he wasn't up for leading our way up 15m to 20m of a plant filled crack system to get us back onto the route and expressed his desire to rap off and get onto the first pitch of the route next to ours...after my last experience I wasn't too resistant to the proposal. This was our high point...approximately R6 in the old guidebook, 15m to the left of the revised location of R7 now.

We only got 130m to 140m of the 300m done but it certainly wasn't boring...we rapped off.

A 30 minute walk and back at the cabane we found Steve and Regis, defeated at about R9 and 170 metres up their supposedly easier route: Steve took a fall with the rope misplaced and flipped upside down; they'd also found the route finding somewhat challenging.