Verhältnisse vom 28.07.2003
Grandes Jorasses: Walker
Conditions:
Ideal: the face was dry, no snow, no ice. Used climbing shoes all the way.
Approach:
Chamonix -> Montenvers Train (every 20 Min) -> 2,5h to Leschaux Hut -> 2h to Base of climb, routfinding is simple. We bivouacked near the wall on the glacier (several big level places)
The Route:
The route was very easy to find, the DAV-Guide contained a very accurate topo.
You need crampons and one tool to do the first pitch in the ice (just a few meters, simple) then switch to Rock-Boots for the next 200m then to climbing shoes for the complete rest of the tour. The upper ice-pitches are completely thawed! This leaves an ugly sand-box with all loose rocks, big and small, no place for protection for 100m and its not flat :-( Rocks slide, and they cut one of my ropes.
The guidebook advised not to begin the climb in the afternoon because there was more rockfall, but we heard rockfall all day long anyway (only some of it from other parties). Anyway, the bivy places in the route are not especially great (except one high up). We started at 5AM, finished at 8PM.
In general, I found the route nice, but not as overwhelming as expected. It is long,ok, but the rock quality was bad, and the climbing was more a type of scrubbing and rambling compared to 'real' climbing on the Capucin, the Dru or even the Gervasutti Pillar.
Equipment: There are a lot of pitons everywhere, usually in the most logical places, many are rather old. Belays are usually equipped with ~3 pitons and lots of webbing. They also have rappel rings until the 10m abseil 1/2 up. We only took 3 friends (medium sizes) and a few nuts + 8 quickdraws to save weight. That was absolutely sufficient, as the terrain is not difficult. A light axe and light crampons would be ideal under these dry conditions!
Ideal: the face was dry, no snow, no ice. Used climbing shoes all the way.
Approach:
Chamonix -> Montenvers Train (every 20 Min) -> 2,5h to Leschaux Hut -> 2h to Base of climb, routfinding is simple. We bivouacked near the wall on the glacier (several big level places)
The Route:
The route was very easy to find, the DAV-Guide contained a very accurate topo.
You need crampons and one tool to do the first pitch in the ice (just a few meters, simple) then switch to Rock-Boots for the next 200m then to climbing shoes for the complete rest of the tour. The upper ice-pitches are completely thawed! This leaves an ugly sand-box with all loose rocks, big and small, no place for protection for 100m and its not flat :-( Rocks slide, and they cut one of my ropes.
The guidebook advised not to begin the climb in the afternoon because there was more rockfall, but we heard rockfall all day long anyway (only some of it from other parties). Anyway, the bivy places in the route are not especially great (except one high up). We started at 5AM, finished at 8PM.
In general, I found the route nice, but not as overwhelming as expected. It is long,ok, but the rock quality was bad, and the climbing was more a type of scrubbing and rambling compared to 'real' climbing on the Capucin, the Dru or even the Gervasutti Pillar.
Equipment: There are a lot of pitons everywhere, usually in the most logical places, many are rather old. Belays are usually equipped with ~3 pitons and lots of webbing. They also have rappel rings until the 10m abseil 1/2 up. We only took 3 friends (medium sizes) and a few nuts + 8 quickdraws to save weight. That was absolutely sufficient, as the terrain is not difficult. A light axe and light crampons would be ideal under these dry conditions!
the snow that fell on the day after we climb should melt soon -> optimal!
Routeninformationen
Grandes Jorasses: Walker
Letzte Änderung: 28.07.2003, 00:20Aufrufe: 420 mal angezeigt