After almost a week of bad weather, high pressures are back and Alex and I could finally go back in Mont Blanc Massif for a fantastic climb of the Aiguilles de Chamonix. Around 3.5 km of ridge, 7 peaks crossed and 20 hours of climb from Aiguille du Midi to Plan de l’Aiguille.
After col du Caiman (© A. Chabot)
Traversée des Aiguilles de Chamonix
We took the first cable car Aiguille du Midi and started the traverse at 7am.
Aiguille du Midi (left) to Aiguille de Blaitière (right) (© P. Gatta)
Between Aiguille du Midi and Aiguille du Plan (© A. Chabot)
We reached the Aiguille du Plan in 2h20, thanks to the great snow conditions.
Aiguille du Crocodile seen from Aiguille du Plan (© P. Gatta)
Short break at Breche du Caiman (© A. Chabot)
Aiguille du Plan to Breche du Caiman: 2h40.
View over Crocodile from Breche du Caiman (© P. Gatta)
View over Caiman from Breche du Caiman, the route is straight up (© P. Gatta)
Climbing Aiguille du Caiman (© A. Chabot)
Breche du Caiman to Caiman: 1h45.
Last abseil to the col du Caiman (© P. Gatta)
Abseiling Aiguille du Caiman is tricky. According to Philippe Batoux topo, the second abseil from the top is 35m high on Envers side. It might be a bit longer than that and goes to the right. There is one peg (piton) to climb a 2m crack (5) to reach a short ledge. The next anchor is at the end of this ledge, on Chamonix side and cannot been seen from the ledge.
Looking back over Chevalier and Caiman (© P. Gatta)
Caiman to Col of Caiman: 2h.
Traversing Lepiney (© P. Gatta)
Bivouac at Col du Fou (© P. Gatta)
Col of Caiman to Col of Fou: 2h40.
Full moon over Grandes Jorasses and Rochefort ridge from Col du Fou (© P. Gatta)
Southwest route of Fou seen from the bivouac (© P. Gatta)
First pitch of Aiguille du Fou (© A. Chabot)
Looking back at Traversée des Aiguilles de Chamonix (© P. Gatta)
Col du Fou to Aiguille du Fou: 2h30.
A chimney on the way down from Aiguille du Fou (© P. Gatta)
Abseiling from Aiguille du Fou (© P. Gatta)
The abseils to reach the shelves below Les Ciseaux are not easy to find and there was lot of soft snow. The rappels traverse to the North.
Climbing Les Ciseaux (© A. Chabot)
Aiguille du Fou to Col des Nantillons: 2h50.
Abseiling Spencer Couloir (© P. Gatta)
Aiguille de Grépon seen from Col des Nantillons (© P. Gatta)
Col des Nantillons to Plan de l’Aiguille: 3h30.
Aiguilles de Chamonix in the clouds (© P. Gatta)