Minaret – Voyage en Pierre Sainte (Mont Blanc Massif) -

Voyage en Pierre Sainte in Minaret is a new route, opened by E. Moro and D. Boroch in 2016. Located just right of Versant Satanique, it is very close in style with the two crux pitches on wide cracks, it is a bit harder and a top quality route.

Voyage – Minaret (© A. Gatta)

This route is graded ED/7a/250m, 8 pitches. The are a few bolts when necessary and take 2 racks of friends #0.3 to #3 and one #4.

Voyage en Pierre Sainte in red and Versant Satanique in blue (© A. Gatta)

Here is the GPS Route from the Grands Montets to Argentiere Hut and then the start of the route (N45.95154, E7.01401).

Route description:

Pitch #1: 5c, traverse up right on easy ground (gorge and corners often wet), right of Versant Satanique toward the red pillar of the second pitch. A steeper crack leads to the shelve and the anchor.

Voyage: pitch #1 (© P. Gatta)

Pitch #2: 6b, short pitch straight along the red pillar (1 bolt).

Voyage: pitch #2 (© A. Gatta)

Pitch #3: 6b, short pitch continue on red pillar; steep at the beginning until a slabby traverse to the right and then easy ground to the top of the pillar. Traverse 10m left to reach the anchor (4 bolts).

Voyage: top of pitch #3 (© P. Gatta)

Pitch #4: 6c, 45m, follow the crack straight above the anchor and climb two successive roofs (2 bolts).

Voyage en Pierre Sainte: pitch #4 (© A. Gatta)

Voyage en Pierre Sainte: pitch #4 from above (© P. Gatta)

Pitch #5: 6a+, straight up in the wide cracks, Versant Satanique is just on the left. When you reach the large flake, traverse right to the anchor (1 bolt).

Voyage en Pierre Sainte: pitch #5 (© P. Jouany)

Pitch #6: 6c+/7a, 30m, climb the wide crack above the anchor, sustained and physical (2 bolts).

Pitch #7: 6c+/7a, 20m, continue on the wide crack above the anchor, intense and bouldery until you reach the V. Anchor on friends and slings at the bottom of the thin crack.