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A Bit of Alpine

July 2000

We had driven to Chamonix with visions of blue skies and starry bivvy nights on the Aiguille de Midi. What we got was a sleet lashed ascent of an easy route on the index and our main objective the Petit Dru covered with fresh snow. Cable cars were shut because of high winds and it was clear from the log book in the guides office that very little climbing activity had been possible in recent weeks, even the French were beginning to tire with rustling around Chamonix in extravagant amounts of kit. After four patient days we packed up the sodden kit and drove south. By late afternoon we were sitting outside a drying tent, wineglass in hand discussing possible routes in the Ecrin Mountains.

Not having anticipated ending up in the Ecrins we had no guidebook and minimal knowledge of what was possible other than valley cragging, which there is plenty of. However not concerning ourselves with the petit details we packed rucksacks and set off to the Glacier Blanc hut having reserved places over the telephone, and sweated up hill for two and a half hours clutching our newly purchased French Guide Du Haut-Dauphine. Only mad dogs and English men would start walking in the mid afternoon!, the locals, quite rightly set off later when cool mountain air fills the valley and arrive at the hut in time to be served a civilised evening meal.

The Glacier Blanc refuge nestles on top of a huge cliff overlooking the snout of the glacier. Across the valley the Glacier Noir hug the base of the stunning Allefroide mountain ranges. Having made acquaintances with the hut guardians we sorted kit and checked we could at least find the start of our route for the Montagne des Agneaux. The route wanders up through a chaotic landscape of deceptive and seemingly endless boulder fields an area which I renamed the grey lands. Happy to be in the mountains we settled down for the early lights out.

Wanting to make the most of the lower morning temperatures we jumped in at the deep end and took the 3am wake up call. Having shovelled breakfast down unwilling throats we were walking or more correctly stumbling in the dark by 4am. After an hour or so we started the slow plod up the huge amphitheatre shaped coulour which leads up to the Col do Monetier. The route at one point narrows to just two feet, this requires a moments concentration as you teeter around a rock shelf on crampons, a sheer drop on your right side down a gully to the coulour base.

By now dawn was well on the way and we stood on the Col gazing over violet peaks and a turquoise back lit sky. Having geared up we traversed moving together over a dazzling snow field rising to the base of a two pitch easy scramble. Gaining the Col du Tuckett which is narrow enough to sit astride and peer down the north facing gullies, the climbing wanders into the low grades picking a way up the south side of the ridge. With the odd runner for protection, we continued to move together and after three quarters of an hours true alpine easy climbing we were sat in glorious sunshine on the summit of Montagne des Agneaux 3664m, with inspiring views of Mount Blanc, Meije, and the close by Barre des Ecrins. Joined by two jolly French men we took obligatory summit photos and allowed ten minutes to absorb the crystal clear and serene views.

The descent was easy enough retracing our steps having only to wait for a party coming up to the small Col du Tuckett before abseiling down. By now the snow was already turning sugary and we felt secure after crossing back over the first col into the north facing coulour. On the way back through the grey lands we stopped to admire some of the candy floss type alpine plants and the huge boulders we had unknowingly walked passed that morning. One o'clock and back al the now busy hut, we made dinner, basked in sunshine and purred like fat cats from the days exploits.

The weather was set to hold for a second day and the hut guardian had trustingly allowed us to stay an extra night. We hadn't the cash on us to pay but we were to settle the tab via a small bar or kitchen table as it turned out in the village of Ailfoide.

Looking for something a little more technically challenging we turned our attentions to an impressively multi pointed peak Point des Cineastes. We consulted the guidebook and cross-referenced it with a topo on the refuge wall. Not wanting to rely on our outstandingly bad translating skills we consulted a local climbing guide, who by chance I had spoken to on route that day, and happened to be the tall handsome majestic figure sat close to where we were eating dinner. After rather embarrassingly asking me if I could make the climbing grade, he enthusiastically told us of the main features to look out for including what he described as a gigantic fishhook!

With only a forty-five minute walk in through the grey lands we could afford a more leisurely start as it was pointless reaching the base before daylight. On approach we could easily pick out the main feature on the lower face; a huge slanting open corner.

Tracing a route backwards from the base of it we found the start. Despite gear being mainly insitu it would have been fairly easy to go off route or start in the wrong place, which we saw another pair do resulting in them having to retreat.

Taking alternate leads the first two pitches lead to the huge corner and the start of what was to be steady continuous French 5b 5c climbing, made slightly unbalancing in places by the addition of clumpy rucksacks. Climbing was delightful, dry and on solid rock. Four pitches in and Paul led the crux pitch a superb delicate and balanced slab across the right hand wall of the corner taking us to the top of it.

I took over the lead crossing a small gully and over a series of small bulges giving that airy feeling. Making our way to the centre of the face Paul had a few route finding dilemmas, but they were soon sorted with gentle exploration. Leading again I started on a classic rising traverse over the main face and came to the fish hook! A massive curving flake that is climbed with a long reach (there's always one somewhere) which pulls over to a hanging belay. Not at all unnerved as we listened to a big rockfall somewhere in the vicinity, you could stare underneath you down the entire distance of the SouthEast face of Cineasters. Paul finished the climbing taking us onto the first compact and bijoux point on the ridge and we set about finding the way off. First came a short but awkward abseil down the back of the first pinnacle, to a col where you meet the voie normal route that traverses all five points of Cineasters. Deciding ropes were more of a danger dislodging loose rock than protection we set about back climbing the normal route. Graded AD and like a long Lakes scramble with loose rock care was taken as a slip would not have been advisable. The route descends the left-hand arete of the main face, at approximately half height the down climbing abruptly stopped as it dropped vertically for over 500 feet. On our right an unstable and steep scree slope was our way out. Traversing the slope just a couple of metres from the dramatic cliff edge on our left we cautiously set off. The going was not as bad as first thought but we didn't hang around and set about finding the descent gully at the far end of the cliff.

Sat on top of a huge pile of moraine we took a few minutes to eat a late lunch of Nutri Grain bars and marvelled at the fantastic climbing we had experienced that day. A tiring scramble down the loose moraine we navigated the confusing landscape by the position of the Cineasters ridge, and were back at the foot of the face with only an hours walk back to the refuge.

Speaking again to the jolly Frenchmen and two other English climbers we satisfied ourselves that the French guide book had in the end proved the saving grace as it was far more accurate in route descriptions and timings than the English ones.

By now late afternoon and again laden with heavy rucksacks we made the two hour descent down to the Ailefroide valley stopping to watch Marmots and pick out routes on surrounding peaks. Showered and sitting in the late evening sun I brought back the images from the day into my mind, not only had we had some great climbing and a fantastic summit day we still had a week left to do it all over again.

Route information

Guidebook: Guide d Haute-Dauphine massif des Ecrins tome 2.

Montagne des Agneaux 3644m - Voie normal de l'arete S. 4-5 hours from hut to summit, graded PD

Pointe des Cineasters, le Vieux Piton South face 45 minutes walk in, 5-6 hours climbing, graded TD French 5b/5c

Rachel Antill

Last Modified: 7 May, 2003