Tom Fralich - Jul 22, 2013 4:39 am Date Climbed: Jul 21, 2013
SW Face and Traverse
Did the Charmoz-Grepon traverse, starting from the refuge at Plan de l'Aiguille at 2:30AM. Missed the cable car by 2 minutes and got to stay at the refuge again with a more reasonable wake-up time. Super long route with some pretty difficult climbing and exposed on the summit ridge of the Charmoz. Also did the traverse of the Petit Charmoz several years before with Philippe Gerschel and Pete Body.
Great route! Climbed the first hard pitch and turned back - too much weight in the rucksacks. Light and fast - recommended!
JanG - Jul 18, 2011 5:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2011
Petits Charmoz (Traversee par l'Etala)
I am signing on the Grand Charmoz page because there is no SP entry for the Petits Charmoz (2867m altitude). This is unfortunate because this peak is no minor "relative" of the Grands Charmoz. It is a challenging great rock climb (AD/4c) in itself especially when reaching for the top, trying to find any (barely existant) handholds at the "Livre Ouvert" pitch. To be highly recommended!
Returned after 200m: lost the correct way and the weather turned bad, so that gave us a easy choice. Steep and bold route. 5c is definately undergraded, 6a+/b on several pitches would be more realistic.
Returned after 200m: lost the correct way and the weather turned bad, so that gave us a easy choice. Steep and bold route. 5c is definately undergraded, 6a+/b on several pitches would be more realistic.
Be very careful with the nantillons glacier, it's dangerous. Belays are appriopated for abseiling, which is recommended above the old descent via the normal on the charmoz-grepon traverse.
Sam Page - Feb 13, 2006 9:59 pm Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2001
Cordier Pillar
This was a long, memorable (and somewhat crowded) route. We made it to within 1 or 2 pitches of the top, but were stopped by an offwidth (we had no big gear). The sustained pitches on the final headwall were wild. Our ropes got stuck in a wet chimney on the second or third rappel, which required additional climbing. We rapped the last two pitches in the dark with headlamps.
Route Climbed: Grands Charmoz - Grépon traverse Date Climbed: 27th july 2005
we did it, but the route finding difficulties were slightly over our heads... we worked on it for eighteen hours... allthough we lost some time due to 'traffic jams' mostly on the rappel sites.
magnificent experience, 'grande course',
worthy of being called a 'full alpine route'
glacier approach (the nantillons glacier is allways tricky) route finding on the rock rognon in the dark, and then rock rock rock till the top. beautifull!
Route Climbed: Grands Charmoz - Grepon Traverse Date Climbed: August 1, 1976
Did this traverse in order to climb many of the gendarmes along it. Had to climb the Mummery Crack just to do it! The Nantillons Glacier and the Charmoz-Grepon Couloir can be hazardous.
Route Climbed: Cordier Pillar Date Climbed: 2002-07-08
Magnus Åshammar, Pontus Hellgren, Mike Hunt and Fredrik Nilsson left basecamp (the top of the moraine south of Glac. des Nantillions) before sunrise and reached the summit at 15:00. We rapped off, all the way to the bottom/start of the climb. I recommend that you do the same, not risking "the bowling alley" of the glacier. Mind the risk of the ropes getting stuck though. Ours got stuck on two occations and Mike "the man, the myth, the concept" freeclimbed both times and retrieved our ropes!
Undoubtedly, the last 5-6 pitches are, by far, the best! If you're to climb this magnificent route, START EARLY. You would not want to be on the face at dusk or fall. Bring headlamps.
If you should have to bivy, there is a huge ledge at the upper half, where you'll find enough snow to melt for drinking.
On the Nantillion, seracs at the size of minivans kept constantly rumbling down the glacier at horrible speed and sound!! Be aware!
This is a great climb, but keep in mind that speed is crucial...
Route Climbed: cordier pillar Date Climbed: july 91
thanks, ghirardini for doing the work on this peak.
now here's a good climb!! it's about .9 or 10a at most, quite sustained, especially in the fantastic crack system leading to the summit. we did it in 24 pitches and rapped the route to avoid the notoriuos deathtraps and bowling alleys of the nantillon glacier in late afternoon.
start early, alot of parties have to bivvy on this climb
Tom Fralich - Jul 22, 2013 4:39 am Date Climbed: Jul 21, 2013
SW Face and TraverseDid the Charmoz-Grepon traverse, starting from the refuge at Plan de l'Aiguille at 2:30AM. Missed the cable car by 2 minutes and got to stay at the refuge again with a more reasonable wake-up time. Super long route with some pretty difficult climbing and exposed on the summit ridge of the Charmoz. Also did the traverse of the Petit Charmoz several years before with Philippe Gerschel and Pete Body.
Andrey Pramatarov - Feb 13, 2013 6:58 am Date Climbed: Aug 9, 2011
Cordier PillarGreat route! Climbed the first hard pitch and turned back - too much weight in the rucksacks. Light and fast - recommended!
JanG - Jul 18, 2011 5:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 7, 2011
Petits Charmoz (Traversee par l'Etala)I am signing on the Grand Charmoz page because there is no SP entry for the Petits Charmoz (2867m altitude). This is unfortunate because this peak is no minor "relative" of the Grands Charmoz. It is a challenging great rock climb (AD/4c) in itself especially when reaching for the top, trying to find any (barely existant) handholds at the "Livre Ouvert" pitch. To be highly recommended!
skileraar - Sep 7, 2008 3:48 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2006
Cordier pillarReturned after 200m: lost the correct way and the weather turned bad, so that gave us a easy choice. Steep and bold route. 5c is definately undergraded, 6a+/b on several pitches would be more realistic.
Bas Visscher - Aug 30, 2006 8:23 pm
cordier spur/west faceReturned after 200m: lost the correct way and the weather turned bad, so that gave us a easy choice. Steep and bold route. 5c is definately undergraded, 6a+/b on several pitches would be more realistic.
Be very careful with the nantillons glacier, it's dangerous. Belays are appriopated for abseiling, which is recommended above the old descent via the normal on the charmoz-grepon traverse.
Sam Page - Feb 13, 2006 9:59 pm Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2001
Cordier PillarThis was a long, memorable (and somewhat crowded) route. We made it to within 1 or 2 pitches of the top, but were stopped by an offwidth (we had no big gear). The sustained pitches on the final headwall were wild. Our ropes got stuck in a wet chimney on the second or third rappel, which required additional climbing. We rapped the last two pitches in the dark with headlamps.
denarne - Aug 2, 2005 5:37 am
Route Climbed: Grands Charmoz - Grépon traverse Date Climbed: 27th july 2005we did it, but the route finding difficulties were slightly over our heads... we worked on it for eighteen hours... allthough we lost some time due to 'traffic jams' mostly on the rappel sites.
magnificent experience, 'grande course',
worthy of being called a 'full alpine route'
glacier approach (the nantillons glacier is allways tricky) route finding on the rock rognon in the dark, and then rock rock rock till the top. beautifull!
cherokee - Jun 2, 2004 2:33 pm
Route Climbed: Grands Charmoz - Grepon Traverse Date Climbed: August 1, 1976Did this traverse in order to climb many of the gendarmes along it. Had to climb the Mummery Crack just to do it! The Nantillons Glacier and the Charmoz-Grepon Couloir can be hazardous.
multisport - Jun 24, 2003 12:01 pm
Route Climbed: Cordier Pillar Date Climbed: 2002-07-08Magnus Åshammar, Pontus Hellgren, Mike Hunt and Fredrik Nilsson left basecamp (the top of the moraine south of Glac. des Nantillions) before sunrise and reached the summit at 15:00. We rapped off, all the way to the bottom/start of the climb. I recommend that you do the same, not risking "the bowling alley" of the glacier. Mind the risk of the ropes getting stuck though. Ours got stuck on two occations and Mike "the man, the myth, the concept" freeclimbed both times and retrieved our ropes!
Undoubtedly, the last 5-6 pitches are, by far, the best! If you're to climb this magnificent route, START EARLY. You would not want to be on the face at dusk or fall. Bring headlamps.
If you should have to bivy, there is a huge ledge at the upper half, where you'll find enough snow to melt for drinking.
On the Nantillion, seracs at the size of minivans kept constantly rumbling down the glacier at horrible speed and sound!! Be aware!
This is a great climb, but keep in mind that speed is crucial...
kullaberg - Nov 28, 2002 6:47 pm
Route Climbed: cordier pillar Date Climbed: july 91thanks, ghirardini for doing the work on this peak.
now here's a good climb!! it's about .9 or 10a at most, quite sustained, especially in the fantastic crack system leading to the summit. we did it in 24 pitches and rapped the route to avoid the notoriuos deathtraps and bowling alleys of the nantillon glacier in late afternoon.
start early, alot of parties have to bivvy on this climb