Lac d'Aubert-Chimney of glacier

Overview

You have some possibilities to climb but the easier is the entry across the small glacier of Ramougn across a chimney.

Note: I use the grade III because it don't exists a grade II+ in SP and I prefer to show III and not II. For the same reason I can't translate to 5.3 (YDS) because it's not exact and I use 5.4, but it's a little easier than it.

Getting There

See the main page to approach to Lac d'Aubert (2,100m).

Route Description

We begin in the dam of the lake (Lac d'Aubert) turning in left side crossing over the wall of the dam. In the other side it exists some signals and various paths. The path most evident turn to left to make a great curve before turning to right and for this reason many people walk in straight direction to get the path in the other side of the curve. After some ramps among the grassy terrain we follow the cairns to right side. The path turn to right in some terraces (exposed if it has snow) and with many attention we walk under the west face of the Barris d'Aubert, rocky ridge in direction to peak Ramougn (in this case a vertical wall it's the only place to cross the ridge to the east and you need to make a rappel or descent a rock-climb of II+). The path reach a chaotic col with a lot of stones descending to a new path in an area with a lot of path and cairns, all of this path go in the same direction to west. Some terraces of rock exist to walk in direction SW above the great blocks of stone that surround the little glacier of Ramougn with the view of Néouvielle in left side. If the terraces of direct option has a little of snow it's a good idea follow the normal route of Néouvielle in right side for some meters to reach and area below a shoulder. We leave the path of Néouvielle ans we turn to left climbing some terraces of grass and rock reaching directly the glacier of Ramougn.

In the glacier we can see two chimneys in right side of Ramougn. We go to the first chimney (left) crossing the glacier (35º) using generally crampons.

First pitch: vertical but easy (II), 20m, reaching the not vertical section. Some years the entry has a little of ice and the rope is very useful. Without ice or snow a lot of people don't use rope in this pith because the rock is very good (granite) but the fall is long.

Second pitch: wall of rock (II) in left side (6m) reaching the gap in the ridge. A lot of people don't use the rope in this section because it's very short, but the fall is long.

Third pitch: it's the hardest and most famous pass (II+). You must go on left side of the rocky ridge putting your hands in the edge. It's a very good idea the use of strings and carabineers.

Four pitch: we follow to left of the ridge and we turn to climb a wall in right side. It's an easy section in ascent (II) and generally the people use the rope only for the descent.

Five pitch: you're now in right side of the ridge but you turn newly to left side across some paths to reach the last setion, a very nice chimney with perfect steps for foots. It's an easy section in ascent (II) and generally the people use the rope only for the descent.

Descent: you reach the gap in the ridge and you can make a rapel in the second pith (20m). The second rappel (28m) it's just over the vertical section of first pitch to reach the bottom of the chimney and the glacier.

Essential Gear

Crampons and ice-axe are needed in Spring and early Summer because the small glacier is under the entry of the chimney. In summer the snow is hard in the morning but probably you can reach the chimney across the soft snow but it's very difficult to know previously the real conditions. Even a few of people can climb the previous day without crampons and you can't walk on the snow the next day. In my opinion crampons are always a good option in this peak (I climbed the peak two times, in July and August, and I used crampons both times, but I only used ice-axe in one of the climbs.)

Rope of 60m or two ropes of 30m: the rope of 60m is advisable if you want to return to the glacier with rappel. For rock-climbing a rope of 30m is a good option.

Harness, helmet, 4 or 5 slings and the same numbers of carabineers.

External Links

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Images

View Lac d'Aubert-Chimney of glacier Image Gallery - 1 Images