The route goes along the ridge to the left of the couloir. Also, late in the summer, when it is warm, the couloir becomes a chute for all the rock falls. Stay away or climb very early before the sun warms up the rock
Probemeister - Oct 30, 2003 9:59 am - Hasn't voted
Route Comment
Ok, good advice for when it is warm, however when it is snowy getting onto the ridge on the L would lead to difficulty
I agree - in early season when there is still snow in the gullies, the classic approach beginning left of the spur would be good. Once the snow is gone, it is better to continue up the glacier to the Couloir de la Table, where there is still some snow remaining, and reach the ridge from this side. There is rockfall danger on either approach, but the Couloir de la Table is safer and you get onto the ridge quicker. When I climbed on Aug 7, there were about 10 parties for Arete de la Table. We were the only ones who didn't use the new approach and I wish we had. When I get home I will draw lines on some of the photos to show the exact routes.
I may have been off route at the time, but when I tried to climb this I found the first pitch up the couloir tricky and very loose. On the second pitch I was hit by a large boulder. Luckily I'm still here but five years on and my knee still hurts. So watch out for loose rock!
The route description for the Table de Roc Spur in the British Alpine Club guide (and on this SummitPost page) is no longer the preferred route.
The guidebook says to approach via the glacier bay between the West Ridge and SW Spur and then to climb a gully, finally climbing up RIGHT to gain the spur. At least in summer, this gully is very loose and unpleasant and not recommended.
The new route, which nearly everyone is climbing, begins by climbing the Table Couloir until it narrows and then climbs up LEFT to gain the spur. This method is faster and safer than the classic approach.
There is already another description of the Arete du Table Route.
This description is OUTDATED as far as the approach couloir is concerned.
Even for the actual approach through the Table couloir, good overnight freeze and early start are heavily recommended. We heared rockfall starting from 8 o'clock -- in June!
The description gives grades for climbing steps like "(3)". Which scale is meant here? If UIAA perhaps use "III". Alse notice that the usual guidbooks rate the steps before and onto the table rock as 4b/c or even 5a in french scale.
Same for the overall difficuly given, the climb isn't reted PD but AD almost everywhere you look.
mtselman - Jun 6, 2003 12:37 pm - Hasn't voted
Route CommentThe route goes along the ridge to the left of the couloir. Also, late in the summer, when it is warm, the couloir becomes a chute for all the rock falls. Stay away or climb very early before the sun warms up the rock
Probemeister - Oct 30, 2003 9:59 am - Hasn't voted
Route CommentOk, good advice for when it is warm, however when it is snowy getting onto the ridge on the L would lead to difficulty
Tom Fralich - Aug 11, 2004 7:08 am - Hasn't voted
Route CommentI agree - in early season when there is still snow in the gullies, the classic approach beginning left of the spur would be good. Once the snow is gone, it is better to continue up the glacier to the Couloir de la Table, where there is still some snow remaining, and reach the ridge from this side. There is rockfall danger on either approach, but the Couloir de la Table is safer and you get onto the ridge quicker. When I climbed on Aug 7, there were about 10 parties for Arete de la Table. We were the only ones who didn't use the new approach and I wish we had. When I get home I will draw lines on some of the photos to show the exact routes.
Joe Glennie - Jan 28, 2004 9:44 am - Hasn't voted
Route CommentI may have been off route at the time, but when I tried to climb this I found the first pitch up the couloir tricky and very loose. On the second pitch I was hit by a large boulder. Luckily I'm still here but five years on and my knee still hurts. So watch out for loose rock!
Tom Fralich - Aug 8, 2004 12:44 pm - Hasn't voted
Route CommentThe route description for the Table de Roc Spur in the British Alpine Club guide (and on this SummitPost page) is no longer the preferred route.
The guidebook says to approach via the glacier bay between the West Ridge and SW Spur and then to climb a gully, finally climbing up RIGHT to gain the spur. At least in summer, this gully is very loose and unpleasant and not recommended.
The new route, which nearly everyone is climbing, begins by climbing the Table Couloir until it narrows and then climbs up LEFT to gain the spur. This method is faster and safer than the classic approach.
Flachlandtiroler - Jul 1, 2022 3:39 am - Hasn't voted
DoubletThere is already another description of the Arete du Table Route.
This description is OUTDATED as far as the approach couloir is concerned.
Even for the actual approach through the Table couloir, good overnight freeze and early start are heavily recommended. We heared rockfall starting from 8 o'clock -- in June!
The description gives grades for climbing steps like "(3)". Which scale is meant here? If UIAA perhaps use "III". Alse notice that the usual guidbooks rate the steps before and onto the table rock as 4b/c or even 5a in french scale.
Same for the overall difficuly given, the climb isn't reted PD but AD almost everywhere you look.