Les Lepidopteres - nice and classic route. We made it in 4 lenghts up to the Pappilon arette. It could be made in 3 lenghts with 60m. rope from the big ledge in foot of the route.
climbed it with Jean Afanassieff around 1990. Marvelous modern Piola route. One of his best.
Bart - Aug 23, 2012 3:21 am Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2012
Papillon Ridge
Great rock, nice climbing. Tricky step on the 5c pitch. Nice route for a shorter day.
JanG - Jul 18, 2011 5:33 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2011
A long day on the Peigne
A memorable rock climbing outing with my son Christoph and our guide Eric. Super rock, dramatic exposure and spectacular views from the summit. We took longer than planned and had to hurry back to catch the very last Tram from Plan de l'Aiguille at 18:15. A great day overall!
Got lost, kind of climbed up and round it! Got to the top though traversed summit ridge and descended safely. Missed the cable car and had to walk back to town. Met some Polish climbers with crazy ancient gear and climbing techniques - including use of fixed rope!
Good climb. The Pappillons ridge offers 200 meters of very nice rock climbing up to V/V+. Contuining to the summit (another 200/300m?, IV) gives a much more alpine feeling however it was longer than we expected (17 'o clock back at basecamp).
Gripped - Sep 15, 2006 3:10 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2006
West Ridge (Arete des Papillons)
Empty and oh so much better for it. Which was a lovely piece of luck.
This is a great, albeit popular, route. It's about 12 pitches of sustained climbing, with technical difficulties reaching 5.10a. We rappelled straight down from the top of the gendarme, which was really spooky in a whiteout. We were lead off route by a stray bolt (or piton) about halfway up and had to gingerly retrace our steps. I vaguely remember missing the last telepherique and enjoying the 3000 foot downhill trudge.
Route Climbed: West Ridge (Arete des Papillons) Date Climbed: June 21, 2005
Climbed with Philippe Gerschel and Tracy Arienne, starting from Plan de l'Aiguille at around 9AM. There were a ton of parties on the route, which led to some delays and we were climbing as a group of three, which is always slow. Some very nice and varied pitches. A lot of exposed climbing, but with good protection. I especially liked the huge flakes just below the summit of the third tower. After reaching the junction with the normal route, one rappel got us into the Papillons Couloir, which we descended to the Pelerins glacier. I just made the last cable car back to Chamonix. Philippe and Tracy weren't so lucky.
Andrey Pramatarov - Aug 15, 2013 2:59 am Date Climbed: Aug 11, 2013
Les LepidopteresLes Lepidopteres - nice and classic route. We made it in 4 lenghts up to the Pappilon arette. It could be made in 3 lenghts with 60m. rope from the big ledge in foot of the route.
ericvola - Jun 7, 2013 12:25 pm
North ridgeClimbed in in 1980 with Jacques Porta the son of Michel Porta who did the first ascent. The pitches in the final chimney are quite strenuous!
ericvola - Jun 7, 2013 12:21 pm
Papillons and SW ridgeMarvelous combination to be ended with the Classical Lepiney crack. Climbed in with Yves Besson (Tostin) in 1962.
ericvola - Jun 7, 2013 12:19 pm
The Maillon manquantclimbed it with Jean Afanassieff around 1990. Marvelous modern Piola route. One of his best.
Bart - Aug 23, 2012 3:21 am Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2012
Papillon RidgeGreat rock, nice climbing. Tricky step on the 5c pitch. Nice route for a shorter day.
JanG - Jul 18, 2011 5:33 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2011
A long day on the PeigneA memorable rock climbing outing with my son Christoph and our guide Eric. Super rock, dramatic exposure and spectacular views from the summit. We took longer than planned and had to hurry back to catch the very last Tram from Plan de l'Aiguille at 18:15. A great day overall!
Leendertschwab - Sep 23, 2010 5:30 am
vaucher routeNice climb with a tricky traverse over three bulges. The VI+ sections are streneous.
Dan Bailey - Aug 9, 2009 11:58 am
papillonsgood route, but busy
tphubbard - Jan 28, 2007 3:51 pm
SuperbGot lost, kind of climbed up and round it! Got to the top though traversed summit ridge and descended safely. Missed the cable car and had to walk back to town. Met some Polish climbers with crazy ancient gear and climbing techniques - including use of fixed rope!
Bas Visscher - Nov 6, 2006 9:29 pm
climbed pappillons and normal routeGood climb. The Pappillons ridge offers 200 meters of very nice rock climbing up to V/V+. Contuining to the summit (another 200/300m?, IV) gives a much more alpine feeling however it was longer than we expected (17 'o clock back at basecamp).
Gripped - Sep 15, 2006 3:10 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2006
West Ridge (Arete des Papillons)Empty and oh so much better for it. Which was a lovely piece of luck.
Sam Page - Feb 13, 2006 10:12 pm
Vaucher RouteThis is a great, albeit popular, route. It's about 12 pitches of sustained climbing, with technical difficulties reaching 5.10a. We rappelled straight down from the top of the gendarme, which was really spooky in a whiteout. We were lead off route by a stray bolt (or piton) about halfway up and had to gingerly retrace our steps. I vaguely remember missing the last telepherique and enjoying the 3000 foot downhill trudge.
Tom Fralich - Jun 22, 2005 11:38 am
Route Climbed: West Ridge (Arete des Papillons) Date Climbed: June 21, 2005Climbed with Philippe Gerschel and Tracy Arienne, starting from Plan de l'Aiguille at around 9AM. There were a ton of parties on the route, which led to some delays and we were climbing as a group of three, which is always slow. Some very nice and varied pitches. A lot of exposed climbing, but with good protection. I especially liked the huge flakes just below the summit of the third tower. After reaching the junction with the normal route, one rappel got us into the Papillons Couloir, which we descended to the Pelerins glacier. I just made the last cable car back to Chamonix. Philippe and Tracy weren't so lucky.
Carbo - Jan 21, 2005 9:35 pm
Route Climbed: Papillon Ridge Date Climbed: June 1990My first alpine climb. Climbed with a chap from Wales long time ago. Missed the last lift down and had to hike the trail down to Chamonix in the dark
mountaindog - Jul 28, 2002 12:40 pm
Route Climbed: Minettes Ridge - Voie Normale Date Climbed: July 26th, 2002Nice route with a few route finding challenges to link Minettes Ridge to the Voie Normale.
bruno.carbonne - Jun 23, 2002 8:48 pm
Route Climbed: Contamine-Vaucher Date Climbed: July 1983My first ascent in the Chamonix area. Looks like a very long time ago, though every moment of this climb remains in my memory
Bernhard Sauer - Jun 14, 2002 2:09 pm
Route Climbed: North west face of the "Gendarm" - Le ticket, le carre, le rond et la lune Date Climbed: August 1989Nice climb and highly recommended...in the last pitch some challenging run-outs (see picture)