Close up of the E face of...

Close up of the E face of Grandes Jorasses. On the right skyline, the Hirondelles ridge.

The Gervasutti route (Gervasutti/Gagliardone, 1942, E2, A1, 6a-6b, 750m.) opened in 1942 and probably the most difficult free climbing of the massif until the 1962 American Direct at the Drus, goes up from the left side of the evident lower "v" shaped snowfield, up the left border of the huge vertical slabs in the center. This route has seen no more than 10 repetition, and is now much more prized than the Cassin route on the Walker spur. The quality of the rock in the 350 central meters is superb.

(pic courtesy of Antonio Giani.)