Ecrins Range Climbing

This area details Snow, Ice and Mixed (Alpine) routes and not Rock Climbs

The Ecrins range is a triangular range of mountains with Grenoble to the North, Briancon on the South and Gap on the South-West. Before the Ecrins National Park was formed in 1973 the range was better known by its valleys bases carved out by the rivers Romanche, the Guisane and the Drac. From a climbing perspective this range is home to the Barre Des Ecrins (the only other French 4000 meter mountain outside of the Mont Blanc range), Mt. Pelvoux and La Meije. Besides the high alpine summits, there is excellent and extensive ice climbing with some of the better known destinations being in the Vallon du Diable close to St. Christophe-en-Oisans, Vallee de Malaval and Les Freaux-La Grave.

The organization of this alpine areas is based on the primary valley bases in the range: La Grave, La Berarde, Ailefroide, Valjouffrey and Valgaudemar