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Routes in Col des Aravis
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L'arete a Marion S 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
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Pilier du Point S 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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| Type: | Sport, 1600 ft (485 m), 14 pitches, Grade III |
| FA: | Michel Poencet solo |
| Page Views: | 1,521 total · 16/month |
| Shared By: | Richard Hunter on Aug 23, 2017 |
| Admins: | David Riley, Luc-514 |
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Description
The Arete a Marion is a classic alpine ridge climb at a straightforward grade with epic exposure and beautiful views of Mt. Blanc throughout the climb. Pure fun throughout. While it is a bolted route it is in an Alpine environment (Alpine grade AD-) and good judgement of conditions is required. Many of the pitches can be simul-climbed by faster moving parties.
From the parking area in the Col des Aravis head towards a farmhouse and then continue up through pastures using a vague path towards a large scree slope on the right flank of Pointes de la Blonnière (between the two major peaks seen from the parking area). Once out of the pasture, a path following a stream should become obvious, follow this, or make your own path to the base of the scree slope then follow cairns to the base of the route, which lies to the left and slightly below the large formation that divides the scree slope 2/3's or so of the way up. The route starts at a two bolt anchor at the base of a grooved slab with a bolt line running up it. This is the first pitch. The approach takes roughly an hour.
P1: 5.4, follow the groove and the bolts up the slab to a bolted anchor.
P2: 5.5, follow the bolts up the slap past grooves and buckets to a bolted belay.
P3: 5.7+ From the second pitch belay, climb up, crossing a grassy patch to the base of a corner. The corner is the technical crux of the route but there are bolts every meter so. There is a belay at the top of this section, but many parties simul climb through the easy slabs that follow and belay at the start of the grassy section that follows.
P4: walk across the grass to the base of the obvious ridge.
P5-6: 5.4, follow the bolts along the ridge, easy climbing and glorious exposure. These pitches can be simu-climbed.
P7: 5.5 follow the ramp up and left.
P8: 5.5
P9-10: 5.3 easy climbing with more widely spaced (10m+) bolts. Also worth simul-climbing.
P11: 5.4 continue up the ridge to a notch and a flat area.
P12: 5.4 Traverse across a super exposed neck of the ridge.
P13: 5.5 Climb up and right of the belay, then follow the crack and bolts up a beautiful white slab, then follow the edge of the ridge to the belay.
P14: 5.7 Climb up from the anchor then follow the edge of the slab up and left, then drop over a notch to the opposite side of the ridge and follow the bolts to the summit.
Descent: follow the cairns down the back of the summit towards the saddle. There is a 25-30m rappel in a rocky gully to get to the saddle and the top of the scree slope. Once there follow the vague trail back down to the base (roughly 2 hours).
From the parking area in the Col des Aravis head towards a farmhouse and then continue up through pastures using a vague path towards a large scree slope on the right flank of Pointes de la Blonnière (between the two major peaks seen from the parking area). Once out of the pasture, a path following a stream should become obvious, follow this, or make your own path to the base of the scree slope then follow cairns to the base of the route, which lies to the left and slightly below the large formation that divides the scree slope 2/3's or so of the way up. The route starts at a two bolt anchor at the base of a grooved slab with a bolt line running up it. This is the first pitch. The approach takes roughly an hour.
P1: 5.4, follow the groove and the bolts up the slab to a bolted anchor.
P2: 5.5, follow the bolts up the slap past grooves and buckets to a bolted belay.
P3: 5.7+ From the second pitch belay, climb up, crossing a grassy patch to the base of a corner. The corner is the technical crux of the route but there are bolts every meter so. There is a belay at the top of this section, but many parties simul climb through the easy slabs that follow and belay at the start of the grassy section that follows.
P4: walk across the grass to the base of the obvious ridge.
P5-6: 5.4, follow the bolts along the ridge, easy climbing and glorious exposure. These pitches can be simu-climbed.
P7: 5.5 follow the ramp up and left.
P8: 5.5
P9-10: 5.3 easy climbing with more widely spaced (10m+) bolts. Also worth simul-climbing.
P11: 5.4 continue up the ridge to a notch and a flat area.
P12: 5.4 Traverse across a super exposed neck of the ridge.
P13: 5.5 Climb up and right of the belay, then follow the crack and bolts up a beautiful white slab, then follow the edge of the ridge to the belay.
P14: 5.7 Climb up from the anchor then follow the edge of the slab up and left, then drop over a notch to the opposite side of the ridge and follow the bolts to the summit.
Descent: follow the cairns down the back of the summit towards the saddle. There is a 25-30m rappel in a rocky gully to get to the saddle and the top of the scree slope. Once there follow the vague trail back down to the base (roughly 2 hours).
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