M6 Solar

Fun route that's more easily done from town in a day on skis than possibly any other. Mostly a gully climb which should have some ice in it for the best experience. Unlike most Chamonix climbs of this style, this route has no bolts per the request of the first ascensionists.

P1: M4. Belay off a spike below a short offwidth chimney. 30m from the shrund. Length of actual climbing can vary wildly depending on snow depth.

P2: Surmount a short offwidth/chimney (in my opinion the crux of the route; piton on the left) and continue up a snowy ramp to the next step. Belay on the right (optional). 30m.

P3: M4, continue up a mixed gully to a piton belay on the right. 30m. Easily enchained with P2 using 60m ropes.

P4: Briefly climb a snow ramp to the base of a wall with (hopefully) an iced up corner on the right. Climb this corner. M5. Belay on the left. 30m.

P5: Continue climbing ice rivlets until they end (15m) then step left and continue up rock to the shoulder. There may be a variation steppight right as well. M5+. 30m

Descend the route or top out via a short snow slope.

P2 had a piton anchor on March 14 2025, but by March 18 it was gone. There's gear, but that was an interesting development.

South face of Point Lachenal, just left of Star Academixte

Single rack of cams to #2 (#3 could also be placed on last pitch), a couple screws, stoppers, 2x 60m ropes. Skis highly recommended although this is one of the few routes in this zone that you might also succeed on without skis (in which case, maybe bring a single rope and top out to ease your return to the Midi).