With Ivan, I climb the south pillar of Barre Noire in a day: a change of plan in the Écrins, fine rock and a partnership that quickly finds its rhythm.
After meeting this past winter—ice axes in hand, over a climb and a beer—we made plans with Ivan for a major project this summer: the Chapoutot-Dibona route on the Third Dent of La Meije. Ivan is super motivated, and I’m thrilled at the prospect of tackling this route!
Unfortunately, we have to face the facts: despite having four days set aside together, we don’t have a long enough window of good weather to embark on this adventure with peace of mind. Once I got over the disappointment, I suggested a one-day Plan B to Ivan, which would let us slip into the short window of good weather: the southern pillar of Barre Noire, issue 71 of the The 100 Most Beautiful by Rébuffat.
Although he sometimes speaks highly of certain climbs, our national climbing legend, Rébuff, remains rather reserved when it comes to this pillar. He describes it as a test for climbers before tackling difficult rock routes on large walls.
Ivan immediately got excited about this project, which he had never even considered before! So, let’s go for the “test”! We’ve never climbed together before, but Ivan has an impressive track record of solo climbs and has already climbed the south pillar of La Barre with a colleague. I’m confident!
Obviously, to fit this hike into a single day, you have to skip sleeping in. We meet up well before dawn. The hike up to that high-up pillar is a great way to wake up your muscles!
During the first section of the pillar, which we climbed with the rope taut, I became completely confident in Ivan’s skills as he made his way up calmly.
Although I had already hiked this trail ten years earlier, I’d completely forgotten all about it! So, it’s like discovering it all over again. After the tight rope at the start, a first gray ledge requires a bit of caution, then we reach the top of the pillar on a stunning red rock.
We reached the summit a little before noon, and I got the impression that the whole thing had been a nice, easy hike for Ivan! Some cheese and good cold cuts to give us a little boost for the rest of the way, while we enjoyed the panoramic view and the exceptional vista of the Barre des Ecrins.
Unlike La Meije, the descent is much easier, and after two rappels and a bit of focused cramponing, you reach the standard route up the Dôme des Ecrins, from where it’s just a matter of making your way down to the bottom!
I got to the car early, and the test was a success! Way to go, Ivan—this bodes well for what's to come!
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