With Ivan, we link Nabot Léon, Osez Joséphine and Blaitière’s northwest ridge: 900 metres of climbing, abseils and a long day high above Chamonix.
Barely back from the Grépon with Antoine, I meet Ivan at the Plan de l’Aiguille hut. Straight into the next adventure! For our twice-yearly rendezvous, we’re aiming for a substantial route in the Mont Blanc massif: Blaitière’s northwest ridge.
The plan is to climb Blaitière’s red pillar by linking two “modern” routes, Nabot Léon and Osez Joséphine, then continue along the northwest ridge to Blaitière’s north summit… 900 metres of climbing, followed by the descent: a long day guaranteed! We won’t be disappointed!
First, Nabot Léon and Osez Joséphine on Blaitière’s red pillar
We leave the hut at around 3.30 am. Although we’d vaguely imagined catching the last cable car down, we soon realise that finishing the route in daylight will already be quite satisfying!
We start Nabot Léon at around 6 am. The climbing is simply magnificent, the sort of thing Chamonix granite does so well. The fixed protection is thoughtfully placed: nothing where you can place your own gear, bolts where they’re needed…
The pitches linking into Osez Joséphine aren’t quite as gentle as they look. With my nose in the topo, I hesitate once or twice and venture into sections a little harder than expected… In fact, the general idea is simply to stay on the ridge!
Osez Joséphine delivers more beautiful climbing, up to grade V+. We follow it halfway up the final pitch before moving across to the northwest ridge. A decent break, climbing shoes swapped for trainers, and off we go for a few hours of ridge climbing!
Then, Blaitière’s northwest ridge itself…
The climbing alternates between sustained sections up to grade V and easier ground where we can move more freely. Ivan gets his first taste of climbing Chamonix slabs in trainers! Not entirely straightforward…
One notch follows another, and our pace slows: 800 metres of climbing have taken their toll. At the foot of the summit bastion, I sense Ivan wouldn’t put up much resistance if I suggested calling it a day, especially as a few snowflakes are starting to fall…
Experience has taught me how much you can sometimes regret giving up too soon, particularly when there’s no immediate danger. I know Ivan a little from the fine routes we’ve already climbed together, and I know he has stamina… The long abseil descent will mostly call on our mental reserves… So, on we go!
The bastion saves a superb penultimate pitch for us, followed by one last little stretch of ridge. It’s 4 pm. The view is far from clear, but neighbouring summits appear now and then through the swirling clouds: the Ciseaux, the Fou… Quite an atmosphere!
On this impressive face we’ve just climbed, despite the commitment and difficulties, we never quite lose contact with the valley. All the sounds from below reach us!
And then, barely at the top, it’s time to head down!
The abseil descent has fixed anchors, but still demands our full attention. We regularly have to rope up again to reach offset abseils or descend ledges, make sure we don’t miss the anchors… And climb back up when the rope gets stuck!
Eventually, we join the Fidel Fiasco abseil line. Things run more smoothly, and we reach the foot of the route fourteen hours after setting off!
All that remains is to get back to the hut, where we’ll obviously be spending another night. But first, we deal with the duck legs the hut warden has prepared for us!
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