Adrien and Manu wrestle with the opening slab of the Voie des Nains in mountain boots. Beyond it, the fine granite of the Dibona makes for a lovely climb.
After yesterday’s big outing on Pic Gény, the plan is to do less uphill walking and try something more technical. We go for the Voie des Nains on the east face of the Dibona, which can be linked with the normal route. We set off in wisps of cloud rising from the Vénéon valley. Then the sun takes over and stays with us all day.
Adrien and Manu look a little worried when they see how slabby the first pitch is. They’re starting to wonder about the sanity of their guide, who’s slightly the worse for wear after a boozy evening at the Soreiller hut. But the hardest part is committing to the fight. Once you’re in it, there’s nothing for it but to get stuck in.
The first pitch is the steepest and hardest on the route. It puts off quite a few teams, according to Martine, the hut keeper. Manu and Adrien put up a proper fight in mountain boots, but we all make it to the belay. There are more holds than you’d think. Adrien still has his doubts for a moment, then finds his resolve again. The next pitches look a lot more inviting! The climbing is great fun, on the sort of flawless rock you get all over the Dibona. My two companions stay focused and dig deep as they get used to this near-vertical world where they have to learn a whole new way of moving. Hardly an everyday experience!
We come out on the ridge next to the Clochetons Gunneng. The view of the Dibona and the Soreiller cirque is fantastic. Adrien and Manu are delighted and proud to have stuck with it and made it. We stop for a breather at the foot of the Dibona. My two warriors have had enough for today and decide to save the summit for another trip.
So we head back to the hut. The Soreiller team are brilliant. Kind, full of good cheer and, to top it all off, excellent cooks. Thanks, everyone!
Well fed, we start down among the Soreiller sheep. It’s rather nice to walk down with something left in the legs. You get to enjoy the mountains a bit more that way!
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