Adrien, Manu and I follow Pic Gény’s east ridge from the Châtelleret hut to the Soreiller. Fine rock, airy moves and a corner of the Oisans to ourselves.
On day two with Adrien and Manu, the plan is to reach the Soreiller valley by traversing Pic Gény. It’s a long route up the east ridge, and I have to say the rock is superb.
First, we have to get to the foot of the ridge. The Châtelleret hut is quick and easy to reach because it’s low down! So the day starts with 800 metres of ascent on a good path through the wild Plaret cirque, where the glacier is living out its last moments in the sun. The ridge catches the sun as soon as it clears Grande Ruine, at about eight. That’s exactly when we reach the foot of it.
The opening is easy. The ridge feels more like a broad spur here, just right for getting into the swing of things. The rock is warm and sound, and we’re climbing in T-shirts. Mountains don’t get much better than this! The farther we go, the narrower the ridge gets, with some proper knife-edge sections. The climbing is never particularly hard, but it takes stamina. There’s about a kilometre of ridge and 500 metres of ascent.
Adrien and Manu are clearly delighted to be here in these conditions. We reach the summit about five hours after starting up the ridge. Pic Gény is hardly the highest peak in the Écrins, or the prettiest, or the most whatever. But its central position gives you a cracking view across the range, much like Grande Ruine. Telling people you’ve climbed Pic Gény won’t get you far at a party. You do come home with a little piece of the hidden Oisans, though, and a taste for long, wild ridges like this one.
The descent starts with a fun little canyon, minus the water, before weaving down the west face. A chance to practise moving on terrain better suited to chamois… A little more walking to the Soreiller hut and that’s the end of a fine big day out.
Well done, lads, on your first alpine ridge!
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