Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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45.97620°N / 6.86729°E |
Route Type:
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Well bolted rock climb |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Difficulty:
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French 5b (although 5c listed in guide books) |
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Approach
The contreforts de gauche of La Grande Floria are located almost directly ahead of you as you get off the telecabine of the Index Station. 15 minutes walk over a path/gravel road that begins a bit to the left of the station, winds back in front and to the right of the station and then at the top of the small hill turn left toward the large face. Depending on time of year you may encounter large amounts of snow or none at all on the approach. Fraise des Boatchs starts on the right hand side of the face between the two diagonal cracks.
Route Description
The five pitches of the lower section all hover around the 5 level (4c to 5b, if memory is correct). There is nothing outstanding or difficult on any of the pitches. The route is well bolted, straight running with good anchors for belays. The fourth pitch is relatively short and the fifth pitch, the most difficult of the five, is relatively long. It took one hour and 45 minutes to climb the five pitches with a few minutes lost in wait to the party in front of us.
The continuation of the route to the summit of La Grande Floria consists of three bolted pitches, 5c, 5b, 5b but none are ever as hard as they are rated. The thing is the start of the three pitches that lead to the summit is a long way off from the end of the lower section. If you have never been on the mountain before and don't know where you are going, allow 30 minutes at least to locate and make it to the start of the top three pitches. If you know right where to go it will take a steady 15 minutes of scrambling to make it to the start of the top three pitches. From the end of the lower section, scramble straight up and then a little to the right to end up directly beneath a rock shoulder that is easily climbed to the plateau of the lower section. Once on the plateau, look almost due North to the far rock face and follow the path that leads to the start of the top three pitches. The stance slopes a bit and there is a large in situ sling for the belayer.
The first pitch is rated 5c but all difficulties are easily avoided. Between the second and third bolts there was a very long run-out where a fall would have resulted in landing on the belayer so a Friend came in handy but there were plenty of places for a medium nut as well. The next two pitches were more vertical than others but well within the 5b rating. The rock, while friable, is sticky, creating a Spiderman feeling. From the belay at the top of the third pitch to the summit takes 7 minutes of scrambling over very loose rocks and scree. The descent from the summit back to the belay another 10 minutes. From this belay, we rappeled down two pitches in one rappel, then rappeled to the base of the top section. From here looking toward the Index station there is a cairned trail that leads down the right hand side of the small plateau, down a steep rock path that is down-climbable to a snow field or scree field. Glissading down these takes you back to the approach path/gravel road and back to the Index station. From the top belay to the Index station will require a minimum of one hour IF you know where this caired trail that is down-climable to the snow field below is and IF you glissade well, seat or feet.
Caution: If there are parties in front of you on this last section chances are high you will have softball size rocks falling from above at various times during the climb. On the scramble to the summit and back, a slip or trip could well prove fatal...very poor quality loose rock. When pulling the rappel rope free, again you will probably dislodge serious injury inducing rocks.
Essential Gear
two 50m ropes
rappel device
ten quick draws
medium Friend or nut
helmet
Why this route?
The first five pitches of this climb work great as an introduction climb to sport climbing in an alpine setting.
We climbed this route for the sole purpose of increasing our efficiency as a team over rock. It was a typical Chamonix day with showers in the early hours and then sunshine from around 10 am. We decided at 11am to do this climb, left the car in the parking lot of the Flegere Telepherique at 11:30 and were at the start of the climb at noon. With very little time lost to the one party of two in front of us on the lower section and no time lost to the guided party of three ahead of us on the top section, we made it back to the Index Station at 16:29...one minute before it closed for the day. We averaged 22 minutes/pitch, obviously we still need work!
As advice, I would not do the top section if there are people in front of you, too much loose rock. The route fit what we wanted to do on the day but is not worth repeating.