South Pillar

Approach

Start from "Pre de Madame Carle" 10 km above Vallouise and Ailefroide, two marvellous places for Rock climbing aither in granite or limestone.

Route Description

The route is 1100 meters high, starts at 3000m. The route is made of three different parts : the base that is 500 m high, the bastion where the pillar is particularly steep (300 m high) and the final easy steps but which remain quite long (300 m). The lowest part can use either good rock climbing graded 5.4 and 5.5 on the left or easier plates exposed to stone falls on the right. Join the base of the bastion. This section must be climbed on the left for 20 m (5.3), then a long traverse to the right (pegs 5.4) then 100 m straight. Join a small banquet. Traverse right on one pitch, then return left to clim the "mirror" (crux 5.7 pegs). It remains 300m of easy climb to go to the top. The whole route requires from 6 to 12 h.
Descent is easy.

Essential Gear

The rock is not really good in this route but the route is really impressive and a good way to climb the "Barre des ecrins" for good climbers.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.