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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 13, 2012 - 02:59pm PT
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"If Mont Blanc is the King of the Alps, then the Grandes Jorasses is the dark and shady counterpart. It's a north face that defines all north faces: a sweep of steep granite that stretches for over a kilometre in length and rises 1200 meter high that sucks in the alpinists gaze. It's not the sheer size of the thing but also the quality and huge variation in climbing that makes this peak such a target for seasoned alpinists" (Jonathan Griffith in Climb 22)
The first ascent of the highest peak of the mountain (Pointe Walker) was by Horace Walker with guides Melchior Anderegg, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange on 30 June 1868. The second-highest peak on the mountain (Pointe Whymper, 4,184 m; 13,727 ft) was first climbed by Edward Whymper, Christian Almer, Michel Croz and Franz Biner on June 24, 1865, using what has become the normal route of ascent and the one followed by Walker's party in 1868.
The summits on the mountain are the following:
Pointe Croz (4,110 m; 13,484 ft) – named after Michel Croz, a guide from Chamonix
Pointe Elena (4,045 m; 13,271 ft) – named after Princess Elena of Savoy
Pointe Margherita (4,065 m; 13,337) – named after Queen Margherita of Savoy, wife of King Umberto I of Italy
Pointe Walker (4,208 m; 13,806 ft) – named after Horace Walker, who made the first ascent of the mountain
Pointe Whymper (4,184 m; 13,727 ft) – named after Edward Whymper, who made the first ascent of this, the second-highest summit
Pointe Young (3,996 m; 13,110 ft) – named after Geoffrey Winthrop Young
The North Face
Éperon Croz : Martin Meier et Rudolf Peters, 1935
Éperon Walker : Riccardo Cassin, Luigi Esposito et ugo Tizzoni, du 4 au 6 août 1938
Éperon Marguerite: Jean Couzy et René Desmaison, du 5 au 6 août 1958
Voie Cavalleri-Mellano ou Éperon nord-ouest : Enrico Cavalieri et Andre Mellano, les 13 et 14 août 1958
Bonatti-Vaucher : Walter Bonatti et Michel Vaucher, du 6 au 9 août 1964 (ED, VI, A3)
Le Linceul : René Desmaison et Robert Flematti, du 17 au 25 janvier 1968
Voie Polonaise directe : H. Furmanik, K. Zdztowieki et A. Heinrich, du 29 au 30 août 1968
Voie Polonaise 70 : Jacek Poreba, Wojtek Wroz et Eugenius Chrobak, du 24 au 25 juillet 1970
Couloir central ou couloir japonais : Toku Nakano, Hideo Miyazaki, Kazuhide Seito, Yashuo Kato et Yashuo Kande, du 19 au 29 mars 1972 (ED-, 70º, Vº, A1)
Voie Gousseault : René Desmaison, Giorgio Bertone et Michel Claret, du 10 au 17 janvier 1973
Directe de l'Amitié : Louis Audoubert, Michel Feuillarde, Marc Galy et Yannick Seigneur, du 19 au 27 janvier 1974
Voie Polonaise 75 Wojciech Kurtyka, Jerzy Kukuczka et Lukaszewski, du 3 au 4 août 1975
Petite McIntyre ou Goulotte McIntyre de gauche : Alex McIntyre, Tim Rhodes et William Todd, juin 1976
Voie Yougoslave : Janez Gradisar et Igor Herzog, du 4 au 6 août 1976
Goulottes Mc Intyre-Colton : Nick Colton et Alex MacIntyre du 6 au 7 août 1976 (EX, VI, A1, 90º)
Scala di Seta : Smith et Sorenson, 1977
Voie Slovène : Vanja Matijevec, Joze Zupan, Iado Vidimar et Frank Knez, du 17 au 18 juillet 1977
Rolling Stones : Rutil, Prochaska, Slechta et Svejda, du 24 au 29 juillet 1979
Knez-Skok : F. Knez et J. Skok, du 23 au 24 août 1980
Magic Line Christophe Profit et Dominique Radigue, 1983 - départ de gauche du Linceul et sortie directe (ouverte par Hervé Sachetat et Dominique Séguier les 21 et 22 janvier 1983)
Voie Espagnole : Pedro Pablo González et Paco Aguado, 1983
Coulée douce : Philippe Delmas et Godefroy Perroux, le 7 septembre 1985 (D, 60°,400m)
No Siesta, Stanislav Glejdura et Jan Porvaznik, du 21 au 23 juillet 1986 (ED+, 6a, A2, 90ª)
Extreme Dream : Jean-Marc Boivin et Gérard Vionet-Fuasset, du 29 au 30 décembre 1987
Directissime Gabarrou Hervé Bouvard et Patrick Gabarrou du 27 juin au 1er juillet 1986 (ABO inf, 7a, A2)
Manitua : Slavko Sveticic, du 8 au 10 juillet 1991 (ED, 70º, 6c, A3+.) Onsight and solo.
Cristal Palace : Ivano Ghirardini, du 16 au 17 août 1991
L'Enfant et la Colombe, Marc Batard, du 29 décembre au 6 janvier 1992 (V+, A2)
Le Chemin des Etoiles : Jean-Christophe Lafaille, du 23 au 25 avril 1992
Gabarrou-Appertet : Christian Appertet et Patrick Gabarrou, du 19 au 21 juillet 1992
Alexis Patrick Gabarrou et Benoît Robert du 23 au 25 juillet 1993
Rêve éphémère d'alpiniste, Ivano Ghirardini, du 23 au 24 juin 1994
Michto : Aubert et Jean-Christophe Lafaille, hiver 1997
Eldorado : Valery Babanov, du 16 au 27 juillet 1999 (ED+ 80º, A3/A4, 6b)
Décalage : Jean-Christophe Lafaille, 8 jours en avril 1999
La Belle Hélène : Andy Parkin, 1999
A Leï : Patrick Gabarrou, Philippe Batoux et Benoit Robert, 2003
Voie Desecures-Robach : Desecures et Robach - 2003
Ma-Ika : Sokolowski et Wlodarczak, 2004
Le Nez : Mauro "Bubu" Bole et Mario Cortese, 10 jours de juillet à septembre 2005
Heidi : Philippe Batoux, Christophe Dumarest et Patrick Gabarrou, 2005
Hugues d'en haut : Patrick Gabarrou et Coranotte, le 22 septembre 2008
Source: Wikipedia
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PeteC
climber
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Oct 13, 2012 - 03:14pm PT
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Oct 13, 2012 - 03:48pm PT
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That is climbing porn. No two ways about it.
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splitter
Trad climber
Cali Hodad, surfing the galactic plane
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Oct 13, 2012 - 03:51pm PT
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One of my good friends and climbing partners, bitd, Dave Stutzman (RIP) told me this hair raising story about his ascent of the Cassin Route/Walker Spur (Esperon Walker/the red line in that pic) back in the early 70's!
Evidently they were somewhere around or past the halfway point and the weather started to deteriorate rapidly. Climber's below were bailing and choppers were snatching those above them, that had managed to summit, off the top. They pressed on, didn't have a choice, and then things got really wicked.
Around three quarters of the way they encounter a Spanish team (2) who had given up. They let them tie in and follow (rescued them). At that point I asked Dave "Did they know any english?" Dave's brow furrowed as he reflected back for a moment. Suddenly his face lights up, a smile breaks out and he says, "Yeah, they new one word at least, HELLLLLLLP!" lol
So it turns out to be this huge killer storm and everyone expected them to be statistics. They couldn't be pulled off the summit either, but managed to make the descent on their own. And the storm continued on for days afterwards. There was a lot more to it, starting with spindrift avie's and then getting pelted by heavier stuff, bone chilling and finger numbing cold, etc.! But the main jest of it...they survived by the skin of their teeth. Particularly the Spaniards, cuz apparently they would have definitely perished had they not continued on!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Oct 13, 2012 - 04:56pm PT
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Allons enfants de les montagnes, le jour de gloire est arrive!
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Oct 13, 2012 - 06:20pm PT
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I have the Washburn photo over one of my mantelpieces.
Read Bonatti's account of '64.
Their ropes were cut by rockfall in 5 places and tied back together.
The leader had to fourth class while the second carried both packs!!!!!
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steve shea
climber
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Oct 13, 2012 - 07:39pm PT
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I spent eight days at the Leschaux hut in autumn 78. The guardian had just vacated for the season leaving behind a treasure in tomme de savoie, eggs and cheap vin rouge. Had plans for the Walker but instead ate, hunted crystals and drank the vino. The weather was great. When the goods ran out went for the Colton/Macyntre. Descended to Entreves and Maison di Phillipo, on Chouinards suggestion, for more food. The Grand Boeuff on sunday eve was out of this world. The largest bowl of grappa I have ever seen concluded the meal. Second best, no third best tour I had in five years in the Massif Du Mt Blanc. First was on the Italian side of the Monte Bianco but another story. SS
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hellcyon
climber
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Oct 13, 2012 - 10:05pm PT
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splitter
Trad climber
Cali Hodad, surfing the galactic plane
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Oct 14, 2012 - 02:35am PT
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Jubilant after compleating the Walker Spur ~ 8/7/38
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splitter
Trad climber
Cali Hodad, surfing the galactic plane
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Oct 14, 2012 - 05:00am PT
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GDavis - That is climbing porn. No two ways about it.
Man, you took the words right out of my mouth, and the thoughts right out of my head. Particularly after watching the above vids! I wish I would have moved to Cham and focused on alpinism. Had spent a lot more time in the high country & Canadian Rockies preparing to go to the Alps, rather then rockclimbing as a be all and end all.
I initially got interested in climbing by reading 'The White Spider' and 'Starlight & Storm'! Now I wish I would have focused on that (alpinism). So much cooler, imo!
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Oct 14, 2012 - 08:05am PT
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Marlowe-
Thanks for your posts.
Video really gives a sense of what it is like up there.
It was also great to hear French again along with the climbing.
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steve shea
climber
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Oct 14, 2012 - 12:33pm PT
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Yes, thanks for the vid's. Funny, I just reread Gervasutti's Climbs this week. He was in the mix for the Walker as well but missed it by a day and ended up doing the East Face. The Colton/MacIntyre is a great climb. harder than the Eiger IMHO, but not as long or commiting. I lived in the region a long time and have few regrets about not doing certain routes. But the Walker is one. I thought I'd save it, that I'd always have the chance. But time got away from me. Maybe it's not too late... Yeah man, the White Spider, Entre Terre et Ciel, Buhl, Bonaitti, Gervasutti, Terray those were the reads that got my attention. Yosemite and rock climbing was just a stepping stone. Groupe de Haute Montagne heli rescue pilots are among the best anywhere
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 14, 2012 - 01:07pm PT
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Steve
They've got "their own" book: L'epopee du secours dans le massif du Mont-Blanc.
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Dave Davis
Social climber
Seattle, WA
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Oct 14, 2012 - 04:21pm PT
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Great videos-thanks!Did the Walker in an icy late Sept. with my friend Mike Hill many moons ago. Other than the unplanned bivy, the crowds were non existent and the weather was magnificent. One of my all-time favorite climbs.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Oct 14, 2012 - 04:27pm PT
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Where do they keep the giraffes, anyway?
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 14, 2012 - 04:50pm PT
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Mighty Hiker
I'm not sure why you ask, but if you're thinking of Canadian giraffes, I think they're mostly kept in the refrigerator to cool them down.
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