Salluard Route (6a+ 260m ) on Pointe Adolphe Rey (Mont Blanc du Tacul massif) is nice multipitch route on good cracks and corners. But the place is impressive. A heavy recommended route for warm up and acclimatization. Granite is excellent here :). Also, you have here sun by almost all day.
Grade: 6a+
Lenght: 260 m, 8 pitches
Time: 3-4 h
Localization: Pointe Adolphe Rey / Mont Blanc du Tacul / Chamonix
Character: corners, cracks, slabs
First ascent: 1951, 6 September - Toni Busi and Franco Salluard
View from The route
Approach
You have two options:
From Aiguille du Midi (1,5h)
Descend to Col du Midi plateau (3670 m) and cross the glacier to Pointe Adolphe Rey.
Approach from Refuge Torino
From Refuge Torino (1h)
From Rifugio Torino (3375m) traverse west towards Col des Flambeaux. From here continue beneath the cable car and descend towards the obvious Pic Adolphe Rey rocky outcrop Prepare that later you must approach this same way to Torino (uphill) :-).
Route
1. pitch 4a, 30 m. Climb rotten rocks to a corner-crack and go to belay on the ledge
Tomek Reinfuss on first pitch - very nice crack :)
2. pitch 6a, 25 m. Go to the small overhang above the belay. This is the crux of the route and place is technical and physical, but quite ok.
Tomasz Reinfuss on the crux pitch
3. pitch 5c, 25 m. Climb a crack (and corners) on the left side of the ridge.
4. pitch 5b, 30m. Go to big groove and later go on a big ledge, where you will be below a big chimney.
5. pitch 5c, 35m Climb the chimney (nice cracks inside) and then go to the left to another corner. Pass belay and go to the left and climb the cracked slab above for 10 meters. You will find belay on a ledge.
6. pitch 5a, 35m go to a big ledge and climb cracks to belay - which is 5m from the left of the arete.
Last pitch
7. pitch 5b, 30m. Go to corner system on the left (nice cracks) and direct to V-shaped col. The belay will be on a big ledge.
Bartek Szeliga on last pitch
8. pitch 5c, 40m. Climb directly from the belay on the cracks and flakes. The last belay is on the summit ridge of the Pointe Adolphe Rey. Usually climbers descent from this point, but you can continue to the summit.
Descent
Abseil to the base of the route. You have prepared fixed anchors.
Gear
Standard set for easy routes in Chamonix:
- some nuts
- Set of cams to (#3), double purple, green, red
- 12 quickdraws
- 60 double rope.