Tim Neill Guiding

With acclimatisation in place Keith and I headed to the Monzino hut on the south side of Mt Blanc and recced the approach to the Freney glacier through the Col de L’Innominata towards the West face of the Noire. The evening in the hut was great and shared the diiner table with Cristophe Profit (total alpine legend).

In the weary hours of the morning we traversed the col (steep snow then steep abseiling) and dawn arrived on the chaotic Freney glacier….an amazing and suddenly remote place. the Ratti Vitali route up the West face can best be described as an old school classic with an abundance of type 2 situations. It gets rave revues in both Rebuffats and Batoux’s 100 finest selections…but with a slight warning in the latter. The reality is quite different from the topo, but of course the overall experience is very rewarding. Lots of “thinky” climbing on mediocre rock slows down as the top half gets steep and some aid finally gives access to open walls and the summit Madonna (3rd time in consecutive summers….   http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=4415 ).

We trundled down the long and winding east ridge as quickly as possible to the Borelli hut, sank a few litres of water and headed on down the trail to a now dark Val Veny. The final pull back up to the head of the valley where the van was parked felt like a lonnggg way! And relax…..for a day or 2.

View down from near the top. Good view of the approach across the freney glacier….the obvious weakness through the messy bits.

Keith yarding happily on vintage pitons

Shady grooves high up

The mountain….Ratti route takes roughly the left skyline.