Pre de Bar and Androsace Spur…

On January 11, 2015 by Tim Neill

Moonlight on the Verte and Droites from Argentiere hut…

Shortly after the cascade spree a few days of high pressure arrived and the prospect of some more climbing up high. Hooking up with James Thacker we skied into the Argentiere hut with the prospect of climbing one of the classics at the far end of the cirque the following day. Conditions throughout the glacier looked phenomenal…

Early doors we started the 2 hr approach by moonlight and were making the final little climb to below the Pre de Bar as the light got good. Thankfully the shape of the rimaye and the approach apron allowed a quick and safe route into the communal couloir shared by the 2 classics of this peak. The Charlet Ghilini and Madness Tres Mince soon split and we followed the latter….especially as it was generously iced compared to it normal reputation.

In the Madness….

The climbing was classic Chamonix stuff with continuously good and sustained narrow goulottes…and after just enough climbing the top arrived signalling turning the ropes around for the equipped abseil descent.

James on the last few metres….

Back at the skis the return journey was a hell of a lot easier than the approach…there was even some ace powder for a while….

And of course stopping every now and again to look at all the famous routes that line the walls here. The fun stopped on hitting the icy Pierre a Ric…this is the iciest ski home run ever down to Argentiere…ironic that the riskiest part of the trip is a (non) groomed run!

Brilliant route in a great and inspiring place….no one around up there!

PdB centre, Mt Dolent up left and P Domino to the right…Charlet Ghilini is the pencil thin couloir left of centre…

Next day I headed out with Nick….back into Cirque Maudit again…for a quick one day climb. Nick wasn’t having much luck with hooking up with climbing partners….so even though he was on a promise for the next day and my legs a little cooked, we skinned from Torino to the Androsace Spur just beside the Fanatasia route we climbed before Christmas…

The steepest pulls were through the rimaye, then a great narrow goulotte lead away on perfect snow ice. Our chosen route was called “Surcouf”…first climbed by a large cast of all stars…named after an historic French submarine that had a grim demise…

The route…allegedly quite classic, though neither of us had heard of it…. was great with a cool narrow chimney leading to an abrupt finish.