Ice Climbing in the Western Alps

l'Alpe d'Huez (France)


At sunset on the final pitch of Symphonie d'Automne (Ph. Quang-Tuan Luong) Climbing on the first pitch of Ice Bille

Back to Icehome Argentera Bardonecchia Ceillac Fournel
Freissinieres La Grave Gressoney Maurienne Varaita
General characteristics of the site:
L'Alpe d'Huez is a big ski resort with everything that you may expect with it: lots of people, skilifts, traffic jams, screaming crowds, many bars and restaurant, big appartment blocks and so on. These are the bad news, and these are the reasons why I always stayed away from there. But there is another side: a long crag which is reasonably away from the screaming lots and that is decorated by several lovely ice climbs. In the uncertain beginning of the 1996 winter I found a temporary shelter from the wet and warm conditions prevailing elsewhere in the Alps in this place. It was no bad. No bad at all.

Most of the climbs are scattered along a crag that begins nearby the arrival of the first section of the Grandes Rousses cable car. The climbs are pretty high, the avalanche danger is moderate, there is a convinient track at the feet of the crag which is usually quite well maintained and the icefalls are pretty short but quite long lasting. With the exception of a few quite ephemeral lines, the climbs are a bit on the easy-moderately difficult side.

Favourable period:
The climbs at the main site are at over 2100 m of altitude, and they are refurbished by very large slopes. Therefore most climbs form early (novemberish...) and last until late (March). Furthermore they seem to be a safe value even in periods of thawn. And what else, oh yes, they are rarely exposed to severe avalanche danger: just be careful with possible wind slabs when arriving on the upper slopes and looking for the rappel stances.
How to get there.
From Briançon drive north toward the Lautaret pass (RN91). At the Lautaret pass stop for the great view on the Pic Gaspard and Meije and then start the descent to La Grave (about 45 mn from Briançon if the road is in good conditions). Drive through the village and continue for about 30 mn to Bourg d'Oisans. This lovely but severe village can be rapidly reached from Grenoble by driving along RN 91 for about 50 mn. From Bourg d'Oisans follow the road signs to l'Alpe d'Huez (D211, 20 mn). Each hairpin of the road is signed with a progressively decreasing number starting with 21. According with the guidebook, there are a few icefalls on the orographic left of the gorge at the side of the road. Stop at the hairpin 7 to look at LSD (III/4+, 250 m, west, 1150 m). After passing hairpin 4 enter in the village from the east entrance (make a right at the street sign). Drive toward the cable car placed highest up. The road is barred by a gate just before the last group of houses: park nearby (come here early, well before 9, to beat the skiing crowd) and walk toward the cable car station (Telecabine de Grandes Rousses). Two options: either take the cable car to the first station (33 francs in 1996, but if you have skis you can only get a skipass for a mere 185 francs!), or, not for the fainhearted, walk or ski (skins) along a path traced just under the cable car (about 40 mn).

From the station the crag is visible on the left. Take an obvious snowcat path that follows, with some ups and downs, the base of the cliff that hosts the icefalls: don't stay too low or you'll end on the cross country track nearby the lakes: beautiful but far away from the climbs. After about 10 mn you will cross a narrow ski slope, then the trace descends a little and climb again with a couple of short turns (just under the chair lift of des Plates, signed on the IGN map). Seen from here, the cliff is cut by an obvious steep gully that slants to the left. At the very base of the gully, on the right, there is an high icefall, with a usually thin start: Chacal Bondissant (100 m, III/4, north-west, 2180 m, picture at right). This has been the first climb of the sector and one of the first icefalls to be climbed in France. It was November 29, 1979 and God Perroux climbed it solo, with the tools, technique and fears of those years. One minute of respectful silence is in order. Reach the other icefalls by continuing along the path. One final notice: the path is usually very well traced and skis are not necessary, unless you crave for a nice and fast descent.

Useful phone numbers:
Mountain rescue (Gendarmerie Bourg d'Oisans): 476 80 00 17
Stages: Philippe Brass (Le Freney D'Oisans): 476 80 14 75
Stages: Godefroy Perroux (l'Alpe d'Huez): 476 80 44 21
476 87 66 44
450 54 55 69
Gite Le Lézard d'Or (Huez village): 476 80 44 21
Tourist Office (Alpe d'Huez): 476 80 35 41
Tourist Office (Bourg d'Oisans): 476 80 03 25
Gite d'etape MJC (Bourg d'Oisans): 476 80 01 76
Gite d'etape Bois Gauthier (Bourg d'Oisans): 476 80 02 83
Climbing guides and maps:
Cascades de Glace Oisans aux Six Vallees by F. Damilano and G. Perroux.
Institut Geographique National Top 25: 3335 ET Le Bourg d'Oisans L'Alpe d'Huez (1:25.000).

The Climbs:

Super Misere


Getting there:
Right after Chacal Bondissant the cliff descends almost to the track. There are three ovious narrow gullies joining at a larger ice bulge higher up. Super Misere climbs the leftmost gully (the widest and most obvious of the three), Misere climbs the central gully.
Description:
Super Misere is the most interesting climb, and it follows the leftmost gully with a steep start on often thin ice (80º then easing gradually, 15 m). Follow the gully, with some snow and possibly, some surfacing rock to an ice screw belay at the base of the large ice bulge (35 m altogether). Climb the bulge (80º or more for a few meters) and then follow an iced ramp slanting to the right. After a few meters two bolts will become visible on the rocks at the right (orographic left).

Misere is climbed along a scottish like gully. Obviously this means lots of snow, scraping on some rock, and a couple of ice steps hidden deep in the chimney. Reach a rock stance on the right, under the large ice bulge. Climb the bulge along a direct line overcoming a 5 m icicle, or climb on the right or on the left meeting lesser difficulties. Stop at the same belay of Super Misere.

Descent:
Easy. One 50 m rappel will suffice from the upper stance.
Notes:
These are pretty but short climbs. Sadly most climbs at this site are short, so I will not complain any more, but, still the grief is here... Both climbs suffer with an heavy snow cover, and, actually, Misere simply disappears! The upper ice bulge is pretty interesting, expecially if you land on deep and powdery snow still 10 m away from the stance. In such occasions heavy climbers like me tend to be lifted by supernatural forces...

La Grotte

Getting there:
About 200 m after Super Misere the track decends slightly, and soon an obvious overhang decorated by a large icicle becomes visible about 40 m over the track. Usually there are obvious traces in the snow slope, not to mention about 10 other climbers in the immediate surroundings, so it is quite difficult to miss this one... Therefore this description is only necessary in heavy fog at 5 in the morning. Climb the snow slope and belay at a rock outcrop on the left of the icicle.
Description:
La Grotte climbs the corner on the right of the icicle. It may look a bit daunting but in reality it is a little, straightforward and beautiful climb. Continue on easier ground to a bolt belay on a small rock outcrop (50 m, II/3) Dessous-Dessus climbs directly the big icicles with (90º for 8 m), before landing on easier ground. Often an Abalakov belay is been placed on this slope. Rappel with confidence from here. Supercramp starts on a steep ice bulge about 50 m on the left of La Grotte. Climb 20 m (up to 90º) to a bolt belay on the right. After crossing some snow, climb the second ice step.
Descent:
Easy. One 50 m rappel from the upper stance of each route.

Ice Bille

  • Grade: II/3+, 4+
  • Star rating: **
  • Height: 60 m
  • Orientation: west
  • Elevation: 2180 m
  • Approach: 35 mn from the cable car station
  • Equipment: Ice screws
Getting there:
Ice Bille is the most obvious piece of ice of the cliff before Symphonie, which is pretty hidden until the end anyway, so you cannot possibly get it wrong.
Description:
Ice Bille is a beautiful triangular icefall with a rock overhang in the middle that can be covered late in the season . It can be climbed along two quite separate lines depending whether you stay on the right or left side. 1) Climb near the center of the base toward a bolt belay placed under the rock overhang or, if late in season the rock overhang were to be totally iced out, on the rocks at the left (two steps at 85º, 25 m). From the cave traverse to the left, overcome a steep bulge and land in a narrow gully nearby the rocks on the left (80º at first, then easing down, beautiful pitch, 30 m). Reach a good belay on the left (II/3+). 2) Climb a steep curtain on the right and continue straight pointing to a bolt belay on the right, about 10 m higher up than the overhang stance (90º-85º, 35 m, sustained pitch). Climb on easier ground until reaching the final steep bulge which is overcome with a slight traverse to the left (20 m).
Descent:
Easy. One 50 m abseil from the summit.
Notes:
This is my favourite icefall of the area with Symphonie. The lower part of the climb is pretty sustained, while the traverse from the overhang belay and the following gully is a very characteristic and interesting pitch. There are others climbs on the right of Ice Bille: Les Noeuds and Stalactus climb two parallel streaks of ice separated by a vague rock buttress about 100 m on the right. Les Noeuds (45 m, west, II/3, 2160 m) is the left icefall and gain a rock belay (rappel) after some steep bulges. The leader can be belayied on a bolt a few meters on the left of the beginning of the pitch. Stalactus (50 m, west, II/4, 2160 m) is more interesting, it has a steepish start and a steep chandeliered curtain almost at the top of the length. Only one bolt at the summit (unless I missed something).

Symphonie d'Automne

  • Grade: III/3+, 4+
  • Star rating: **
  • Height: 120 m
  • Orientation: west
  • Elevation: 2150 m
  • Approach: 40 mn from the cable car station
  • Equipment: Ice screws
Getting there:
Walk past Ice Bille. The track descends and turns around a prominent rock butress. Symphonie is just ahead: climb the snow field to its base.
Description:
The icefall is characterised by a wide ice field surmonted by a large icicle which is more or less prominent according to the season. The lower icefield can be climbed along two totally separated lines.
1) Climb on the right side past two steepish walls to a bolt belay on the extreme right of the ice field (up to 80º, 40 m). From the belay move diagonally to the left overcoming directly a steep bulge (85º, sustained and beautiful pitch). Reach easier ground above and traverse to a bolt belay on the left corner of the icefield.
2) This belay can be reached by climbing directly on the left side of the icefield. The first pitch leads to a bolt belay on the left: this pitch is easy and can be snowed out. The second pitch climbs a sustained succession of steep bulges (80º-85º, 50 m).
From the upper stance there are a number of possibilities to overcome the final wall. The most estetic solution is to attack directly the ice cone that originates from the final icicle (85º-80º, sustained). Climb directly the icicle to easier ground and to a bolt belay (90º, sustained, 50 m). This pitch can be broken in two by using a rock belay hidden beneath the icicle. I suspect that this stance can be totally iced out late in season. I think that the best solution is to place a screw belay at the base of the final ice cone rather than belaying directly from the bolt belay. In this way the rope drag is a bit less and the wall can be climbed in a single pitch, skipping the cave belay and without going crazy with the ropes.
Descent:
Easy. One 50 m abseil from the top lands you at the belay on top of the icefield. A second 50 m rappel is usually sufficent to make it to safety. In very lean conditions a further brief rappel (bolts on the left) may be necessary.
Notes and Tales:
This is by far the most attractive climb of the area and so it attracts a real crowd. There are only three options: 1) come here during the week. 2) Come here really early. 3) Come here really late, and climb at night. This latest suggestion is more serious than it may seem.
The last pitch can be climbed in a variety of ways. The easiest option is to follow a ramp that climbs along the rocks from the lower right to the cave belay beneath the final icicle. From there keep climbing to the left to a rap anchor on a small outcrop. In this way the climb is downgraded to about grade 3+. The icicle itself is much harder at beginning of season. In this conditions it is partially freestanding and really steep.
We begun Symphonie relatively late in the morning, and time passed by while negotiating the passage with all the other parties that were engaged in various activities only partially related to climbing. When the upper slopes were quiet enough the day was already melting in the afternoon, but, by then, I finally had the last pitch all by myself. The large ice cone that supported the icicle was steep and in incredibly hard ice. It plated a lot but lukily the screw belay was hidden under a small overhang on the left and so Rafe and Xavier had their lives spared. The icicle was a thin, blue curtain that was falling from the rocks as a large tent, and I climbed it as I would have climbed a corner on granite: some bridging, and just a little bit of laybacking. The summit was basting in the sunset light and I'll never forget the top of the icicle: my feet were still lost down there in the verticality and then the iceaxes broke in the full sunlight and anchored in the ice of the summit. Maybe it was just the release of the nervous tension, but in that instant it was like a blinding light filled my mind. Fifteen meters of snow leaded to a rock that was barely surfacing from the snow, and two bolts were shining under the orange and pink ski. I waited for a long time for my friends, and we were also joined by a second party. They climbed the slopes on the left of the cave belay and they were stranded in the middle of mean looking windslabs. So... there we were... a bunch of people hanging from two bolts on the top of the world. By the time I remained alone again it was getting dark and the snow around was deep purple. The silence was complete and the view was breathtaking.
Two abseils later the ropes were finally stuffed in the rucksack and the darkness was complete. While skiing down to the village the snow was just a dim pale light silently running under my ski. High up zillions of stars were shining all the way to the horizon. It was easy to imagine of sliding effortlessly between land and sky. Maybe I was tired, maybe it was because of that blinding light that I essaied at the top and that was still lingering at the edge of my conscience, but for a single moment I felt like I was not of this Earth anymore.
Back to Icehome Argentera Bardonecchia Ceillac Fournel
Freissinieres La Grave Gressoney Maurienne Varaita

I would be happy of receiving your comments, material to be added to the guide, images, or anything else that comes to mind. Send everything to Gimmi Ratto gimmi@in.pi.cnr.it

Copyright © 1996, 97 by Gimmi Ratto. (February 17, 1997)