Notes Of A Campaign In The Alps, 1927
By F. S. Smythe
Monte Rosa, Dufour Spitze and Signal Kuppe. With J.H.B. Bell (S.M.C.).
Aiguille du Plan, Second ascent of E. face. With J. H. B. Bell (S.M.C.), July 24th-25th. This route was first climbed by V. J. E. Ryan with Franz and Joseph Lochmatter in 1906. Franz Lochmatter tells me he considers it the finest climb on the Aiguilles and one of the most difficult he ever did.
Left Montenvers 2.30, climbed icefall of Glacier d’Envers du Blaitiére mostly by rocks on N. side. Crossed two large schrunds. Upper bergschrund turned by difficult ice traverse on right. Ryan’s party gained the big bending arête descending from the summit near its base. Owing to iced rocks we found this impossible and were forced to climb the very steep and difficult couloir between the Plan and the Dent du Crocodile, just reaching a place of safety before the sun detached the first avalanches. Five hours cutting up an ice slope so steep that handholds were necessary brought us to the arête at 2.30 p.m. Climbed exceptionally severe series of holdless cracks, in one of which Bell lost his axe, till 6 p.m. Bivouacked on the only ledge more than a foot wide we saw on the climb. Perfect weather and a reasonably comfortable night in a Zdarsky tent-sack. Left 7 a.m. and continued up very severe rocks. Much time lost in flogging away unstable snow edges. A 100 ft. overhanging wall turned by the worst and most exposed traverse I’ve ever seen, which the leader did in bare feet. The last chimney was filled with ice and a most difficult 80 ft. crack was climbed on the right. Summit at 3 p.m. The last 800 ft. took 8 hours. Even allowing for bad conditions Bell and I consider this the most continuously exacting ice and rockwork we have ever undertaken. It must always remain a monument to the incomparable Lochmatter brothers.
Col de la Brenva. With R. O. Ward, G. S. Bower, August 1st. – On 31st July Bower, G. G. Macphee and I cut steps up the steep ice slope of the Col Trident to prepare a way for the morrow. We then went back to the Torino hut where we met Ward and Bell. Aug. 1st, left hut 1.20 a.m. On the ice slope of Col Trident Macphee broke his axe and returned, accompanied by Bell. Arrived Col Trident, 5. Foot of Moore’s arête, 6a.m. It cannot be emphasised too much that the route to the right of Moore’s arête is a thoroughly bad one and is only climbed by bad mountaineers! End of the famous ice arête, 9.10. This is a wonderful ridge 400 yards long, as sharp as the blade of a knife, and one advances like a tight-rope walker with toes pointed out. Foot of final séracs 11.30. Top of an ice chimney between two séracs 1.30 p.m; Mur de la Côte, 2.0 p.m; Chamonix, 10 p.m.
Grépon from Col Nantillous via Knubel Chimney. With G.S.Bower, Aug. 3rd. The Knubel Chimney was ascended by means of tactics similar to those employed on the Flake Crack, Scawfell Central Buttress, ie., leader (Bower) brought me up to the chockstone, tied me on to it and threaded his own rope through two loops passed round the chockstone. Bower considers this harder than the Flake Crack.
Col Innominata and Aiguille Joseph Croux. With G. S. Bower and G. G. Macphee, Aug. 8th. – Ascended to Col Innominata from Gamba hut en route for Aiguille Blanche de Pétéret but doubtful weather forced retreat, so ascended Aiguille Joseph Croux, a difficult rock peak. Thunderstorm that evening.
Traverse of Aiguille Blanche de Pétéret. With G. G. Macphee, Aug. 10-11th. – Left Courmayeur 9 a.m., Gamba hut 1.30 p.m. Left hut 5.15 p.m. Col Innominata 6.35. Crossed difficult ice fall of Fresnay Glacier to foot of couloir dropping from Brêche des Dames Anglaises. Turned large bergschrund well to left and traversed above into couloir. Ascended in moonlight, using Eckenstein crampons, and climbed S.E. arête of Aiguille Blanche till 2 a.m. when moonlight failing, bivouacked, Left 5.30. An ominous dawn, but decided advance was safer than long difficult and dangerous retreat. Summit Aiguille Blanche in bad weather, mist, wind and snow, 1 p.m., Col Pétéret in tourmente 3 p.m. Made first descent to Fresnay Glacier by “Grubers Felsen,” where Professor Balfour and Johann Petrus were killed, very difficult rocks, abseiled 5 times. In danger from stones and ice blown off Aiguille Blanche by the hurricane. Descended Fresnay Glacier and crossed Col Innominata. Descended to Gamba hut in the most extraordinary thunderstorm we had ever seen, a continuous blaze of violet light and roar of thunder. This was the storm which resulted in a cloudburst over Montreux. Reached hut 9 p.m. Actual climbing time about 27 hours.
Mont Blanc by Col Maudit. With G. G. Macphee, Aug. 14th. Left Torino hut 12.35 a.m. wearing crampons. Crossed bergschrund 2.30, climbing by brilliant moonlight, took to rocks in couloir. Kept too far up under great sérac wall and had a difficult traverse over iced rocks to the foot of a steep wall with good holds. An ice slope above. Top of Col at 6.35, an hour less than the Gugliaminas and the 3rd ascent of the S. side of this col. Mont Blanc du Tacul 7.45. Then over Mont Maudit in a bad wind and up Mont Blanc in a very cool tourmente. Summit of Mont Blanc 12.30 pm., Montenvers via Plan des Aiguilles 6 pm. This is believed to be the first ascent of Mont Blanc from the Col du Géant by this combination of routes and it makes a magnificent climb as the rock and ice work of the Col Maudit are excellent.
Petite Aiguille Verte. With Professor T. Graham Brown. A pleasant easy day from the Montenvers.
Mont Blanc, first ascent direct from Brenva Glacier (Sentinel Route). With T. Graham Brown, Sept. 1-2nd. – Left Torino hut 3.30 a.m. wearing crampons. Crossed Col des Flambeaux en route to Col Trident. Found soft snow and decided to abandon climb and go up Tour Ronde to view lower part of route. Went up Col Ouest de Toule and traversed Torrione d’Entrèves. Descended to Géant glacier and ascended steep snow and ice to E. arête of Tour Ronde. Weather so good and snow so perfect on S. facing slopes that we decided to go on. Traversed horizontally across steep S. face of Tour Ronde, thereby saving probably two hours. Interesting climbing to Col Occidental de la Tour Ronde. Descended to Brenva glacier 11.40 a.m. Steep ascent to little col at foot of Brenva arête which we propose to call Moore’s Col. Reached rocks at foot of Moore’s arête 2 p.m. Rested till 4.53, when sun had been off the face for over an hour, stones had ceased falling, and snow was safe and crusted. Traversed across face towards Pétéret arête in an upward direction, crossing four couloirs over very steep snow. Conditions very safe and not a stone was seen or heard. Ascended to foot of a conspicuous 200 ft. red rock buttress at 7.10 p.m., which projects well out from the face and forms a splendid and safe bivouac place. Under this, “The Red Sentinel,” we bivouacked. Night long and bitterly cold. Left at 5.30 a.m. Crossed steep, slabby and icy couloir to W. of Red Sentinel to crest of the arête bounding E. side of the immense couloir dropping from near the summit of Mont Blanc. Descended into couloir and mounted over very steep snow and ice, keeping in safety under rocks of the arête. Crossed E. branch of couloir to arête separating it from W. and main branch. Reached this arête 7.10, breakfasted, left 8.10. This arête is composed of magnificent firm red granite similar to the Aiguilles. A big perpendicular pitch turned on right by difficult rocks. Steep ice led back to arête. Higher, another ice traverse necessary, and difficult work to regain arête. Two knife edge snow ridges followed. Reached top of arête 10.30, rested till 11.15. A steep rock wall followed, climbed by a fine chimney. Above this an upward traverse over very steep and extraordinarily hard ice of a consistency similar to that encountered near the top of the Brenva. Were forced to right till almost beneath the final huge ice wall, difficult rocks and another ice slope followed. More rocks led up to the left of the ice wall where it peters out in the final ice slopes. A traverse on very steep ice led to an ice rib. On the sunless side of this ice rib was 2-3 inches of snow which just enabled our new and sharp Eckenstein crampons to grip. Climbing quickly we crossed the final cornice at 3.30 p.m., to find 400-500 ft. of easy snow separating us from the summit of Mont Blanc. Summit of Mont Blanc 4.15; Vallot hut, 5.15. Descended next day via Dôme and Aiguille du Gouter and Tête Rousse.
The climb is about 4,500 feet in length. The average angle of the face is 45°, but from the Red Sentinel to the summit it is a good deal steeper. The rock is magnificent and the snow and ice work first class. A bivouac is essential in order to cross the couloirs late in the day and early in the morning. The séracs were remarkably safe, due to the lateness of the season and only one ice avalanche fell early in the night when, owing to frost, they are most likely to fall. Crampons are essential both for speed and safety. Perfect weather is necessary. A party caught high up by a snow storm could not retreat.
Grands Charmoz. With T. Graham Brown.
Les Courtes,First ascent direct from Taléfre Glacier. With Prof.T.Graham Brown, Sept.10th. – Delayed in starting from Couvercle hut by bad weather and did not leave till 6 a.m. Foot of rock rib (point 3117 New Vallot map) running from Taléfre Glacier to a point slightly to S.E. of summit, 8 am. A large scree slope about 150 ft.from the foot of the ridge reached by a chimney on the right of the ridge and a steep 15 foot wall. Easy scrambling for about 200 feet to a pitch climbed by a curious bending crack . Easy scrambling for 1,000 feet up broken rocks follows. Ridge then narrows and gives good climbing to the foot of a conspicuous red gendarme. This gendarme was turned by a traverse on the left over rocks rendered difficult by verglas and powdery snow. The main S.E.arête of the mountain was attained without further difficulty about 100 ft. from the summit. Summit at 2 pm. Descent by Col de la Tour des Courtes to Couvercle 6.30 pm. Montenvers 10.30 pm.