Voie des Suisses, Grand Capucin 3838m. 300 metres of top-class climbing in the heart of the Mont Blanc massif.
Grand Capucin, Grand Cap': the name alone sounds like a legend. Set in the middle of the Géant glacier, above the Vallée Blanche, the Grand Capucin is a granite spire that attracts climbers from all over the world. From the Torino refuge, the approach walk takes you through a breathtaking glacial setting. An hour's walk is all it takes to reach the foot of this massive, slender tower, where some of the most beautiful pitches in the Mont-Blanc massif can be found.
The Suisses route is the most accessible route to the summit. It offers technical, continuous climbing in grades 6a/6b (7b free) on sculpted, compact, often vertical granite. Cracks, dihedrals, slabs, humps... each pitch is a piece of choice. First ascent in 1956 by Claude Asper, Marcel Bron, Mario Grossi and Marcel Morel.
It's not a race to be taken lightly: you have to manage the altitude, the weather and the timetable. What's more, it's a high mountain race, with a glacier approach. The easiest and most comfortable way to avoid having to run on the approach is to sleep the night before at the Torino hut. That way, we have time to climb and enjoy the moment. We climbed to the summit of the Grand Capucin in just a few hours, then abseiled down to find our glacier equipment at the foot. Back to catch a Skyway skip, or another night in Torino to set off on a new project, another great route to Roi de Siam (3693m) or Pointe Adolphe Rey (3535m)!
Lengths :
300m, ED-, 6b>6a+
L1- 5c 25m
L2- 6a+ 30m
L3- 5b 35m
L4- 5b 35m
L5- 6a 40m
L6- 6a+ 20m
L7- 6b 30m
L8- 6a+ 35m
L9- 4a 35m
L10- 4a 35m
The Suisses route requires a good level of trad climbing: you need to be comfortable in 6a/6b as a second, with good stamina on sustained pitches. The equipment in place is only partial: you complete the route with bolts and friends.
It's possible if you're very quick on the approach, leaving with the first skip. I prefer to sleep in the refuge the night before, even if it means doing a first run like the Dent du Géant. The next day, from the hut, the approach and the climb follow each other well into the day, with a return in mid/late afternoon. A good weather window is essential to enjoy the route safely.
This is a real rock climbing race. You have to manage the timing, be efficient in the manoeuvres, know how to manage the equipment and climb without exhausting yourself at 3800 m. It's a real project to prepare for, and I can help you upstream to make it a success.
Because it's a legendary summit, because the rock is fabulous, and because the route des Suisses is a landmark in any climber's career. Climbing Grand Cap' is about something else: commitment, style and altitude. It's an important step in your discovery of Chamonix alpine climbing.
Live with your guide, from first contact to the summit.
Creative and flexible
A flexible framework for devising the most appropriate itinerary or activity for each day, depending on the group and the conditions.
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