Wednesday 26 August
Climbing at Vallorcine
Took the first train to Montroc la Planet and walked up the road to La Tour. The weather was looking a bit cloudy and threatening as we passed the site of a large avalanche a few years ago. The small cable car took us up to the meadows, where a chair lift continued the journey up to Balme. From here we walked on the Tour de Mont Blanc paths to the edge of Switzerland. And found our way down to the top of the Vallorcine Cable Car. The climbing at Vallorcine is only about 15 minutes walk from the station, through meadows and woods. The walls were still very wet so we followed the descent route from the top of the multipitch routes up to the top of the crag. Ingeniously crafted with ladders, chains and footsteps grafted onto the rock, it makes the sheer descent safe. We started with single pitch climbs, following a guide who was drying and powdering the holds for his client, and finished with a 4 pitch climb, Courage Dulfons! 4c, to the top. This route was lovely, friendly with a superb layback crack high up.
not at home 