Monday 24 August
Cosmiques Arete
Cable car to the Aiguille du Midi where we got geared up in the concrete tunnel next to the ice door that leads to the snow arête.
The snow arête path leading down to the glacier was as exciting as ever, and easily the most dangerous thing we did all day. Stupendous drop offs on either side of the inches-wide snow path.
Walk round in front of the Face Sud, to the exposed wooden skeleton of the old Cosmiques Hut.
The route starts pleasantly on slabs of pale granite, with plenty of dry stone dust in between.
This soon becomes steeper, and we are scrambling up massive slabs of solid pale granite.
Although exposed, often it does not feel so, as we squeeze between the large chunks, up chimneys, and weave amongst enormous boulders.
The views are tremendous, there is an exciting abseil from a slanting slab, from where you can’t see the bottom.
The pitched climb has a hard move if you are in big boots, and with a big bag.
Climbers with guide on the crux of the climb
not at home 