The Swiss Alps. Kev Reynolds
Ridge, while a direct ascent of the Arête de Valère (North Ridge) foiled a number of parties before Chris Bonington, John Harlin and Rusty Baillie achieved its first full ascent in August 1965, a route now reckoned to be TD+ and accessible by a short approach from the unmanned Chalin refuge.
La Forteresse (3164m) is a double summited tower situated above the Col de la Cime de l’Est, first climbed in 1870 by one of the district’s greatest advocates, Emile Javelle, with J Oberhauser. Their route, by the East Ridge (F), is today’s voie normale, while more challenging climbs are to be had on the NW Couloir (AD) and the Soi Ridge/NW Face (AD+).
La Cathédrale (3160m) is the twin of La Forteresse, from which it is separated by a gap containing the Aiguillete Délez, named after the guide who made the first ascent in 1890. The popular Cathédrale-Forteresse traverse is graded AD, as is the SE Face, but the Délez Couloir goes at PD+. Rising from the Fenêtre de Soi, which separates the Cathédrale from L’Eperon, the SW Ridge rewards with one of the classic climbs of the Dents du Midi chain, an exposed 150m route first climbed in 1928 and now graded D, IV.
L’Eperon (3144m) rises above the secondary summit of the Petit Eperon by way of a series of rock steps which appear saw-like from the Val d’Illiez. The easiest route is by way of the SW Ridge above the Col de l’Eperon; the NE Ridge provides a traverse of the two summits at AD, while the NW Face is said to attract attention in winter.
Dent Jaune (3186m) is the elegant yellow thumb-like projection standing proud above the deep gap of the Col de la Dent Jaune, on the other side of which rise the Doigts de Champéry and de Salanfe. Originally there were two summits here, but one of these collapsed in the 19th century. The voie normale begins at the deep col mentioned above, cuts diagonally across the SE Face to join the NE Ridge, then follows this to the summit. Known as the Vire aux Genevois it was first climbed in 1894 by Georg and Malsch, and is now graded AD.
Doigts de Champéry and de Salanfe (3210m, 3205m) are grouped together with a secondary point known as the Pouce. Stonefall is a major concern here, especially in the Couloirs des Doigts, du Pouce and Dent Jaune. The NNE Face of the Doigt de Champéry offers the most challenging of the routes; a long and serious TD- climb pioneered by Lugon and Ramel in August 1937.
Haute Cime du Dents du Midi (3257m), despite being the highest of the group, its summit is easily reached by little more than a steep 2–2½hr walk from Col de Susanfe – ‘very fatiguing, but without danger to the sure-footed,’ is how Baedeker described the route from the col. First climbed (solo) in 1788 by local Val d’Illiez priest, J M Clément, the panorama from the summit is simply stunning, so much so that it has often been said that all climbers should visit it at least once in their lives. All the major peaks of the northern Alps are visible; in 1901 Baedeker said of it: ‘The view of Mont Blanc and the Alps of the Valais and Bern is imposing; the background to the S is formed by the Alps of Dauphiné and Piedmont; the Lake of Geneva is visible from Villeneuve to Vevey.’
Whilst routes to individual summits have their obvious attraction, one of the classic outings of the group is the Traverse of the Dents du Midi (D, IV). Starting from a base at the Auberge de Salanfe, this magnificent expedition is reckoned to require around 15hrs in all, under good conditions. First achieved in a southwest–northeast direction in 1893 by one-time President of the Alpine Club, J P Farrar, with the guides Pierre-Louis Délez and Daniel Maquignaz, the traverse is said to be considerably easier when tackled from east to west (AD, III+). Though normally attempted in summer, it was first completed solo in winter in 1974, but the route still demands to be taken seriously, for the ridge is over 3km long and prior knowledge of individual sections would be a great benefit to anyone considering tackling what is, after all, one of the finest outings of its grade in the Alps.
ABBÉ CLÉMENT: FIRST MAN ON TOP
Abbé Jean-Maurice Clément, who it is thought made the first ascent of the Haute Cime du Dents du Midi at the age of 54, was a cultivated man with a library of a thousand volumes on natural history and medicine. Desperately unhappy with the parish to which he had been sent in 1780, he was on bad terms with his parishioners with whom he had frequent quarrels, and felt severely restricted by the limitations imposed by his valley. Perhaps this was why he climbed Haute Cime alone. According to a letter published in the Journal de Lausanne, he climbed what he termed ‘two central peaks’ on 22 August 1788. Although his description of the climb does not make it easy to identify his ‘two central peaks’, it has long been assumed that the Haute Cime was one of them. ‘The weather was fairly fine,’ he wrote, but despite the quality of the view from the summit, he was apparently not sufficiently inspired to describe it. ‘The time I spent on the top was too short to enable me to give a useful and interesting account of the things which struck me. It would require a second climb, which I shall never make unless with a companion.’ After that he abandoned any desire to climb elsewhere.
The Tour des Dents du Midi (TDM) makes a rewarding trek. Although its full length is only about 42km, the terrain is such that most trekkers take three–four days to complete it. The scenic quality is high, with waterfalls cascading from steep slab walls; there are lakes and pools, and flowery pastures in which it’s possible to study chamois and marmot. Accommodation is in gîtes and both privately owned and SAC huts, and there’s a choice of at least three starting points: i) Champéry in Val d’Illiez, ii) La Doey above Vérossaz on the Rhône valley side of the mountains, reached by postbus from St-Maurice, or iii) Mex which stands above Evionnaz. In this brief summary we begin at Champéry, and tackle the route in a counter-clockwise direction (for information see www.dentsdumidi.ch).
Day 1: Wander upvalley from Champéry to the Cantine de Bonavau at 1550m. Shortly after, cross a stream to join the main path of the TDM which now climbs against steep slabs supporting the Dents de Bonavau (fixed cables and chains), then up the side of a ravine into the rocky groove of Pas d’Encel. Above this lies the small but wildly attractive Susanfe valley, and the SAC-owned Cabane de Susanfe (see above) standing at 2102m, about 3½–4hrs from Champéry.
Day 2: Aiming for the head of the valley among limestone ribs and rocks, this stage then rises over mounds of shale and grit before zigzagging up to the 2494m Col de Susanfe after 1hr. Lying between the Tour Sallière and the 3257m Haute Cime, the col provides an opportunity (given time and favourable conditions) to make the 2–2½hr ascent of the latter peak – allow 1½hrs back to the col. From the col either plunge directly down a steep slope of snow and scree, or follow a vague path down to a rock barrier and along an exposed ledge to join the direct route in a marshy meadowland a short distance from Lac de Salanfe, at the northeast end of which stands the Auberge de Salanfe (see above). This is reached in just 2½hrs from Cabane de Susanfe, or 6hrs including the ascent of the Haute Cime. If the latter has been climbed, then an overnight will be required here, otherwise it would be worth continuing as far as Mex (see below).
Day 3: The continuing route immediately heads for Col du Jorat (2210m) on a spur of the Dent du Salantin, reached in just 45mins from the auberge. From the col you look north down a steep slope, with the Rhône valley seen in the distance. A good path descends across screes and over high pastures, soon gaining views of the Cime de l’Est above to the left, and a little under 3hrs from Salanfe, arrives in Mex, a small huddle of a village at 1118m. Accommodation and refreshments are available at the comfortable Auberge de l’Armailli (www.armailli.ch) which has 18 dormitory places. A mostly woodland walk carries the route beyond Mex and into a combe north of the Cime de l’Est, followed by the ascent of a steep grass slope to the Crêt de Jeur (1555m) and on to the gîte of Alpage de Chindonne at 1604m (79 places in dorms and rooms, open June to end October; tel 024 471 33 96), about 7hrs from Salanfe.
Day 4: This final stage takes the route on a long traverse below the NW Face of the Dents du Midi, with some of the finest views of the whole tour, but with several high points to cross, this is also the most demanding