Couzy Spur, Les Droites (IV,4, 5b,1100m).DNF.

Mike checking out our approach and the route in a brief clear spell the night before (right hand side of central spur in photo).

Horizontal pellets of snow fired across my field vision looking like tracking lines on an old VHS as I stared desperately into the featureless black night. It was 2.30am and for the first time I was starting the lead of an assault on Les Droites, negotiating an awkward path through the glacier and bergschrunds guarding the start of our route. Last nights smattering of snow thinly covered crevasses and the bare glacial ice made putting a skin track in a real challenge in itself. Dipping our head torches we we able to squint through the blizzard to locate the start of the Couzy spur, attached our crampons and marched the rest of the way over, heads bowed against the howling wind.

We had met at the guides office the day before, each with the free time and energy for an adventure. This was integral to our route choice and approach. There are endless superb routes around the Massif, yet when the world and his wife have done them, the topo’s are plastered online, and play by play videos can be watched for beta, the sense of adventure can get lost. Some times you want all the information, other times you don’t. Stepping into the realms of the known unknown is rooted deep in climbing history, and I can’t recommend it enough. The route description for the Couzy Spur was as follows,

Exits on the west summit. Climb on the first third of the couloir, then bear left to the crest of the summit itself(70/75deg, sections of sustained mixed climbing, 5b)1100m.

No detailed recent ascents online or in the guides office. No ascents by friends or topos. Only mentions were amongst variations on the face. Exactly what we we were looking for. With a marginal forecast it was a testing proposal, 50-70kmph Northerly winds -15 deg at 3200m and 5-10cm of new snow- this was going to be the real challenge.
Ascent.

The forecast was typically right when we were wishing it to be wrong, and as Mike swam over the two bergchrunds he was welcomed by what would be our 4th member of the team. Sergeant Spin Drift: a most unwelcome and demoralising addition, who decided he’d join us for the whole day.

Simul-climbing Col(d) de Aiguille Verte

Once on the slopes of Col de Aiguille Verte the good ice/snow conditions allowed us to simul-climb 400m to where we needed to branch off and join the spur. Flynn took over his block, traversing some poorer ice and ascending some nice mixed ground. Deciding to pitch these meant we really were exposed to mother natures wrath and we all became chilled to the bones despite wearing heavy duty winter kit and swapping into dry gloves/mitts at belays. The sight of extremely high winds on the summits of Les Droites and Aiguille Verte, the baltic temperatures, and Sgt. Spin Drift chipped away at our psyche. We weren’t going to make it. Believe me when I write that it was bitterly cold. Gear freezing. Gloves freezing. Water freezing. Eyeballs freezing. It wasn’t wise to push on in these winds despite the superb quality of the climbing. Familiar with this bitter pill by now (after a shocking winter of half done routes) I was keen to lead a final direct goulotte from Flynns stance (rather than follow the route round to the slopes leading to the Spur proper). A steep 55m mixed corner with fairly good gear spilled out under a large wall littered with spikes. It really was great climbing in fantastic position, but it was time to head home.

Flynn on a spindrift free moment of the traverse pitches. My direct goulotte straight above him.

A baltic belay, check out the wind blasting the Verte behind.

Final slopes after the extra goulotte.

Descent.

We made 10-11 60m efficient abseils down hugging skiers right of the Col, all made on spikes/boulder threads and the ropes pulled well. We down climbed to the bergstrund and did another to cross it. 2.5hrs.

Mike having to use an ice screw to get to hit water(!?). Photo Mikael Abramsson

Approach.

Camped below the route on the morraine, climbed with light packs.

Food: super noodles x2, mint/fruit tea bag, x4 twix’s, energy gel, brioche roll and marmalade.

Rack: well, thats depends on who’s climbing…

Chilly hairs on the fisherman

Finding the tent…

Found it! Don’t worry Steve!

Exciting night sleeping under a dream that’s a few years old.

FJ getting a melt on

Summary.

A real adventure and interesting climbing(so far). Time spent out suffering will pay dividends in the future. Mike and Flynn are good minds to have on the mountain, an increasingly important factor in partners for me. Wellinlids!