GRAND CAPUCIN

The Grand Capucin is a pinnacle of rock measuring almost 500 meters high in the heart of the Mont Blanc massif

On this impregnable granite citadel, all routes leading to its summit are demanding and vertiginous.

Last summer, climbers Christophe Dumarest and Symon Welfringer dreamed big by tackling one of its toughest lines: the “Petit” route. An opportunity to take to the heights and accompany them on an adventure “beyond the vertical”!

The route laid down by Arnaud Petit in 1997 is still considered to be one of the most difficult in the Mont Blanc massif. It wasn’t until eight years later in 2005 that Alexander Huber, one of the best climbers in the world, became the first person to successfully free climb it. (In other words, using only the strength of his own body to climb and the equipment already in place for protection.)

The route laid down by Arnaud Petit in 1997 is still considered to be one of the most difficult in the Mont Blanc massif. It wasn’t until eight years later in 2005 that Alexander Huber, one of the best climbers in the world, became the first person to successfully free climb it. (In other words, using only the strength of his own body to climb and the equipment already in place for protection.)

For Christophe and Symon, this line is the ultimate in mountain climbing. It has all the credentials to keep them motivated throughout the year and pushes them to train with passion. Combining the highest technical specs with the aesthetics of a daring line, it offers them the chance to lay down their own achievement, following in the footsteps of the pioneers who came before them. This is the fuel giving them the motivation and energy to embark on such a crazy undertaking! 

Symon and I are equally motivated and determined to get this route under our belts.

We calculate that we’ll need three long days to crack it and get to the end of each of the pitches. Some are gripping while others are demanding, and some are both at the same time. For Symon, who’s close to grade 9 status, 8a pitches, even at 3800 m, shouldn’t pose too much of a problem. For me, who’s not at his level, this is a huge challenge.

The first gripping 7B pitch quickly takes me to the heart of the adventure. At the bottom, I’m already having to slalom between the rivulets of water emerging from cracks in the rock. These tears streaking across much of the face don’t help when it comes to climbing. We fairly quickly reach the foot of a perfect dihedral that symbolizes the key pitch. A magnificent open book topped by a characteristic overhang. We take turns at breaking down the “methods” we’ll need to link up the whole pitch. The videos left by our predecessors and the methods we share allow us to solve each puzzle fairly quickly. Note by note, movement by movement, we construct the phrases that gradually form a coherent and harmonious whole. Unfortunately, all the second section of the pitch is soaking wet, depriving us of the chance to link up to it, despite our motivation. Will the “crux” pitch have dried out by tomorrow?

In the mountains, waking up facing east is the gentlest introduction to the day. But we struggle to emerge from our chrysalises. The first two days have left their impact on our bodies. I’m definitely going to have to dip into my reserves. I install the quickdraws on the last 7c+/8a pitch of the route. My strength abandons me on this pitch which we’d already tried out with Symon and didn’t seem problematic at the time. I’ll have to come back, and train better, and bring a different strategy. Symon transitions upwards and we’ve now got the ascent by the right end i.e. the one at the top. A final awesome and gripping 7B+ pitch and the difficulties are finally behind us. 

To complete the Petit route is like drawing Excalibur from its rock and being crowned, if only for a moment, king of the Grand Capucin.

It’s a route that acts like a particle accelerator… of emotions. At the top, we’re exhausted from the effort, but pumped with energy and the awe-inspiring landscapes that have absorbed us for three days. Both energetically and psychologically, the physical and emotional lift didn’t just work in one direction. Beyond the particles that collided in both our bodies and our minds, we got the full experience of adventure, with all the uncertainties that this brings.