French climbers Pablo Etienne and Sophie Jacob have established a new route on the Capucin du Requin face in the Mont Blanc massif named L’Écho des Cristalliers.
From the Mer de Glace glacier, the pair identified several possible lines but repeatedly returned to one: the central line. “The essence of adventure, as we like to experience it, is setting out with an idea while remaining open to the surprises the terrain may hold,” Etienne said.
The first pitch and belay station had three old pitons. “Uh… It doesn’t matter. We’re here for the adventure,” Etienne recalled. As they climbed higher, old slings began appearing to the left and right. Later, back in the valley, they discovered that these were remnants of rappel stations established by cristalliers, crystal collectors who had climbed the wall to mid-hieght in 1981. The team spent the night a cave called Ali Baba’s Cave, surrounded by huge crystals left behind by the 1981 team. Scroll through the photos on Instagram below to see the crystals.
L’Écho des Cristalliers is 500 metres long and goes at ED- 5.11. The anchors are all bolted and there are eight bolts and six pitons for protection, but it’s mostly trad. It can be accessed late in the season, with the dry glacier approach taking approximately 40 minutes from the nearby hut. Etienne and Jacob said that their goal was to create a route that can be repeated safely, which is why it’s equipped to rappel.