After one day of climbing together earlier this week we were impressed with the good atmosphere climbing together, so Laurent suggested to spend some more time on a route. High on his tick list was the Frendo Spur. At first I was in doubt about the plan, later I had mixed feelings and finally I got the vibes. The ridge is really beautiful and the view from the midi lift to the Frendo Spur will never be the same for us.

On Wednesday we a approached the rock after a night biviing at the plan de l’Aiguille (mid-station). Quite impressed with the route we got up at four o’clock and approached the spur from the left side in one and a half hour. It is advisable to take the right hand path over the morene to save half an hour and be more protected from serious rock fall. Another point of concern is to be among the first parties in the route. We saw another climber causing a small rock avalanche, which broke a helmet of one of the climbers below us. We were glad that we didn’t drop one stone all day, maybe that’s why we were slower than the others.

Because of our nervousness on Wednesday we ran too far to the right of the pillar. We found beautiful slabs and cracks next to the rubble shoot of the Aiguille du Midi. Quite a spectular ambiance: an orchestra of falling stones and ice. The climbing was quite hard and became even harder. When we came to an overhang we felt that we found to way to the crest, but it was not possible for us to climb or protect this pitch. We made some scary rappels and arrived at the bivy place late at night. We had a dinner consisting of two slices of bread and one cup of tea and slept like babies in our down bags. We felt like e-baying our gear, anyway we didn’t make plans for tours the next couple of days. In the lift down on the successful Friday we saw that this overhang was truly close to the ridge.

Thursday we drank coffee at the plan d’Aiguille and skipped a non-existing breakfast and walked down to Chamonix. We celebrated the fact that we were still alive, after the scary climbing in the overhang. After checking the weather we decided that we couldn’t stand a long standing project. And organised our gear for a next attempt of the Frendo Spur, deciding that would we take another topo (’Alpine Club’) instead of the blurry copied one from ‘Snow, Ice and Mixed’.

On Friday we took the first lift (6.30) to plan d’Aiguille for a second attempt. At seven we started the approach with three other parties. We found much easier terrain than in the previous attempt, moving together on third grade terrain. We were reassured be the fact that we could move much faster. We were really enjoying the route and praised Frendo. No time for too much genuss-kletterei because we had to be fast for the last lift down (six o’clock). We quickly arrived at the first crux (possible to do a challenging rodeo bull or an more elegant 5c A0). When we arrived at the gendarmes in the upper rock section we were surprised by the never ending pitches of fairly hard rock. Laurent made some perfect belays (and I fotographed them for a handbook). Longing for the snow-ridge we tried to be as fast as possible. Nevertheless we collected some garbage and a Grivel Aablakov-device to add to a long list of found gear. I made an A1 with a found quick draw, which looked too old to add to my rack.

When we finally reached the exit to the snow-ridge. We were happy to put on our crampons. On the snow ridge our enjoyment evaporated. The snow was soft and slippery and the ridge was long, warm and tiring. I was trying to keep up, but I was too thirsty and filled my mouth with snow. My platypus already caused problems earlier this week. It was full but I couldn’t get a drop out of it. I hope I’ll find a good Camelbag on a ridge in Bergell, where we will climb next week.

The climbing became enjoyable again when we reached the ice left of the rognon and finally out of the sun. We climbed in perfect 80 degrees snow/ice moving together, placing only one screw. We didn’t pitch it, because we ran out of time. After a short last ridge we reached the sun again on the Midi-Plan traverse and saw that the lift was not far. We made it in nine hours and thirty minutes, without a new bivy. I love bivies, but Laurent wanted to return to the VW-camper for a warm night. We didn’t have any bivy gear with us this time.

Text and photographs: Sarah Mollink & Laurent Zuijdwijk

Facts: Frendo Spur (III 1100m D+/TD- 5+ 80 degrees)

Frendo Spur can be climbed in one day, without biviing for a fast party without route finding problems. If in doubt, there are excellent bivy spots on Plan de l’Aiguille for an early start. Be sure to be fit and fed, because the route is really long. We climbed the complete route in big boots. We took one half of a double rope, although it is more advisable to take two strands or a single rope. For the rock sections we took four Friends, a small set of nuts and seven quick draws. For the ice we took two axes and three ice-screws. In-situ gear is available throughout the route on the harder sections as well as some aid slings. Don’t try to get to the snow too early, stay left on the two gendarmes at the top and always go up.

Guidebook used:
Mont Blanc Massif: Selected Climbs: Col De Berangere - Col Du Geant v. 1

Today we did the Frendo Spur. Good stuff.