Extreme Ice Climbing

Nicolas Preitner & Jon Murua
Scotch on the Rocks, Mont Blanc du Tacul
ED M7
Winter ascend of this delicate and sustained mixed climbing route.
Date: 23.2.2020
8:30 Chamonix
11:45 R3
14:00 R4
15:30 R5
Rappels
16:30 Based of the route
20:00 Chamonix
Transcript:
The winter of 2020 has been particularly good for mixed climbing conditions in Chamonix.
Last week, while climbing Pinocchio, I saw that Scotch on the rocks was well covered on ice and I wanted to give it a go.
This route, is not as popular like others in the area, like Modica Nouri or Pelissier. This is probably because it is significantly harder.
It is a beautiful line, worth becoming a classic as well. Sustained on the M5+ with a challenging M7 crux.
The crux is an interesting boulder problem. Steep and technical, but quite short.
It is a good route to test skills before engaging in harder routes.
This winter I have been steadily increasing the difficulty of the routes I climb, preparing for the North Couloir Direct of the Drus.
I thought that if I managed to climb Scotch on the Rocks without difficulties, I would be ready to engage in the Drus.
That day we found difficulties. Not about our climbing skills, but about the weather. In fact, it was a great achievement to climb such a hard route with that weather.
But more on that later.
Like every trip to Chamonix, to start well the day we first stopped by in one of the local bakeries to get our second breakfast and get some sandwiches for the day.
We got up early to get the first telecabine to Aiguille du Midi. Half an hour before the opening to avoid the queue.
Unfortunately, we had to wait due to unexpected circumstances...
We checked the weather report, the route description and we agreed it was worth going up there to check the conditions in person.
As you can see, the wind was strong. Not the most pleasant for delicate mixed climbing.
We hesitated a bit, but we were feeling strong and we were prepared with good clothing so we chose to engage.
One of the beauties of the mixed routes in Mont Blanc du Tacul is that it is easy to bail by rappeling on the route itself.
Although, the descend via La Valle Blanche is long, specially in dry winters when there is not enough snow cover at the bottom.
The approach is easy. An easy ski descend and a short ski tour to the base.
Nicolas started the first easy pitch which is common with Pinocchio and Vol de Nuit.
The second pitch sets the scene already.
Steep and delicate with seldom protection points. There are some tricky moves on thin ice which are a pleasure to climb.
This second pitch could be split in half but I thought I'd enjoy a 55m sustained M5+ pitch and stop just underneath the crux.
The anchor is very well placed. This is were the route splits between Scotch on the rocks M7 on the left and Vol de Nuit M8 to the right.
Nicolas climbed with no difficultIes.
The wind and the spin drift were making it a bit uncomfortable, we agreed to keep going.
Nicolas engaged in the crux, climbing it smoothly.
Protectionwise was ok. He managed to place a couple of good cams and he also found a couple of pitons.
There was generous ice, but that overhanging corner was quite uncomfortable to swing the tools. Making some technical lock offs I found some small hooks and tiny ledges that helped me progress with dry tooling moves.
After the crux move, the pitch continues in delicate terrain, sustained on the M5+. It is also another long pitch of note that 50 metres that can be split in 2, but we decided to connect.
The forth pitch was quite dry. Another long pitch with several tricky roofs to climb. Not too hard, but figuring out how to climb each roof was taking some time.
Up here the wind was making the climbing more complicated and we started to slow down.
When I reached the anchor, Nicolas showed me the time. It was late!
We made some numbers and we realized we were climbing very slowly.
We had one more pitch to finish, another long M5.
We could climb it before it got dark. It would probably get dark as we reached the base, but it was too risky.
The visibility had been reduced significantly.
We were worried about getting lost while skiing down in the dark with that fog and the heavy wind.
I have skied La Valle Blanche many times, and despite I know the route by heart, I also know that this weather in alpine terrain is not to take it lightly. It is very easy to get lost and to fall on a crevasse.
There was not much to discuss.
Thread the rope through the anchor and we started the rappels
Gear used:
Helmet: Petzl Sirocco
Ropes: Mammut Genesis Dry 2x60m
Quickdraws: Black Diamond Oz
Ice axes: Petzl Ergo, Cassin X-Mountain
Crampons: Petzl Dart, Grivel G20
Boots: La Sportiva G5
Harness: Mammut Zephyr Alpine
Gloves: Simond Cascade, Black Diamond Soloist, Outdoor Research Alibi II
Belay plate: Petzl Reverso
Backpack: Mammut trion light 38l
Camera: GoPro Session 5

[@kevingeary1472]

I really appreciate how you talk about your decision-making along the way. Nice climb!

[@peterburke3577]

Thanks for sharing your adventures! The backoffice ;) comments add a lot to the pictures!

[@benwilkinson5457]

Great videos!

[@VangelisStavroulakis]

Super nice job!!!

[@tomravise6482]

Great video Jon. A bit jealous though ahah. Good decision to have back off from the summit.

[@fulviopaolasso4973]

Stupendo!!!👍👍👍

[@lukaslans]

great man just keep posting, your videos are good :)

[@jonmurua]

Thank you! This feedback gives me the motivation to continue editing videos 😃

[@jeztv9014]

Awesome videos....Not jealous at all..... :(

[@andrewign5806]

Awesome. I still don’t understand how you anchor for rappel 😢😢😢 Do you leave gear? 😮

[@jonmurua]

The anchors are equipped, someone before us left the gear

[@dandie4336]

What do you use for communication?

[@jonmurua]

Nothing. We progressed by feeling the rope. We have a 'code', like morse, to tell the other when we are at the anchor, when we are on belay... But we generally don't need to use it as it's generally obvious, by feeling the rope, what the partner is doing

[@ZAMOLXEDARK]

oau.. noone wearing mask in Chamonix....

[@jonmurua]

Not before the covid pandemic