Possible new climbs in Mont Blanc range by Richard Nadin, Simon Richardson, Micha Rinn

Micha Rinn and I spent 10 days climbing on the south side of Mont Blanc Range in June and July. We made two climbs which we believe are first ascents.

The first was the SW Spur of P3654m, which is the minor summit between the Aiguille de Leschaux and Mont Greuvettaz. This was easily approached on 30 June from the glacier above the Gervasutti Hut and provided 500m of good climbing up to 5c on rough red granite (500m, D). We descended the Frebouze glacier and crossed the middle part of the South Ridge of P3654m to regain the Gervasutti Hut.

Our second route was on the east face of the Dent de Jetoula. Rather surprisingly, this 500m-high rock wall, which is plainly visible from Val Ferret, had no record of an ascent by any route. We approached through untracked forest above the hamlet of Rochefort to a bivouac below the face on 5 July.

The east face is surprisingly complex, so we decided to take the easiest possible line running up the centre of the wall. Zahn der Zeit (The Ravages of Time) provided mainly 4 and 5 rock climbing with a 6a crux right at the top (450m, D+) from where there is intricate route finding along the complex upper Jetoula Ridge to an exit on the Aiguilles Marbrees .

For me, these two climbs were a significant personal success, as only 12 months earlier my hand and fingers were smashed by a falling rock on Mont Vert de Greuvetta further up the valley. This was a potentially life changing injury, but thanks to some brilliant surgery in Italy, and good medical care back home in Scotland, I am climbing again. At the beginning of the trip, I revisited Mont Vert with Richard Nadin where we found The Eagle’s Gift (300m, D-), the fine rock ridge right of Way of the Ibex.

– Simon Richardson, Scotland