'Sous l'œil d'Adèle' mixed climb added to Pointe Louise in France's Écrins

It's Saturday morning, we meet at Laetitia’s place in Villar d’Arène to pack our bags.

Two days earlier, Pierrot had called me to suggest checking out a line spotted by our favorite Laetitia in the valley behind her house — one of the wildest and deepest in the Écrins.

The line is located to the right of Louise Fine, on the north face of Pointe Louise. In the few photos I received, we notice a stunning ice pitch at the bottom, though I can’t tell how long it is, followed by a middle snow slope and a very thin upper couloir that exits onto a col. I’m immediately drawn to this face. The line looks obvious and well-formed. We set the date.

The rucksacks are heavy. Everything overflows: tents, jackets, snow stakes, sleeping pads. It’s been a while since I carried such a massive pack, and the weight becomes obvious over the kilometers of approach.

Once we spot the line, we notice a hanging dagger. No ice? No ice left? Big doubts arise about this so-called line. Is it in condition? Did the ice pillar collapse?

For the next kilometer, doubts creep in. But we have to check it out. Soon we realise that our line actually goes to the left of that infamous hanging dagger — and it's clearly visible in our photos. Huge relief. Our motivation skyrockets.

We’ve scouted the entire lower buttress and also seen the central slope. Only the upper bastion remains a mystery — we’ll find out tomorrow!

The tent is pitched on the flat glacier at the end of the valley, facing the North Col of Roche Faurio, which will be our descent route.

2:15 AM. The alarm rings. Unlike Pierre, I had a short night. As usual, I don’t sleep well in the mountains — a mix of fear, excitement, and altitude that I still struggle with.

Freeze-dried meals are quickly eaten, and then we head toward the Tombe Murée Glacier. Laetitia has an issue with her headlamp. Well, we joke, it’s an excuse to go even lighter!

Dawn breaks just as I start the first pitch. It rapidly sets the tone for the day: steep ice, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Protection is scarce and unreliable. Runouts will be the key theme of this ice line. I begin pitch 2 under dim but reassuring light. On this steep wall of rotten ice, I start to push for real. A fall here wouldn’t be pretty, with my last 13cm screw already 8 meters below me. I focus hard: precise axe swings, solid foot placements. The pitch unfolds, weaving through inconsistent ice.

Soon, we reach the base of the hanging dagger and the left ice sheet. Laetitia takes the lead here. The pitch is steep again, with poor snow. She moves slowly but as safely as possible. Following her, I dislodge a rock that nearly hits Pierre. Scary, but no harm done. Still, I’m reminded how easily our day could’ve ended there.

Next come two five-star ice pitches, like the best you’d find in Fournel valley in mid-February — pure joy. Then we hit the steep but good central snow slope. We move quickly here. Pierrot exits these slopes with a leftward traverse that leads us to the upper gully.

To our great surprise, it’s all ice. What a thrill! Actually, the first pitch of this section turns out not to be in such great condition, the smears are thin and often bad, but Pierre negotiates it brilliantly. The next pitches are similar but always beautiful in this narrow couloir, until the final snow slope brings us into the sun with an intensifying wind that makes it feel much colder.

Euphoria peaks as we reach the col: the sun, good friends, and a new line in the bag. Bliss!

But the mood shifts fast. During the first abseil down the south face rappel, a rock slices a rope clean at 30 meters. Rappels will now be longer than expected. Then, while pulling the rope, it gets stuck. More time lost, frustration mounts. Pierre climbs back up to free it, taking care not to damage it further.

In the end, four 30-meter rappels land us at the foot of the south face. Relief washes over us as we're thankful to be back on solid ground. This south face is truly awful rock, testing our nerves.

A short traverse across the glacier brings us to the North Col of Roche Faurio. All that remains is downclimb the north couloir to rejoin the slope. The descent quickly turns into a sliding game — like a toboggan ride — to save time and energy.

Under the watchful eye of Adèle Planchard, tired but happy, we return to the car, ready to start our third training course with the GEAN group the next day.

- Kilian Moni, Chamonix