The routes

The Ollomont valley with its mixed climbs is a true paradise; away from the more famous crowded areas, below Mont Vela and Grand Combin are a flurry of icefalls immersed in absolute tranquility. Albice ascends to the left of Pat...

Pleasant and short icefall which varies from a slab start to a free standing finish.

This was the first ice fall in Gressoney ascended by Alessandro Jaccod, the father of piolet-traction in Valle d'Aosta. Once you've reached the path it's well worth spending 10 minutes visiting the old village from which the icefall gets its...

The route takes a line on the extreme righthand side of the drip. After a brief 7m vertical start follow a ramp right to the base of the vertical section. Climb another 5 or 6 meters and belay protected from...

A very demanding route which requires a good level of familiarity with drytooling and placing gear. It has the potential of becoming a classic route in its genre.

Beautiful mid grade ice climb which is never steeper than 90°. The cave on the second pitch is highly evocative.

Beautiful and slender free-standing drip first ascended after the first repeat of “Cohésion zero”. If the drip is too precarious, it is possible to protect the start using the plants on the side.

Nice sunny climb, not to be missed. Carefully assess the period and stability if the ice. The final belay is difficult to find, search for it beneath a small overhang on the left. This is a 5 star icefall... or...

Given the right conditions, the route is a very varied and fun outing that provides committing but never extremely dangerous climbing. The ambient feels like it’s on a big mountain face, despite it’s modest height.  Since there’s no phone coverage...

Obvious drip, clearly visible from the road which leads to Val Formazza. The icefall offers interesting, pleasant climbing close to a granite quarry and close to the Premia spa at Cadarese.

The first 30m are great, but then the climbing becomes slightly less interesting. An excellent end-of-the-day climb.

The first clean step is followed by an extremely aesthetic though somewhat short free standing drip on the second pitch.

Candelone di Patry is certainly a more beautiful finish than Patry Classica, but somewhat more serious. The great 50m pitch is a fantastic combination to the first part of Patry up into the amphitheatre.

Pleasant ice climb to the right of the via ferrata that leads to the Monzino hut in Val Veny on the Italian side of Mont Blanc. Repeats will require a period of intense cold and no snow above the drip...

Pleasant icefall, free of objective dangers and, thanks to its easy access, ideal for those with little time. To finish off the day, climb some pitches in the gully below.

Beautiful icefall which unfortunately cannot be climbed very often as the right conditions are dictated by a series of different variables. The icefall can only be climbed in safety after an extended freeze and little fresh snow on the upper...