Video cut together with the footage and images taken on an ascent of the Croz spur/ Slovenian in October 2009. All images and footage © Jonathan Griffith/ Alpine Exposures
Croz spur with Slovenian start- Grandes Jorasses from Jonathan Griffith on Vimeo.
After hearing some good reports from people about the Croz spur we headed up the day after we got down from our abortive attempt on the Desecures-Robach. A pleasant bivy at the base under the full moon and we were up and off at 5am.
Wake up under the full moon below the Jorasses
The shrund is steep ice with a over-hanging step to get over it which is always good for the first pump of the day. I think you can get over it much easier on the far left but I couldnt see in the dark. Up above and the route is in amazing nick- bomber nevee for the first few hundred meters and really pleasant climbing.
Cruising up the lower section with sunrise on the Verte and Drus
On the lower ice section
The first difficulties are met on the mixed ramp that leads you towards the spur itself and the higher icefield. Its amazing quality climbing though and prefect mixed tool placements. Pro was a little sparse but otherwise fine- I suspect this would be very easy with a little bit more ice in it but we still moved together over it so it wasnt that bad.
Exiting the mixed ramp
Exiting the mixed ramp
After this there is a long ice pitch which was a little thin in places and therefore runout but otherwise never too steep.
At the third ice field the ice turned hard. I was hoping to be able to romp up this but we encountered both black ice and some very hard ice which slowed us down quite a bit- especially as I had a bent ice pick which didnt help for first time placements! Two thirds of the way up the ice field you take a very obvious couloir up left that leads you onto the Spur proper where you get an amazing view of the Colton Macintyre.
Will approaching the notch in the Croz Spur after the icefield
Up above you stick to the ridge line which brings you to the base of the Croz ‘tower’. we had to cross some really delicate terrain here as the snow hadnt settled at all resulting in powder covered slabs with no opportunity for pro which again made the going a little slow.
Will on the Spur with the summits of Walker, Whymper and Croz above
From the base of the tower you can either go the traditional way up left in which case you find yourself in loose rock climbing hell apparently or you can skirt out right which leads you to a very obvious ice couloir. It’s a little delicate to both get there and for the start of the ice (thin) but once you’re in it’s a nice easy climb to the notch just below the summit.
On the penultimate ice pitch
On the penultimate ice pitch
Exiting the Croz!
From here you can rap down the south side. The glacier descent is a right nightmare for the moment and its advisable to try and get down it in the day time whilst you can still make out a faint track otherwise you can get really lost in a maze of crevasses. The hut is currently un-guarded but there is of course the winter room that did is very well for the night.
At the Bocolatte hut
Light and fast. Ropes, rack and all our kit
Great report! Thanks, it’ll help motivate my buddies to go. After descending the south side how did you retrieve your bivy gear that you left under the north wall?
great article, very informative
filmato stupendo, fotografie eccezzionali, una linea strepitosa…DA SOGNO!
bravi
ivo
BELLE!!!
Hi Simon
I used a 17-40mmL. I dont like changing lenses in the mountains on this kind of terrain and would prefer to go with a wide angle on stuff like this. If it’s a proper shoot then I’d take the 24-105 but you get a higher success rate with the wide angle for quickly taken snaps like this.
Jon
Hi Jon. Great pics and video. Very inspiring! Brings back fond memoriess of climbing it in Oct 83. What lens did you use with your Canon 5D?
Hi Pete
The serac still hasnt fallen though there was some fresh debris past the hut…not big enough to have been the main event though.
Hi Jon
Great images and a great account. Having done the Walker in summer, I have been dreaming of the Croz ever since, possibly next April. I can’t think of anything better to motivate me than your images and your account. By the way what is the status of the serac on the south side?
Thanks and best wishes, Pete
www.peterleemingphotography.com
Hi Toby
Umm, not really sure as its a bit hard to put a Scottish grade on something like this. Technically-wise the Croz is not too hard (short section of 85 degree ice, though the shrund was overhanging at the top) but its the commitment factor and the fact that it’s huge that adds to it all. I guess maybe some of the ice would get Scottish VI on account that it got very thin in parts and very runout…but it was never particularly hard. I guess the mixed ramp would get a V? Its a bit hard to say as it’s nothing like Scottish climbing but thats the best I can offer
Jon
Fantastic pics as ever Jon. How steep does the ice get? As I know next to nothing about harder alpine grades can you hazard a guess on Scottish grade?
Thanks guys. We had good info on the route so we left the bivy kit at the base and just went up as lightweight as possible. The sacks contain everything apart from stove and bivy kit…but yes the big SLR does take up quite a bit of space and weight!
Top stuff.
Loving the blog and the photos, with winter approaching, its just the motivator to get those flights booked !
:)
What sort of magic are you using to cram bivy gear and a big SLR into those packs? :)