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Le Éclipse dans Maladière

Falaise du Maladiere above Cluse at Vallee l'Arve has ha whole bunch of nice routes. Even though the most are in the higher grades.

But, today we picked out a Piola route which are supposed to be one of the best and most wanted routes. Le Eclipse, a 5 pitch 6a+ two star route at the Eclipse sector

Picture from topo le Vallee de l'Arve

The approach from le parking after la Frasse and before the village of Ballancy is easy and quick. Allow 30 min gentle walk. To get at the base there are a couple of rappels. Look for a small yellow sign "ECLIPSE" on a tree.

Follow the unbroken trail for approx 50m and there is an old anchour with a 2 bolts and a big oval carabiner.

Then do one short rappel, 30m, followed by an other of 30m and then a veggi rappel of 40m and a last one of 20m

The Eclipse route starts very close to touchdown. Approx 5-6m to the right looking uphill

Pitch one and still happy

 

the first pitch is for a 6a something of a wake up pitch, very engaging for the grade. As is the whole route, very hard Piola grading. As always...:) And, getting over and past the second bolt gave me a little puzzling with getting the feets right, or left?! Just to make me do a little cussing of the third bolts missing hanger -Thanks Jason Aldeen for all the love songs!!

P2 is a shorty with a bit of left traverse past a very odd placed bolt. The instruction, Topo, says it spits brand Simond, but I found most of anything on the way. Good ones, bad ones and often long distans between them.

And, there is a lot of routes around so might be wise to keep an eye on the instructions now and then.

Steep between the veggi stuff, but, it is way better than it looks!

The last three pitches are superb, a lot of balance, fingery and finally a bit more then vertical. But always on holds.

P-E fighting face, just happy...!

To make it a little more interesting I took the direct 6b finish, easily done, and got some high tech launching to get to the summit.

As very common this last weeks the forecast said early afternoon rain and thunder. Clouds was building up over the horizon but at least it didn't look to lightning able. So just enjoyable sporting to le sommet.

And P-E could pick up a whole bunch of extra points from Vanja with some Suisse saussice et fromage! SUPER P-E

Peaetmoi

You need,

2x50m rope, 10QD and a chalk bag full of things

Look out for the 3rd bolt, hanger is missing but then there is a way through on the little left

/Bonne chance