This majestic ridge crest east of the bulky Mont Blanc massif though not of such great height, surpasses it in its northern and western aspects, with its wildness and elegance. The south side, though not elegant, is certainly wild, being defended by disrupted glaciers and thrusting bastions of distorted rock. The ultimate in remoteness is surely the gigantic slab triangle of the East Face dominating the wildly crevassed Frébouze Glacier. The show piece of the whole Mont Blanc range remains the huge granite wall on the north side with its slender buttresses. The greatest of these is the Walker Spur, the highest and most unbroken buttress on the face. It ends directly at the highest point and offers the most ideal extreme route in the Alps, continuously difficult, without escape possibilities, but with comparatively few objective dangers in good weather. Its fine position and its sustained unspoiled climbing, high above the Leschaux Glacier completes the aura of a great classic climb set far from the bustle of civilization.
Even the easiest climb on the Grandes Jorasses is a demanding undertaking. It was mastered in 1865 (a few weeks before the Matterhorn tragedy) by Edward Whymper with Michel Croz, Christian Aimer and Franz Biener. They climbed the lower Pointe Whymper because their ascent was made principally to gain the ridge to view the Aiguille Verte. The highest point was reached three years later by Horace Walker with Melchior Anderegg, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange by the Normal Route.
The North-East (Hirondelles) Ridge was first explored in 1911 when H.O. Jones and Geoffrey Winthrop Young with Joseph Knubel and Laurent Croux descended it as a Preliminary to their plan to traverse the whole ridge. It was first ascended in 1927 by a big Italian party led by Adolphe Rey and Alphonse Chenoz. The South-East Ridge (Tronchey Arête), which leads from the valley slopes in a long line of steps and towers, was first climbed directly in 1936 by Titta Gilberti and Elisio Croux.
The epic attempts to conquer the North Face fill the alpine history books. It was first climbed in 1935 (after some forty attempts by various parties) by Rudolf Peters and Martin Meier who followed the Croz Spur in the middle of the face. The first ascent of the Walker Spur was made by Riccardo Cassin, Gino Esposito and Ugo Tizzonj in 1938. Although many more difficult routes have since been added to this great face none improved on the Walker Spur in terms of climbing quality, line and scale.
View: The view to the west, over the Dôme de Rochefort and Dent du Géant, is dominated by Mont Blanc. The Chamonjx Aiguilles are stretched out to the north-west with the Aiguille Verte massif further to the right. To the north-east are the lower Petites Jorasses and Aiguille de Leschaux, Mont Gruetta, and Mont Dolent and in the far distance the Grand Combin. Gran Paradiso and the Grivola are the most prominent peaks to the south-west.
Hut climb: Take the path starting left of the church and head northwards up through sparse woods and over grassy slopes to the edge of the Torrent de Marguera gorge. Go along the gorge to a rock wall and at its foot, cross right over the stream. After that climb a steep, rugged rock rib and gully to the upper end of the steep step. Now go up less steep slopes to the moraine between Glacier de Planpancieux (west) and Glacier des Grandes Jorasses (east). Climb the moraine ridge and higher up go left and over a slabby step (II, chains, ladders) obliquely up to the Grandes Jorasses Hut (Rifugio Boccalatte), hung on the rocks above the Glacier de Planpincieux (2804m, CAI Torino, 30 B, managed: mid-July – end of August, ask in valley about current condition).
Summit climb from the south: From the hut go up over debris and snow to the rock ridge which separates Glacier Planpincieux and the Glacier des Grandes Jorasses. Ascend snow on the left (north) under these rocks (on the eastern edge of the Glacier de Planpincieux) From the upper end of the rock ridge, keeping somewhat left (north) go up the very crevassed glacier, for about 300m to the lower end of the Rocher du Reposoir (1 hrs from the hut) a spur of Pointe Hélène. Climb the ridge on good holds (II and some III), usually exactly on its knife-edge, to its upper end – 3 hrs from the hut. Now cross the steep glacier arm to the right (often threatened by avalanches in new snow or rotten afternoon snow) to the broad rock rib which descends from Pointe Whymper. Climb this, keeping left of the wildly disrupted Jorasses Glacier, up a sort of gully until one can traverse right into the flat glacier trough. Traverse swiftly east (ice cliffs above and ice debris in the trough emphasise the urgency). Move up the snow slope right of the ice cliffs and finally gain the ridge (keeping a respectful distance from the cornices overhanging to the right!) which leads directly to the summit of Pointe Walker.
Alternative finishes: After crossing the glacier arm, one can continue directly up the rib to Pointe Whymper and from there reach the highest point by the summit ridge. Though objectively safer and easier to find, this way is more difficult but takes about the same time. On balance it is best reserved for the descent.
From the top of the Rocher du Reposoir a direct ascent can be made (AD snow and mixed) to the summit ridge at Pointe Hélène or Pointe Croz (new UIAA summits – a fast party might also take in Pointe Marguérite) and then head east along the summit ridge to Pointes Whymper and Walker.
Other worthwhile routes: Hirondelles Ridge (D+, IV with a pitch of V, 750mH, 6-10 hrs from the Col des Hirondelles).
Tronchey Arête (TD, sustained at IV with pitches of V in the upper part, 1600m long plus 1100mH, 10-12 hrs from Jacchia Bivouac).
Walker Spur (ED, VI, V+ and V, seldom easier than IV, in part mixed, ice to 55°-60°, 1200mH, 14-18 hrs from the rimaye).
Croz Spur (TD+, pitches of V+ but mostly IV and III, mixed, ice to 60°, 1100mH, 13-16 hrs from foot of face).
East Face (ED, sections of VI and V with pitches of A1, on compact rock, 12-14 hrs from the Col des Hirondelles).
Difficulties: AD-. Predominantly ice, to 45°, in part rock to II.
Effort: Hut climb 1200mH (4 hrs), summit climb 1400mH (6-7 hrs).
Dangers: In the snow basin before the summit block, there is danger of avalanches and falling ice (recently several parties were wiped out by a sérac fall at this point). Otherwise take the customary precautions against crevasses and watch out for big cornices on the summit ridge.
Pleasures: One of the great alpine peaks, steeped in historic associations.
Guidebook: Mont Blanc Massif; Vol. 1 (Alpine Club, 1990).
Maps: IGN 3630 OT 1:25,000, Massif du Mont Blanc.
