La Dibona
Aiguille Dibona: Voie du Nain and normal route
Hey this Dibona! It's so majestic, how can you resist the call of this so particular needle that points to the sky? I've been dreaming of climbing it for a while now and finally the opportunity arises. The weather is very capricious this year and it is becoming difficult to find the right timing. Today it rains but tomorrow they announce a beautiful day so we decide to go in the rain for the approach walk! No matter if we arrive soaked, we absolutely want to do this Dibona! So there is no question of missing the timing of tomorrow.
We did well because we will be alone at the hut and we will have Dibona just for us the next day !! this is "la classe"!!
Soreiller hut : the approach walk to Dibona
Well, we're not going to lie to each other, the approach walk to get to the Soreiller hut is smashes ... With our bags full of climbing gear and the ropes we will have taken 2h30 to do the 1100 meters of vertical drop. After an hour of walking we can already see the Dibona and the Soreiller hut. The view is grandiose and it motivates thoroughly for the walk but you might as well warn you right away, you're not at the end of your troubles! The last climb is never ending ... The hut seems so close but you can go up, it does not approach ... Lol (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about ... We've all been through it). Fortunately the rain will be fine calmed down mid-term and the welcome at the refuge a great comfort. The guardian is super nice and full of life.
Dibona via the Dwarf route: a great alternative to join the normal route.
The objective is the summit of Dibona by the north ridge, in other words the normal route (for the South face we will see in a few years ... or not). But rather than take the approach walk bypassing Dibona to the west, we decide to climb the east face via the Voie du nain.
It is a beautiful and logical alternative to the approach walk which remains in an accessible level.
The route is done in 6 pitches in 5a max and it will have the advantage of making us enjoy the sun all day.
So after a good night's sleep (remember that we had the hut just for us), we take advantage of the somewhat hazy view of the surrounding peaks and we decide to wait 8:30 am to leave, so the sky is clear.
To get to the foot of the track you have to go around the Dibona from the east by taking a path to the right of the refuge which then leads into scree. There you just have to walk towards the start of the track at the foot of the Clochetons Gunneng (no path or kerns were found).
Hey !! We are finally at the start of the Dwarf route. I will take my very first steps in granite and I can't wait to see what it looks like!
Really pleasant this contact with granite! But it is hard ... A lot of steps in adhesion ... Well it is true that it holds very well! The second length I can't find it that easy. The crossing under a step which forces you to be slightly on an incline, it's scary... Fortunately it is possible to put a friend in this place and at the same time the points are well spaced.
We will do the last 3 lengths in the 3c in a taut rope in order to save time. It's from the beautiful granite slab and it goes well.
Little advice ... Open your eyes! It seems that a dwarf lives in this way ...
Arrived at the top of the Voie du Nain, the mist rises at high speed and the atmosphere in the Dibona becomes a mystic. The mist rises, then clears and returns again to enclose the walls revealing the summit to us from time to time. What an atmosphere!
From the Clochetons breach, a short de-escalation allows us to land on the ledge of the normal route.
Not so easy to find the start of the ledge. Yes, yes, it is well in this photo, crossing under the pinnacles to the breach.
Dibona : summit by the north ridge
We are finally in the last two pitches of the Dibona! What an atmosphere! The two hands on the ridge, my feet gripping the inclined slab, I contemplate the 400 meters of vertical wall that looms before my eyes. It's grandiose!
The abseiling is done by the ascent route. It is advisable to make two reminders of 25 meters rather than a 50 meter abseil because the ropes get caught easily. Besides the first reminder is not obvious because it is necessary to stay in the axis of the relay below thenthat we tend to take on the east face. I put a quickdraw on a point at thedescent in order to stay on the axis.
Return via the ledge and descent into the scree on the west face, the loop is complete! We'll have still took 8 hours to make the loop and smash the 4:30 p.m. omelet when we arrived at the refuge. We are too happy with ourselves and too proud to have made this legendary Dibona but to celebrate we stay soft with a "panaché" because it's not over .... We have the 1100 meters left descent to reach the car park. I let you imagine how the descent was endless...
Practical information :
Quotes:
Voie du Nain: AD 5a> 4c I P1 + E1, 150 meters of vertical drop in 6 pitches
Normal route from Dibona: PD 3b> 3b I X1 P2 E1, 80 meters of vertical drop in 2 lengths
We used a friend in the Voie du Nain and two in the normal route (equipment to the old one).
Also take straps to secure the crossing of the ledge.
All the info on Camptocamp: