22/07/06

Tete Nord de Replat
The garidienne woke us upat 5am. I was sluggish and didn't want to get up. But eventually managed to drag myself into the dining room. The garidienne had prepared brekky in the kitchen and I managed to scoop the breakfast for three without too much trouble. Andy and Rosie were slower out of bed but found me ok. Brekky was hot chocolate,bread & jam, with cake.
We left the hut at about 6am and set off up the zigzags to the base of the route. The approach was a pain, long and steep. About 1000m of up to the start of the route. Guidebook time was 3hr but we did it in about 2:40. A chillout at the base of the route was a reasonably legthy affair - and then the route itself.

It is described as an arete which one attacks first from the left, then the right, then follow the crest. This is slightly daft. Just follow the crest as best you can. It's a lovely bit of rock, slightly loose in places but generally  very sound. We climbed as a three - I lead everything then Rosie and finally Andy. They were tied in at about 45 and 50m (on a 50m single 9.) Really nice easy route, steady all the way. About 6 pitches of scrambling - at one point I came across a couple of pitons in a slab but the anticipated hard move never materialised. Our altimeters showed the summit as lower than it should be.which was mildly disconserting as this would seem to indicate a change in the weather. The descent was straight  forward enough  though as with the route took a bit longer than anticipated. Andy and I sheperded Rosie over some exposed moves on the downclimb from a notch to regain our valley.

An enjoyable standing glissade then a fair old march saw us back into tbe valley at the hut. We paid up and marched out to La Berade.Beer and Icecream in the climbers bar then a fantastic vege hotpot for dinner.
Didn't sleep well last night (maybe because I'd slept so well the past couple of days?)