S Face - Montaner-Vicente Route

Approach

From Pont Lamary you take a broad walkway to reach the Ansabe huts and follow the trail for the Pétragème pass which goes by the base of Petite Aiguille. It takes 2h.

Route

Go to the bottom of the base in line with the formidable spur baptised Spigolo d’Ansabère. Begin the climb at the level of a small gendarme that you reach via a short ascending traverse towards the right. Go up the chimney which dominates it on a large pitch (IV+). The base becomes less steep and you reach the bottom of the large chimney crack by climbing without difficulty in bad rock and pulling towards the right (UK-3a /US-5.3 then UK-4a /US-5.5). Go up it on two pitches (UK-5a /US-5.8, V +) and turn to the right to reach the base of a very broad chimney-cave (UK-5a /US-5.8). Climb a crack on its straight side which leads under a roof (UK-5a /US-5.8). Cross it (UK-5b /US-5.10a) and belay on a small platform a few meters under the notch. From there you go to the north slope and the summit (III/III +). It takes 4h.

After the notch it is possible to traverse to the west to reach the descent route.

Descent

A few tens of meters under the summit (north slope) you reach a rappel (30 meters) and descend to the notch between Petite Aiguille and Petit Pic d’Ansabère (II). Via a cairned ledge you reach a short corridor (sometimes snow covered at the beginning of the season) go up it to get to the normal route of Petit Pic d’Ansabère. From there descend the Pétragème pass to reach the Ansabe huts. It takes 2 h 15 from the summit to Pont Lamary.