Aiguille Dibona (3131m) – Bethet/Boell (Face Sud ‘Classique’)
I didn’t have any great aspirations for Alpine routes on the recent joint AC/CC/FRCC/Wayfarers’ meet to Ailefroide but thought that it would be good to tick-off the Dibona, if the chance arose. Although it’s a long way from Ailefroide, it’s still a lot closer than from England. I broached the idea with a few people and generated equivocal enthusiasm. Most had already climbed it years ago, when I should have done so!
(the ethereal subterfuge of this picture owes more to a poor quality telephone camera than artistic licence)
But as the holiday progressed, I became complacent and revelled in the easy approach rock climbs, and handy bars that abound around there. I shunned the prospect of a big approach and long Alpine day. However, I had not bargained for the tenacity of Ted, Peter Ferguson’s 15 year old, ace rock-climber, son. As the holiday neared its end, Ted’s furtive pleas, ‘Are we going to climb the Dibona’, became more compelling. There was only one window left – tomorrow to the hut. Our good mate and fellow Wayfarer, Dave Connelly, was up for it too. So it was on – Ted & his Dad, Dave and myself.
After a 90-mile drive and 3 hour hut walk, we were standing under the Dibona, somewhat in awe. We had more or less decided on the Boell route, the easiest rock-climbing route on the face but which unsatisfactorily omits the bottom third of the mountain. The hut guardian asked which route did we intended to do. She produced big topos and pointed to the ‘easy’ Boell or the ‘much harder’ Bethet/Boell. That was the catalyst. Dave and I looked at each other and concurred the ‘harder’. The Bethet/Boell (5/5+) seemed much more pleasing, as it took in the whole face, following a complex and ingenious line. We were booked for 7am start.
About 12 pitches up come two consecutive ‘crux’ pitches. Here Terry surmounts the overhanging ‘sting in the tail’ on the first crux. Dave did the next crux and we each thought the other’s harder!
About five more pitches to top with a few surprises but nothing too serious. There is no doubting that one is sat on a needle – a bad place to be in a storm! Then a relatively straightforward, if tedious, descent to the hut followed by a never ending walk back to the car. MaDonalds in Briancon at midnight and back to base in early hours.
A magnificent trip and fine effort by Ted in particular on his first ‘real’ multipitch alpine climb. Credit all photos Peter Ferguson.
That looks great Terry. 😎 :alien: I walked in to the hut 20 years ago but heavy snow overnight kept us in the hut. 🙁 I’ve never been back…..a mistake, as I can see from your pics… Nice one to bag at the end of the trip!! 😀
😀
Looks like a really fine mountain 😛
Looks great… and a relatively straight forward descent? The top looks very pointy.
Awesome climb, awesome post and 11 ❗ new words! :star: :star: :star:
And great company, too, I really got to like Ted, Pete and Dave! :love: Pity I had to come home to work. 😥
Did you know that you were really lucky with the weather? I got some news from Ildi and she said it was still OK during your last week but the rain arrived on Saturday after you had left and it was raining the whole day even on Sunday. She said it was the worst weather she’s ever seen there.
Yeah, that climb was a nice, compact little adventure :star: And, yes, like the Piz Badile last year, snatched in a little window of weather and time, making it all the more satisfying 😆 After that route, we weren’t too worried about what the the weather did 😉
Yes, they were a really great crowd, weren’t they 😛
Not sure about 11 new words – I only used 12 in the whole write-up 😮
broach, ethereal, subterfuge, revelled, shun, tenacity, furtive, plea, compelling, apprehensive, surmount
Some of them looked familiar but I just didn’t have the faintest idea what they meant. 🙄