Climbing a New 185-metre M8+ WI5 in Quebec
Two years after making the first ascent of La Peau du Dragon, a film featuring the climb has been released
In 2022, Jean Francois Girard and Carl Darveau made the first ascent of the 185-metre La Peau du Dragon M8+ WI5. Girard said they spent “two days outfitting what is our toughest route on the wall to date.”
La Peau du Dragon starts with a 30-metre and 60-metre mixed pitch. The third pitch is a “choss fest” with the “worst rock on the wall,” as Girard described it. “It’s delicately climbable at M6+ and ends in a cave.” They established the route top-down because of loose rock.
The fourth pitch heads up an overhanging face with delicate holds and dynamic moves. It climbs 50 metres up M8+ WI5. “The last section heads up dirty and crumbly rock and needs special attention not to tear the bad M5 holds,” said Girard. “It will give you what you are looking for – a great adventure, a good dose of strong wind and some strange pink ice formations.”
Pic l’aurore has several difficult mixed routes, including the 190-metre Aller simple pour Mars M7+ WI7- and the 200-metre WI5+ M7 called Moby Dick, which was established in 2001 by Bernard Mailhot and Benoit Marion. A new video featuring their FA of La Peau du Dragon just dropped – watch below.
La Peau du Dragon
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