Hard New 16-Pitch Alpine Route in Alps
The 500-metre climb took three days with the first ascent team climbing pitches in the M8 range
Leo Billon and Amaury Fouillade have made the first ascent of a new 500-metre alpine rock mixed route above Chamonix called Les Barbares 2 at the grade of ED V M8/M8+. It follows a steep line on the impressive, but lesser known, Pointe Raphaël Borgis (3,683 m).
It took Billon and Fouillade three days and two nights to complete their new route, for which they brought a portaledge to sleep on. The crux pitches had steep roofs and techy slabs. Billon told Montagnes magazine that the route had some of the best mixed pitches that he’s ever climbed.
The first major winter route on this wall was first climbed in 2003 by Stephane Benoist and Patrick Pessi at ED V M7/A2. Billon and Fouillade had both climbed it, but not together. In fact, Les Barbares 2 was the first time they roped up on a big line.
Earlier this year, Fouillade was part of the team that opened a serious new route up the west face of the Dru – read about it here.
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