La Luette (3548 m)

Days 21-22

“La Luette”, according to Brandt, “est la course de consolation par excellence au départ de la Cabane des Dix”. Well, I know, but Mont Blanc de Cheilon is fairly too much for me solo, so La Luette will be perfect for me !

The normal route passes through the Glacier de la Luette, but I planned to reach the SE ridge staying outside the glacier. Anyhow, I have crampons with me, and harness + a 30 m half rope in case I should have to do the glacier. And I hope to find someone who is there to do La Luette as well !

So, under the weight of an overload backpack, I put myself on the road for the cabane des Dix. The temperature is high and, strangely, I feel a little bit tired, but no problem. Once at the cabane, I tell the hut guardian I am doing La Luette tomorrow, but he says “Luette, alone ? Impossible !”. Well, where’s the problem ? I show the way I had thought about, and he agrees – no problem to go unto the ridge, but then.. the other versant is steep and there are crevasses (on the ridge ?) and holes.. He also tell me there is another guy who is there today (he has just done Mont Blanc de Cheilon)..

Anyhow, it’s very early in the afternoon and, after having done the Tête Noire (a hill near the hut), as my guru is always telling, I go for a survey. I reach the ridge quite easily (“eboulis” are not even so terrible), at ~3300 m, between P3299 and P3444, and, there, I have a look around : for what I can see, it is really wide, no problem at all ! Good !

I come back to the hut, have a good look of the panorama around me.. That lonely German guy comes to talk to me. Ralph. We have a nice talk about the courses there around. He has already been to La Luette, and tells me there are no problem at all ! Good. He even suggests me to do the glacier. Well, let’s see tomorrow.

Then it’s time for supper. At the same table, Ralph, me, an American couple and a Dutch one. English is the communication language (strange, not ? in a French speaking canton !). In the cabane des Dix there is an interesting mixture of hikers and alpinists, the firsts doing (partly or fully) the hiker’s Haut Route (Chamonix-Zermatt), the seconds doing mostly Mont Blanc de Cheilon.

The guardian just brings the pots with soups, salads and main course to the tables, then everybody serve each other : this is the way I like ! A hut is not a hotel ! So, talking and eating, it’s time to go to bed. Breakfast is at 5.30 tomorrow for us doing summits !

I wake up, have breakfast, go outside to look at the sunrise, prepare myself, say goodbye to Ralph, who’s leaving for Pigne d’Arolla (he gives me his contact) and I go. I choose ridge, not glacier ! Everything goes smooth. On the ridge there is even a small path.. I arrive at the key-point, where the glacier reaches the ridge. Well, actually there are some small problems, some “holes”. I wear crampons, go a little bit down on the glacier, but then I realize it’s not good, and I reach again the ridge. In the meantime, I look down and.. I see three guys coming roped and slowly from the glacier. OK, I go on. Easily I reach the summit. La Luette. Wow. Very steep on the NNW Face (AD) ! Later, the two Swedish and an English guy are here with me ! Nice not to be alone, some times ! We have some talk and then we go back, each one on his own road. On my way back, I even succeed in not wearing crampons ! And so I’m at Cabane des Dix.

Then I decide to make the classical traverse to Arolla via the famous Pas de Chevres ladders. Step by step, about 80, almost vertical !! No problem anyway, just keep concentration. Then, just going down to Arolla..

So, I've had two beautiful days, with a very nice summit and the experience of the hut, a must.