From August 5-7, Leo Billon and Enzo Oddo completed the first free ascent of the Lafaille route on the West Face of the 3,733m Petit Dru in the Mont Blanc massif.
The French climbers initially climbed the route in a single day using aid techniques, pulling on pitons and hanging from them for support. They later returned to tackle the route as a free climb, without using pitons for aid, according to Planet Mountain.
The Lafaille route’s first free ascent. Photo: GMHM Chamonix
The pair set up two bivouacs on the wall and took turns leading all the most challenging sections. They then descended via 10 rappels to collect their equipment, have a quick meal, and complete the descent to the base at around 8 pm. They bivvied for the night before returning to the valley. Initially rated A5+, the route has now been free-climbed at 8b+.
Photo: GMHM Chamonix
Billon and Oddo’s climb is a significant achievement, given the route’s technical difficulty and the West Face’s reputation as one of the Alps’ most demanding big walls.
French alpinist Jean-Christophe Lafaille first established the Lafaille route on a solo winter ascent from February 12-21, 2001. He used aid climbing techniques rated up to A5+.
The Petit Dru was first climbed on August 29, 1879, by Jean-Esteve Charlet-Straton, Prosper Payot, and Frederic Folliguet via the South Face and the Southwest Ridge.
Billon is member of Chamonix’s Military High Mountain Group (GMHM), and Oddo is a civilian alpinist from Nice and Billon’s frequent climbing partner. In June, the duo opened a new 700m route on the West Face of the Aiguille du Plan.
Leo Billon and Enzo Oddo during the climb. Photo: GMHM Chamonix
