Google AI search seems to be suggesting abseiling the south side of the Col des Grandes Jorasses using the classic method i.e. no harness!! Mad!
btw, has anyone else tried this abseil? How easy to find?
Pretty sure Mr Harris has entangled himself in this particular descent once upon a time…?
Yes many moons ago, before I joined NLMC, I climbed the Grandes Jorasses from the Italian side, whilst on an Alpine Club Summer meet, which I attended by virtue of being a member of the ABMSAC. For the descent, my partner and I scrambled back down the rock rib, whereas our other party abseiled down and laughed about how much longer it would take for us not to abseil down. However, their ropes got stuck when trying to pull them down and they ended up arriving at the hut an hour after us.
You climbed to the top of the Grandes Jorasses! Wow. I’m assuming the abseiling party wasn’t using a classic abseil style as suggested by ChatGPT.
I was only thinking of coming through the col as an alternative Haute Route traverse. We would be on skis. Do you think a winter descent scramble is possible? The only thing I could find out about this is trouble finding the anchors for abseiling.
I’ve never experienced Alpine winter conditions, so I wouldn’t like to guess. Do the Alpine Club advise on that type of query?
Maybe they do. I’ll be meeting up with some winter ski tourers in October. Maybe someone can answer there.