Grande Lui: Voie Normale

  • Activities:
  • Min / max altitude:
    1590m / 3509m
  • Elevation gain / loss:
    1915m
  • Main facing:
    E
  • Route type:
    return trip
  • Duration:
    2 days
  • Toponeige technical grade:
    3.2
  • Toponeige exposure grade:
    E1
  • Labande descent grade:
    S4
  • Labande global grade:
    AD
Summits, passes, lakes and cliffs:
Grande Lui  3509m r
Huts, usual bivis and valley accomodation:
Access points:
Ferret  1700m - r
La Fouly  1594m - r
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Ascentto the A Neuve Hut

From La Fouly cross the flat area towards the A Neuve valley.
Go up this broad valley until the glacier of the same name, then go diagonally right across a flat area towards the wide slopes which lead up to the A Neuve hut, 2735m.

1273060045_632563527.jpgView picture information
Grande Lui, col de Saleina, col de la Grande Lui, col supérieur du Tour Noir (couloir E et NE)

Ascent2nd day

From the hut go back to the left to reach a little plateau.  Go up the large wall beyond and go leftwards over a snow hump to get to below the summit. Climb the last 100m on foot, (gully and frozen rocks.)  

Descent

Below the summit take the gully on its true right side of the summit (S4 sur 50m) then traverse to rejoin the glacier.
There are no 2 options:

  1. Return by the ascent route
  2. By the A Neuve glacier : climb up to the col to the left of the Grande Lui. Go onto a large slope (~40°) to reach the A Neuve glacier (very crevassed). Chose a line through the seracs (usually best on the true left bank) until it is possible to go down the centre, (less crevasses.) Go back to the left to leave the glacier and rejoin the ascent route towards the hut at about 2300m.
Remarks:

The second descent option is very interesting but beware of crevasses. Do not leave it too late in the day for this option as it get the sun early.
Skiing from the summit is S4 to S5 depending on the snow conditions and changes the overall grade from AD to D-.
Stopping at the col makes the route an hour shorter.
Faces S.

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Version #2, date 23 December 2012