Our day started before the sun lit the valley, and we excitedly finished off oatmeal and coffee before lacing up boots and beginning the walk to the Aiguille du Midi chairlift. Our goal was Rebuffat-Baquet (6a/5.10-), a beautiful and sustained eleven pitch alpine granite route that finishes with a rappel onto the tourist viewing platforms.
Trip report: Sudwand (5+)
This long alpine route was at least as mentally demanding as it was physically demanding. In the mostly stable weather of August 1st, 2018, Melanie and I set off from the Muttekopfhutte hut (1,934 m) at 6:15 AM. The route summits the Hintere Platteinspitze (2728 m) after about 690 m of 5th class climbing.