Solenne Piret climbs Grand Capucin via Swiss route + O Sole Mio exit

French paraclimber Solenne Piret continues to push the boundaries of the perceived possibile with her ascent last week of Grand Capucin via the Swiss route plus O Sole Mio. This ultra classic combination features 400m of pristine Mont Blanc granite past difficulties of 6b max, protected predominantly by trad gear.

The 31-year-old was born without her right forearm but as usual after committing to the project, there was no holding back the paraclimber who in winter climbs ice and has bouldered up to 7B at Fontainebleau.

Piret first checked out the route in June but due to poor conditions she only climbed 4 of the 9 pitches and consequently decided to postpone the project for a month. She returned last week with Chris Cazin and climbed the entire route in a very long day, topping out at 7:20 p.m.

Speaking to planetmountain after the inspirational ascent, the four-time paraclimbing world champion Piret explained "On our first trip I seconded the first four pitches before we retreated due to snow and ice in the cracks. When we returned last week, the idea was for me to lead all the technical pitches, so Chris led the first 6 approach pitches (we simul-climbed them) and then I led all the pitches except one in the middle of the route, an easy link pitch. The top of the route, which contains all the harder pitches, was onsight. it was mentally exhausting, never knowing if I was going to find a hold that was good enough to have the time to place a cam with my left hand. When I finally reached the summit I was exhausted but happy, and above all very proud to have succeeded."

This is Piret's second route in the thin Mont Blanc air; to prepare for this project and become aquatinted with the altitude she seconded the Rebuffat route on Aiguille du Midi in June. The Swiss route now represents "an important step in my life as a climber: that of being able to lead climbs of this calibre."

 

 

 

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