Ryland - Jul 18, 2019 6:26 am Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2019
Excellent climbing and great views
This was a great climb with a Swiss guide for my first AD route via Arete du Meitin. Rock climbing enjoyable though care must be taken on some loose (but not steep) sections. Visited Combin de Valsorey and Combin de Grafeneire, and descended the steep ice down the northwest flank. The Cabane de Valsorey was delightful.
boriskrielen - Feb 5, 2018 5:14 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2009
S-face / Corridor traverse solo
Climbed it solo, up via S-face of Combin de Valsorey > Grand Combin de Grafeneire > Aiguille du Croissant > Combin de la Tsessette W-top > Combin de la Tsessette > Corridor down.
sam__cash - Apr 14, 2015 7:39 am Date Climbed: Apr 12, 2015
Route Climbed: Plateau du Couloir then South Face
Great route from the Valsorey hut. Great conditions and some nice steps cut by prior groups. There were maybe 5/6 groups ascending the South Face of Grand Corbin from the Valsorey hut.
Route Climbed: Couloir du Gardien / Meitin Ridge Date Climbed: may 2014 / august 2021
2014: Great snow conditions around the Cabane Panossière end of May 2014. Short portage of skis on top of the Couloir du Gardien, all firm snow, no ice. Combined both Grand Combin de Grafeneire and Grand Combin de Valsorey. Long trip (+/- 1800 altimeters), but very rewarding. Ski descent makes it all easier and more fun!
2021: Back on the Grand Combin, this time coming from Valsorey via the Meitin Ridge. Very dry, not the best conditions. Average rock quality. Stopped on the Combin de Valsorey. Not really worth it as a route on its own (up and down), but probably nice in total if you continue to the Combin de Tsessette and descend towards Mauvoisin.
Engaging and long climb.
We climbed the Metin ridge and used the north face as descent route.
Poor visibility, and slow progress made us choose another descent route from the plateau below the north face instead of the Meitin col we took the lower col this brought us very far away from the Solvery hut .....
andre hangaard - Jun 8, 2010 3:30 am Date Climbed: May 23, 2010
A hard days work!
With my friend, the SP'er Sputnik we climbed the Grand Combin with snow shoes in the very end of the ski season. We left the François Xavier Bagnoud Hut at Pannosiere at 00:45 and went for the NW-flank (Couloire du Gardien.) The flank was in good condition. Two icy sections up at the final serac when exiting the NW-flank. At 09:00hrs we stood on the summit of Grand Combin de Valsorey and at 10:00hrs we summited Grand Combin de Grafeneire.
We diverted from our initial plan also to climb Grand Combin de Tsesette as we were behind schedule and feared the soft snow in the "Corridor". Thus we descended the same way as we came, down through the NW-flank. We belayed two pitches through the icy seraczone. Needless to add that Sputnik and myself where the only one's going by foot that day...
A truly and beautiful, rather remote part of the Valais.
mulidivarese - Jul 27, 2009 3:44 am Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2009
Isler (arete sud): never again
Viewed by far the arete sud, named also Isler shoulder, seemed snowy and in good condiciton. Actually the sun of the past few days melted a lot of the snow, and we found a lot, too much ice.
Loosy rocks, falling ice, an uneasy and unsafe way.
Much more convenient, if dry and without snow the Meilin ridge. Safer, faster, better.
than we traversed to the Grafenier and we went down by the Coluoir de Guardien. Another interesting time through the serracs. great mountain anyway.
Valerio
Peter K - Jun 16, 2009 5:42 am Date Climbed: May 23, 2009
Route Climbed: NW-flank (Couloir du gardien)
With skis from the Cabane de Panossière via Couloir du gardien to the main summit, same way back. "Corridor" is more advisable for a ski descent in place of the couloir. 6h to the summit, 9h in total.
Great conditions! Overwhelming view of the mountains around Zermatt and Chamonix!
Flachlandtiroler - Sep 4, 2008 6:49 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2008
Traverse Meitin Ridge / NW-flank
Valsorey hut -> Arrete Meitin (few sections of real climbing, dry+bolted) -> Combin de Valsorey -> Combin Grafeneire -> NW-flank -> re-ascent Col du Meitin -> Valsorey hut.
Took 15.5 hours due to belaying the whole NW-flank (very few steep sections but all hard...icy). Most of the ~20 aspirants returned via west ridge -- faster but prone to rockfall when escaping to the south side of the ridge.
A larger, guided group one day before on the same route that we did took nearly the same time.
Very isolated peak with 360° panorama.
Cyrill - Nov 8, 2007 4:49 am Date Climbed: May 26, 2006
jvdm - Aug 19, 2007 5:32 am Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2007
Grand Combin summit
Located between the Mont Blanc group and the high Wallis mountains Grand Combin summit may provide the best view point of the Alps. But, according to the hut boss: c'est une grande course!
A long but beautiful day from the Panosierre hut. We found the north west flank to be in very good conditions, good snow enabled us to do a relatively quick trip without any serious belaying. When this face becomes icy, this tour is a complete different story!
Pierre smetsers - Nov 21, 2006 10:40 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2006
Route Climbed: south and partly the Isler route
The conditions in the morning where optimal, but when descending a lot of stones where flying down
Route Climbed: South-west face Date Climbed: 17 july 2004
Climbed the south-west face istead the west ridge because too much snow.Very steepy and dangerous.
LAMONTAGNE - Nov 24, 2003 3:52 pm Date Climbed: Sep 20, 2003
COMBIN DE VALSOREY
A challenge achieved with the help of a good team spirit. Weather condition were exceptional. The vertical at 60 degrees impressed me. Jean-René (Guide) Patrick and Pascal
Route Climbed: NW flank Date Climbed: July 17th 2000
for me it was my longest day ever in the mountains - 21 hours from and to the Cabane de Pannossiere! Because two of us were not so experienced we belayed the whole flank and this costs time... But weather was fine, we were alone on such a huge and beautiful mountain. It was like doing an expedition and a great experience. We descended over the Corridor route.
I did the same two years earlier with ski. This is more convenient.
For someone who is used to climbing north faces it might be easy. For my skills it was more than enough.
Ryland - Jul 18, 2019 6:26 am Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2019
Excellent climbing and great viewsThis was a great climb with a Swiss guide for my first AD route via Arete du Meitin. Rock climbing enjoyable though care must be taken on some loose (but not steep) sections. Visited Combin de Valsorey and Combin de Grafeneire, and descended the steep ice down the northwest flank. The Cabane de Valsorey was delightful.
boriskrielen - Feb 5, 2018 5:14 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2009
S-face / Corridor traverse soloClimbed it solo, up via S-face of Combin de Valsorey > Grand Combin de Grafeneire > Aiguille du Croissant > Combin de la Tsessette W-top > Combin de la Tsessette > Corridor down.
sam__cash - Apr 14, 2015 7:39 am Date Climbed: Apr 12, 2015
Route Climbed: Plateau du Couloir then South FaceGreat route from the Valsorey hut. Great conditions and some nice steps cut by prior groups. There were maybe 5/6 groups ascending the South Face of Grand Corbin from the Valsorey hut.
il.rocciatore - Jun 10, 2014 5:35 pm
Route Climbed: Couloir du Gardien / Meitin Ridge Date Climbed: may 2014 / august 20212014: Great snow conditions around the Cabane Panossière end of May 2014. Short portage of skis on top of the Couloir du Gardien, all firm snow, no ice. Combined both Grand Combin de Grafeneire and Grand Combin de Valsorey. Long trip (+/- 1800 altimeters), but very rewarding. Ski descent makes it all easier and more fun!
2021: Back on the Grand Combin, this time coming from Valsorey via the Meitin Ridge. Very dry, not the best conditions. Average rock quality. Stopped on the Combin de Valsorey. Not really worth it as a route on its own (up and down), but probably nice in total if you continue to the Combin de Tsessette and descend towards Mauvoisin.
climbxclimb - Jul 23, 2012 4:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2012
Metin Ridge NW flankEngaging and long climb.
We climbed the Metin ridge and used the north face as descent route.
Poor visibility, and slow progress made us choose another descent route from the plateau below the north face instead of the Meitin col we took the lower col this brought us very far away from the Solvery hut .....
andre hangaard - Jun 8, 2010 3:30 am Date Climbed: May 23, 2010
A hard days work!With my friend, the SP'er Sputnik we climbed the Grand Combin with snow shoes in the very end of the ski season. We left the François Xavier Bagnoud Hut at Pannosiere at 00:45 and went for the NW-flank (Couloire du Gardien.) The flank was in good condition. Two icy sections up at the final serac when exiting the NW-flank. At 09:00hrs we stood on the summit of Grand Combin de Valsorey and at 10:00hrs we summited Grand Combin de Grafeneire.
We diverted from our initial plan also to climb Grand Combin de Tsesette as we were behind schedule and feared the soft snow in the "Corridor". Thus we descended the same way as we came, down through the NW-flank. We belayed two pitches through the icy seraczone. Needless to add that Sputnik and myself where the only one's going by foot that day...
A truly and beautiful, rather remote part of the Valais.
mulidivarese - Jul 27, 2009 3:44 am Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2009
Isler (arete sud): never againViewed by far the arete sud, named also Isler shoulder, seemed snowy and in good condiciton. Actually the sun of the past few days melted a lot of the snow, and we found a lot, too much ice.
Loosy rocks, falling ice, an uneasy and unsafe way.
Much more convenient, if dry and without snow the Meilin ridge. Safer, faster, better.
than we traversed to the Grafenier and we went down by the Coluoir de Guardien. Another interesting time through the serracs. great mountain anyway.
Valerio
Peter K - Jun 16, 2009 5:42 am Date Climbed: May 23, 2009
Route Climbed: NW-flank (Couloir du gardien)With skis from the Cabane de Panossière via Couloir du gardien to the main summit, same way back. "Corridor" is more advisable for a ski descent in place of the couloir. 6h to the summit, 9h in total.
Great conditions! Overwhelming view of the mountains around Zermatt and Chamonix!
Flachlandtiroler - Sep 4, 2008 6:49 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2008
Traverse Meitin Ridge / NW-flankValsorey hut -> Arrete Meitin (few sections of real climbing, dry+bolted) -> Combin de Valsorey -> Combin Grafeneire -> NW-flank -> re-ascent Col du Meitin -> Valsorey hut.
Took 15.5 hours due to belaying the whole NW-flank (very few steep sections but all hard...icy). Most of the ~20 aspirants returned via west ridge -- faster but prone to rockfall when escaping to the south side of the ridge.
A larger, guided group one day before on the same route that we did took nearly the same time.
Very isolated peak with 360° panorama.
Cyrill - Nov 8, 2007 4:49 am Date Climbed: May 26, 2006
Grand Combin 4314mFantastic Ski - Tour to Grand Combin 4314m.
my picture are here: Link to Grand Combin
jvdm - Aug 19, 2007 5:32 am Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2007
Grand Combin summitLocated between the Mont Blanc group and the high Wallis mountains Grand Combin summit may provide the best view point of the Alps. But, according to the hut boss: c'est une grande course!
erik_ravenstijn - Jul 21, 2007 6:55 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2007
Route Climbed: NW-flankA long but beautiful day from the Panosierre hut. We found the north west flank to be in very good conditions, good snow enabled us to do a relatively quick trip without any serious belaying. When this face becomes icy, this tour is a complete different story!
Pierre smetsers - Nov 21, 2006 10:40 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2006
Route Climbed: south and partly the Isler routeThe conditions in the morning where optimal, but when descending a lot of stones where flying down
siroco - Jul 17, 2006 1:04 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2006
Arête du MeitinCabane de Valsorey - Combin de Valsorey - Combin de Grafeneire
joe_akeem - Jul 1, 2006 11:10 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2001
Route Climbed: NW FaceThe NW face was mostly ice. Had to belay through most of it.
andrea.it - Aug 9, 2004 8:57 am
Route Climbed: South-west face Date Climbed: 17 july 2004Climbed the south-west face istead the west ridge because too much snow.Very steepy and dangerous.
LAMONTAGNE - Nov 24, 2003 3:52 pm Date Climbed: Sep 20, 2003
COMBIN DE VALSOREYA challenge achieved with the help of a good team spirit. Weather condition were exceptional. The vertical at 60 degrees impressed me. Jean-René (Guide) Patrick and Pascal
Scott Pierce - Oct 27, 2003 7:26 pm
Route Climbed: NW Face Direct Date Climbed: 15 July 1999Just Scott, Mike and me. Rope stayed coiled, no other people on the mountain--and a beautiful summer day. Must return in the spring to ski the face.
Mathias Zehring - Jul 14, 2002 2:27 pm
Route Climbed: NW flank Date Climbed: July 17th 2000for me it was my longest day ever in the mountains - 21 hours from and to the Cabane de Pannossiere! Because two of us were not so experienced we belayed the whole flank and this costs time... But weather was fine, we were alone on such a huge and beautiful mountain. It was like doing an expedition and a great experience. We descended over the Corridor route.
I did the same two years earlier with ski. This is more convenient.
For someone who is used to climbing north faces it might be easy. For my skills it was more than enough.
Plizi - Jun 21, 2002 3:47 am
Route Climbed: up south rib down NW-face Date Climbed: june 2000Nice mmountain with little people where climber
can be allone with nice view from Mont Blanc to
Monte Rosa.