Ceüse
The Word: The best sport crag in the world!
The Crag Classic(s): Everything...
The Hidden Gem: Shoulder season - we had the ENTIRE crag to ourselves in April with t-shirts on!
Best Season(s): Definitely not winter when it gets lots of snow. April can probably be pretty dodgy but was totally awesome when we were there (though we had snow when leaving). From then on through summer and until perhaps November.
Sun/shade: The crag generally faces south so is pretty sunny, especially in shoulder season when the sun doesn't rise or set over the back. In summer the far left end gets morning shade and the far right end gets arvo shade, with the super steep areas getting shade all day.
Wet weather options: Yep there's probably a big percentage of the crag which'll survive rain - the main issue is the big walk in if its raining! Seepage is a small issue during snowmelt, but affects very few routes.
Style & Length of Climbs: Sport - thankfully no need to lug a rack up the hill. However you will need a LOT of quickdraws - especially if leaving draws on to work a few routes. Also, a lot of routes need a 70m rope - otherwise you'll have the hassle of carrying a second rope up the hill and hauling it up to the anchors on every route to get off.
Rock type: Some of the best limestone you'll ever see.
Guidebook(s): Buy it when you get there from Gerard the campground owner. It cost 16 euros from memory, not bad by Euro standards. The good thing is it also covers several other crags in the area and has enough of the important bits in English too.
Available Grades; Best Grades: 4a-9a+ (12-36)
The Details: I was extremely impressed by this crag. I can see why there's a lot of people who think it's the best sport crag in the world - I am certainly one of them!
Access: See the websites below for how to get to the campground. My main comment is to not start the walk at the campground, rather drive up to the parking area just before the saddle (just before the small number of ski lodges). This trims about 10mins off the walk which really makes quite a difference considering it still takes about 45-60mins from there! Yeah its a fair hike uphill, but the path is extremely well graded so just put it in low gear and you'll be there soon enough - trust me, it's worth it!!!!
Descent(s): Rap off everything, though a few Grande Face routes top out and you can also go down the Via Ferrata (a ladder of steel rungs put in the cliff).
Described L to R.
The L end, with the marked areas being: the less popular Golots a gogo (30 routes, 4b-7c, 20m-100m); Dalles du capeps (20 routes, 5a-7a, 20m-100m); and the famous La cascade (35 routes, 5b-8b, 30m-80m).
Dalles du Capeps
** L'Australie 48m 6a/20 (OS)
With a name like that it was always going to be the first route I did!! A nice easy flake start to ease into it then nice slabbing to the optional belay, before some harder vertical moves through the bulge up high deposit you into the realm of holdless water runnel funkiness! Rap (26m+22m or 48m).
*** La Corse 48m 6a/20 (OS)
Similar to L'Australie but with much more sustained slabbing it's significantly better, and a shade harder. Tricky moves from the R to gain the short initial flake (obvious in the below photo), then good 5b slabbing to half height. There's a fantastic techie thin slabbing section above the half height anchor, then another excellent top bulge.
Me at half height on La Corse
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** Plus Ou Moins 30m 6a/20 (OS)
Only just gets the second star, but you'll still have fun! The initial slab gets you thinking, then the vertical section is really nonobvious, and with lotsa small holds you only have so long to work it out! There's a move left which I got wrong and cranked through at about 6b, but later realised it does indeed go at 6a.
Me getting to the long vertical crux section on Plus Ou Moins
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La Cascade
La cascade (35 routes, 5b-8b, 30m-80m); Thorgal (25 routes, 5c-7a+, 20m-80m); and Face de Rat (15 routes, 20-35m, 5c-8c+).
La cascade (35 routes, 5b-8b, 30m-80m) and Thorgal (25 routes, 5c-7a+, 20m-80m) viewed from the base of Dalles du Capeps.
La Cascade area - from L to R, note the quickdraws just left of the black streak on Violente Illusion (8b/31) (I think), Nicola standing at the bottom of shot, Tenere (7c+/28) takes the pockety far end of the big low roof, and Super Mickey (7b/25) takes the steep wall beyond where the low roof ends.
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A view the other way at La Cascade, with quickdraws on the famous Tenere (7c+/28), and the impressive snowmelt waterfall hammering down behind.
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Face de Rat (15 routes, 20-35m, 5c-8c+); Berlin (30 routes, 6a+ to 8a+, 35m); Biographie (15 routes, 7a-9a+, 20-70m).
Berlin
Two thirds of Berlin, viewed from the base of Super Mario (6b/21) which starts on the massive flake just visible on bottom R (this flake is also clearly visible in the shot above). The climber is on Zagreb (6c/22) (I think), one of Berlin's best. Note also the guy in the background lowering off Blocage Violent (7b+/26) (I think), which is another of the best routes in this area.
Biographie (15 routes, 7a-9a+, 20-70m); Demi Lune (45 routes, 6a-8b, 20-40m); Un pont sur l'infini (30 routes, 6b-8a, 20-70m); Les maitres du monde (10 routes, 6b-8b+, 20-60m); Grande face (25 routes, 6a+ to 7c+, 20-120m); and Nithsapa (10 routes, 6a-8a+, 20-120m).
Biographie
Biographie sector viewed side on - Biographie (35m 9a+/36) follows the blue streak which starts at bottom left. Note the Scottish fella down the far end below his project for the day, Seredo Climbing team (8a+/30)
Demi Lune
Demi Lune viewed side on. From R to L, the blue slabs on the R have lots of good warm ups in the 6a+/19 range, and a little further L, the blue streaks up the yellow rock are absolute classics (Marylou (*** 6b+/22) amongst others). Note the climber, I think he's on La Javanaise (*** 7a/24), while the steep rock at the back is Biographie Sector.
Les maitres du monde (10 routes, 6b-8b+, 20-60m); Grande face (25 routes, 6a+ to 7c+, 20-120m); Nithsapa (10 routes, 6a-8a+, 20-120m); and Natilik (10 routes, 5c-7c+, 20-120m).
More Internet Sites on Ceüse Climbing
Unfortunately nearly all topos on the web are the boring dotted line style
which really don't give you any feel for what each route might be like
(unlike a good photo topo).
CragX Ceüse Page - a fantastic write up by Australia's own Gary Phillips, with topos for the entire place - print out this whole website and you won't even need to buy the guidebook. After visiting this site, don't bother with the next two below unless you want to see some extra photos.
Planet Mountain - fairly limited but will give you some
idea of the place, with a few photos and topos
The Deadpoint - very similar to the above page, but with a few extra topos and a few more photos, but disgracefully it gives all grades using only the American YDS system!
Onsight Photography - a dozen great photos.
Crux Photography - another dozen good shots
Eric Fossard Guide Haute-Montagne - written in French but easy enough to find the (very good) photos, and also gives lists of recommended routes and new routes (AltaVista Babel Fish provides free online translations).
Kolin & Ellen's Gallery - a nice little personal photo gallery of some Canadians' trip to Ceüse
TheCrag.com As always. Record your Ceüse ticks here, and see what everyone else is climbing.
© 2003-2004 Will
