Aiguille Dibona "Visite Obligatoire", VI+

Published on 2011-07-9 by Michael Stanton

Pete and I met up to climb the Aiguille Dibona by the famous "Visite Obligatoire" route. We were hiking up from the parking lot in the late morning on July the 9th.

I'm writing this more than 10 years later, having somehow lost an earlier report. Piecing evidence together from the pictures and my hazy memory, it seems that we climbed the first 2 pitches of Visite Obligatoire in the late afternoon after arriving at the hut, and then the next morning chose a couple of easier pitches to make the overall climb less demanding (also just for variety).

The route was fantastic, especially a famous lieback pitch higher up.

We had another day there and climbed an adventurous route on the right side of the Aiguille Dibona, making full use of our double ropes to string together sections with sparse protection, in big contrast with the Visite Obligatoire which was entirely bolted.

First glimpse of the Aiguille Dibona!

Pete on pitch 1 or 2 of Visite Obligatoire

Michael somewhere on those lower pitches

Michael gapes up at the climb (photo by Pete)

The party ahead, all smiles (photo by Pete)

Looking down, you can see the tin-roofed hut

Pete works the overhang...

Bubbly, excellent granite...

A climber heads to the lieback pitch (photo by Pete)

A closer pic (photo by Pete)

Michael enjoying himself (photo by Pete)

Pete climbing on the crest

And again...

Near the summit...

Looking back to the summit

Evening storm...

The hut and the route

Climbers on Visite Obligatoire

A great pitch on our exploratory route

Pete adjusts his shoes

Michael is exhausted at the summit again

Pete on rappel

Michael on rappel (photo by Pete)

Goodbye, Dibona...