North Buttress

Descending from Le Blanc Glacier, if the narrow gully is broken head on to a
ledge on its true left (just above where the gully narrows). Three 50m
abseils to valley floor. The bottom half of the buttress is actually two
ridges which merge at half height. The left one (looking up) has better rock,
easy soloing (grade 10) for 500metres till reaching a snow shelf. Head up and
start again up ramps on the upper buttress. Another 100 metres of solid grade
12 solo, then 500metres of sustained grade 14-17 climbing (20+ pitches, we
simul-climbed some sections). The technical crux is high on the route.
Overall, the climb increases throughout in technical nature and commitment,
including very exposed summit ridge traversing. The rock is generally of good
to very good quality with enough protection, although there are some loose
plates high up.