Opened in winter 2007 by Martial Dumas and Jean-Yves Fredriksen, on a face transformed by the collapse of the Bonatti Pillar, the Voie des Papas has retained the particular aura of the post-apocalyptic west face of the Drus, the major alpine bigwall above Chamonix, France. It is steep, committing climbing, traced across the grey granite of a major scar in Alpine history. Over three days in June, Yanis Cherqaoui, Hugo Peruzzo and Baptiste Obino free climbed this big wall, tackling delicate pitches up to 7b/5.12. A story and interview with Hugo.
Taming the beast. Circling it, sensing whether the beast is at rest. In the first days of June, the three companions took turns scanning the west face of the Drus through binoculars. Rockfall? None. Cold? Still sharp, in this first half of June. But the Drus can be threatening, even the stage of monstrous rockfalls, like those that