The French climber is one of the best, if not the best, of his generation. Benjamin Védrines has just climbed, alone and in winter, an extreme route in Les Drus, above Chamonix, called BASE (ED+, M8+, 7a) and opened in 2021 by the GMHM’s finest (French Army Elite Mountaineers : Thomas Auvaro, Léo Billon, Jordi Noguere and Sébastien Ratel). Védrines spent 5 days rope-soloing on the west face of Les Drus, from February 16 to 21, to complete what is one of the toughest routes in the Mont-Blanc massif. Benjamin spoke exclusively to Alpine Mag about this extraordinary project. “The most ambitious and difficult I’ve ever done in the Alps”, he admits.
Why did you decide to embark on this project?
Benjamin Védrines : Because it’s been on my mind ever since I was a young mountaineer. I remember reading the Labande topos, seeing Arnaud Guillaume’s solos on the north face of Dome de Neige des Ecrins, and Christophe Moulin’s solos on the north face of l’Olan or l’Ailefroide in the Ecrins massif. All this evoked many things in me and echoed my solitary nature, because I like to be alone in the mountains.
Benjamin Védrines in the Drus. ©Mathis Dumas/Montagne en scène
Védrines : But, until now, I’ve preferred roped climbing for technical ascents because I had the opportunity to be with super-cool and motivated friends. And I didn’t feel up to soloing until recently.
When Charles Dubouloz did it in the Jorasses or on the Pierre Allain (north