BURSTOn June 20, French alpinists Léo Billon and Enzo Oddo madethe first ascent of OSS ne répond plus (7a+, 700m), a new route on the West Face of Aiguille du Plan in the Mont Blanc massif. Aiguille du Plan, standing at 3,673 metres, is a prominent peak in the Chamonix Aiguilles, known for its challenging granite faces and historical significance in alpine climbing. Its west face, a steep and complex wall, has attracted elite climbers due to its technical demands and exposure.
The 700-metre route begins to the left of Pilier Septentrional, commonly known as the Bonington Route, established in 1965 by Chris Bonington and Lito Tejada-Flores. OSS ne répond plus shares much of the central section with the Bonington Route before diverging right up steeper terrain to reach the summit.
Billon, a member of the Groupe Militaire de Haute Montagne (GMHM), and Oddo employed a mix of roped climbing for harder pitches and simul-climbing for easier sections. Starting their day with the cable car from Chamonix, they completed the ascent and traversed the Plan-Midi ridge, returning to Aiguille du Midi by 17:00. The pair relied entirely on traditional climbing gear, leaving no equipment in place.
The route’s name, OSS ne répond plus, honours their friends Max Bonniot and Pierre Labbre, who tragically died on the Bonington Route in November 2019. Aiguille du Plan, with its rich climbing history and proximity to peaks like Aiguille du Midi, remains a testing ground for alpinists, and this ascent adds a significant chapter to its legacy.
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