Another new route for PGHM members Jeff Mercier & Vincent Fournier
Two PGHM members open a new rock route on the south face of the Aiguille d'Argentiere
Jeff Mercier and Vincent Fournier both work for the PGHM and spend most of their time tending to high mountain emergencies. When they are not working they are both out climbing themselves.
Jeff Mercier is regarded as on of the best mixed climbers out there and has opened a hand full of new routes around Chamonix, including a 700m, M5 route on the Aiguille du Plan a couple of months ago. With the hot temperatures moving climbing away from mixed routes and onto Granite the pair headed into the Argentiere basin. Jeff Mercier and fellow PGHM member Fabien Dugit opened a new route on the south face of the Aiguille d'Argentiere last year and now Jeff headed back with another partner to search for more unclimbed rock.
The route is situated just to the left of the famous Y Couloir and is 1200m 6b+, they have named the route 'Efareb'. Along the way they found old wooden chocks used by early ascensionists, quite fitting given the 150 year anniversary since the golden age of alpinism.
