Hello from Gerald F6HBI,
Half a success on F/AM-839!!!
La Cime de Vens was one of the highest summits in my area that I never activated!
The approach walk is 9km (18km return) with +1500m difference in altitude!
Physically, I no longer feel capable of it; so this Friday I went to sleep at the Vens refuge in order to try this activation on Saturday 07/09/2024.
I abandoned the idea of going up from the North (La Breche des deux freres) because it is a long steep ridge climb.
The simplest option, via the South (Pas de Vens) is relatively short and less difficult.
There is no need for climbing equipment except a helmet to protect yourself from possible falling rocks caused by the ibexes occupying the terrain!
If the start of the hike is easy, the last 150 meters are mountaineering (PD+) with exposed passages.
From the Vens refuge, it takes no more than two hours walk to reach the “Pas de Vens”, where there is an old casemate which can be used as a bivouac.
From Pas de Vens, we can activate 2 large Sota (F/AM-102: Le Clai Superieur and F/AM-839: La Cime de Vens).
Despite the numerous cairns that line the wall, the passages are not obvious and there is a bit of research to do to find the right path.
According to the advice of Antoine, the refuge keeper, two routes exist; one easy but challenging and the other, more technical but less aerial!
I only found one of the two, which I would describe as difficult, technical, challenging and aerial!
At 08:20 I arrived at the summit with my teammate Philippe, ahead of schedule.
It was for fear of static that I did not deploy the vertical HF antenna, because the weather was not very good and the thunderstorm that was brewing was not far away.
We had to act quickly, especially as we were now caught in a thick fog.
So I was content to make 5 or 6 QSOs on VHF including 2 S2S (F/AM and I/LG) with the handy talky.
My fingers were frozen, the wind blowing on the ridge blew away my paper log.
What the hell!!! I have everything in my head… except that at 3000m altitude, I had a little trouble memorizing everything!
At 10:50, 20 minutes after reaching the summit, we descended via the same passages used on the way up, without difficulty but with caution, the rock having become wet and slippery.
Back at Pas de Vens, I informed the refuge guard by radio that everything was OK, and that we would be in time for coffee and blueberry pie.
Since starting at the bottom of the valley, I have not been able to give any information in real time to the chasers!
In this sector of Mercantour, we are connected with “Nature” and nothing else; no VHF relay afterwards, no GSM network, no DMR…
A little disappointed not to have been able to contact my Sota friends, I hope to return there soon.
Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/xjz3iPxcqd6SS3tZ6
73 de Gerald F6HBI