Just a couple of weeks after Ueli Steck's solo of Annapurna's South Face, France's Yannick Graziani and Stephane Benoist have made the most of "once in a cnetury conditions" to repeat his route. Details are thin on the ground right now, but we do know that the pair were forced to sit out a storm high on the face and then continued -- impressive stuff. On a line like this, grades are almost irrelevent -- what matters is the commitment required to climb a massive face. Details may emerge regarding exactly how hard the climbing was, but it sounds as if there are some vertical steps and tricky mixed climbing, so this is not a snow plod. Both Yannick and Stephane work as mountan guides here in the Alps, and both have extremely impressive CV's from the Greater Ranges. Yannick has made the first ascent of Chomo Lonzo, and a couple of years back climbed the previously unclimbed south face of Nemjung. Stephane meanwhile established a new route on the huge south face of Nupste in 2011, has been nomiated for the Piolet d'Or twice, and has climbed 8b on rock. Not punters! Photos Courtesy of: [ Ссылка ] Second ascent of The Steck Line on Annapurna South Face
