First ascent of Grand Combin, one of the highest summits in the Alps.
The Grand Combin is a mountain massif in the western Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais. At a height of 4,314 metres (14,154 ft) the summit of Combin de Grafeneire is one of the highest peaks in the Alps and the second most prominent of the Pennine Alps. The Grand Combin is also a large glaciated massif consisting of several summits, among which three are above 4000 metres (Combin de Grafeneire 4,314 m (14,154 ft), Combin de Valsorey 4,183 m (13,724 ft), Combin de la Tsessette 4,134 m (13,563 ft)). The highest part of the massif is wholly in Switzerland, although the border with Italy lies a few kilometres south.
The normal route starts from the Panossière Hut, which lies on the north side in the Corbassière valley. Despite the fact that no major difficulties exist, a particularly dangerous passage has to be traversed on the north flank: Le Corridor. It is a couloir dominated by seracs continuously falling on it.