After traversing up for a while, we recognized the route description and changed into our rock-climbing gear. Vincent took the lead and shortly climbed a tough overhang with icicles. Though early, the day was already quite warm. After every 4 pitches or so we'd switch leads. The first half of the route is not very steep.
Short walls followed by snowy slopes or ridges come and go.
Crampons and axes would have been useful on that lead, to say the least. There was blood all over the snow. And at that time clouds showed up and the temperature dropped immediately. C cile was getting tired. We began to worry, thinking about Bonatti thirty years ago or the five people who died on it not so long ago in '97.