An extremely high rock wall (1000 meters or higher), which cannot be climbed in one day.  This term, used in particular for the walls in Yosemite, applies however to all exceptional faces: the Tango Tower in Baltoro, Baghirati in the Garhwal Himalayas, the Paine Tower in Patagonia, Ketil in Greenland, Mont Asgard in Baffin, etc …
Climbing technique has had to adapt to the necessity of carrying bivouac equipment: the leader climbs as on a rock face, without a back pack, and on arrival at the belay point, puts in place a fixed rope that the second climber comes up on a jumar.  Another rope enables the back packs to be winched up.  If there are no ridges, bivouacs are set up on rigid platforms, portaledges.

I have been enthralled by aid climbing for ten years or so.  Contrary to free climbing, the technical and physical moves fade away to leave room for the beauty of the line of ascension.  This style of climbing means going up incredible rock cracks with impressive strong overhangs.  It’s a world of uncertainty, of nervous tension pushed to the limits, but also of beer flowing in the evening down throats completely dehydrated by long hours in the sun, of shared friendships.  Sometimes for days and days we inch our way like spiders along virtually smooth cliffs, extremely impressive.
What I love over and beyond climbing, is this notion of time spent suspended on the walls over a void.
Certain of my “vertical trips” have lasted over 10 days.
I’ve done some wonderful solo ascents in this out of the ordinary activity but it is on roped climbs, in particular with Jean François Hagenmuller, that I have engraved the most unforgettable memories in a corner of my head.
What magical days spent in the Verdon Gorges or the Yosemite Valley in California.

I’ve also “brought” the Big wall techniques to the walls of the Alps and in winter to increase even further my experience of big walls and winter mountaineering.
Great moments of glacial solitude, sometimes of suffering, were born in the heart of the Grand Pilier d’Angle, Grand Jorasse or on the face of Ouest des Drus.

JC.Lafaille.