zoom_in Click to enlarge

The American Direct

▲ ▼

description The American Direct Overview

The American Direct is a major big-wall route on the west face of the Petit Dru in the Mont Blanc massif of the French Alps. Gary Hemming and Royal Robbins completed the first ascent in 1962 with a team of American climbers, following a steep granite line that required extensive aid techniques. It remains a serious alpine wall objective for teams experienced in aid climbing, hauling, route-finding and rapidly changing mountain conditions.

help The American Direct FAQ

Where is the American Direct?

The American Direct climbs the west face of the Petit Dru above Chamonix in the French Alps. It is a major granite big-wall route in a high-alpine environment.

Who completed the first ascent of the American Direct?

Gary Hemming and Royal Robbins completed the route in 1962. Their ascent helped bring American Yosemite big-wall methods onto one of the Alps' most celebrated granite faces.

Is the American Direct still identical to its original 1962 line?

Not entirely. Major rockfalls have repeatedly altered the west face of the Petit Dru, damaging or removing parts of historic routes and changing the conditions climbers encounter.

How does the American Direct differ from the American Direttissima?

They are separate routes on the Petit Dru's west face. The American Direct is the 1962 Hemming-Robbins line, while the American Direttissima was established later on a more direct and technically intensive line.

swap_horiz

Looking for The American Direct alternatives? Compare top competitors ranked & scored

arrow_forward