Miroir d'Argentine · Vaud Alps · Switzerland
Read the cautionsBail with caveatsBolting confidence: high
The bolted way up the Miroir d'Argentine: fourteen pitches of compact limestone slab, with the difficulties in the first four pitches and long, easy, run-out friction above. A big day out at a modest grade with a mountain walk-off. Do not underestimate it.
Fully bolted and reinforced in 2022, but long, run-out on the easy slabs and exposed to stonefall from other parties.
The route
Remix is the classic moderate bolted line on the Miroir d'Argentine, the 400 m limestone slab above Solalex. The first four pitches (5b+ to 5c+) are the steepest and hold the difficulties; above, the angle eases into long slabs of 4a to 5b, a roof and a blocky section on pitches 9 and 10, then easy ground to the ridge. The route is fully bolted and was reinforced in 2022, but it is not closely bolted: the cruxes are well protected and the easy slabs are run-out. It is very popular, the face holds snow above it until early summer, and the descent is a proper mountain path. Treat it as an alpine day at a sport grade.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Bolts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 5b+ | 35 m | 7 bolts | Straight up above the name, then a step left. A good warm-up pitch. |
| P2 | 5c | 25 m | 7 bolts | A thin traverse left, then straight up to a wide ledge. Do not use the gold-coloured belay: go slightly left and up to a second small terrace, to a belay below a bolt with a maillon, with 'Remix' painted in red to its left. Other belays 2 to 3 m left and lower down belong to other routes. |
| P3 | 5c+ | 35 m | 9 bolts | The crux pitch, more impressive than hard. Belay left of the crack (camptocamp places it at 30 m). |
| P4 | 5b+ | 35 m | 8 bolts | A thinner move 5 m above the belay, then straight up on slabs with spaced bolts but nothing hard. |
| P5 | 4c+ | 30 m | 6 bolts | Slab, 30 to 35 m. Keep left to stay on route. |
| P6 | 4b | 35 m | 5 bolts | Slab and small steps. |
| P7 | 5b | 35 m | 8 bolts | Climb more or less straight up. Keep left. |
| P8 | 5b | 35 m | 6 bolts | Slab trending slightly left. At the belay you see the red marks of the continuation. |
| P9 | 5b | 35 m | 7 bolts | Follow the red marks. Pass an overhang and follow a wide crack for 5 m. Manage rope drag. |
| P10 | 5b | 25 m | 6 bolts | Climb into blocks on the left. An airy traverse left avoids a perched block. Pull over the final overhang on good holds, then a 5 m ramp to a comfortable belay on the left. Manage rope drag. |
| P11 | 4a | 40 m | 6 bolts | A small step, then slabs trending slightly left, with another small step before the belay. |
| P12 | 4c | 40 m | 5 bolts | Slab, then trend right along the fracture. |
| P13 | 3c | 40 m | 5 bolts | Follow the crack on the right and turn a small step, then aim right of the red marks. |
| P14 | 3b | 40 m | 3 bolts | Easy climbing to the ridge. The belay is about 5 m below the crest. |
Getting there
From Bex or Villars drive via La Barboleuse to Solalex (1462 m), where parking is paid (7 CHF a day reported in 2026). By public transport take the BVB train, then a bus from La Barboleuse and the seasonal postbus to Solalex, which runs from June to mid-September; a 2025 party found its hours (arrival 08:55, last return about 17:00) too tight for the route. In winter the road is closed below Solalex.
From the lower Solalex car park drop slightly to cross the stream on a footbridge, go immediately left across a field and pick up a path on the right (marked posts, red mark). Climb steeply to the foot of the wall. After a dog-leg right the path returns to the top of the scree cone. Follow the base of the wall leftwards, past the Voie du Y (name on a metal plate) and Papageno (name in red). A descent of about ten metres leads to the start of Remix, also painted in red. 45 minutes to 1 h 10.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
GPS line: one party's recorded GPS track of the whole day, including the climb and the descent. One party's recorded day on 15 July 2025 from Solalex: walk-in, climb and descent (about 3.2 km). Do not follow it blindly.
GPS line: dereuxromain · CC BY-NC-ND 3.0Parking
Solalex (camptocamp waypoint 111683)
Point from camptocamp waypoint 39005
Contains the route point, parking and a GPS line. Opens in most mapping apps and GPS watches.
Points are compiled from published sources, with the precision stated above. They were not surveyed on the ground: check them against a current topo.
Coordinates: 46.27684, 7.14380 (crag) · Parking: 46.28833, 7.13732
Getting down
Walk off. Traverse left and follow a stony path along the south-east side of the Haute Corde to its summit; a bolted 6a+ pitch (Le dessert) also leads there. From the Haute Corde follow the east-north-east ridge and descend directly to Solalex by a steep, loose path through the Poreyrette gully. If the ground is wet, go round by Anzeinde instead, about half an hour longer but safer. Allow 1 h 15 to 2 hours.
Retreat
Bail with caveats
Retreat is possible but needs two ropes: camptocamp says abseils of at least 40 m are required to go down from belay to belay. Each belay has two bolts since 2022, usually a bolt and a ring, so carry slings and maillons. It gets less attractive the higher you are, with 14 pitches below and other parties climbing up the line.
Partly inferred from the route facts
Safety
Sun and weather
North-west facing between about 1900 and 2300 m; the sun does not reach the face before midday. Do not go on the face while there is still snow on the slopes above: blocks of snow and stones fall down it. In late June 2025 there was snow below the wall but an easy gap to reach the start. After a morning shower the face was dry enough two hours later, with seeping cracks. It can be very hot even in the shade in a heatwave.
Sun on the wall · NW-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season
Estimated from the wall's aspect only. Ignores surrounding terrain, gullies and the wall's exact shape. Clock times are local to the wall (Central European time), for the 15th of each month.
Climate figures for Vaud Alps are not available yet
What to carry
12 quickdraws, slings to link the two belay bolts, helmet. Camptocamp and Mountain Project both suggest a few small cams (about 0.4 to 1) to shorten the run-outs; they are not essential and placements are not always available on the slabs. A single rope is enough for the climb, but retreat needs abseils of at least 40 m.
Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo
From climbers
Reader reports are not being collected yet. Until they are, check a current topo and the local club or guidebook publisher for recent changes to Remix.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
Around 5c+ · about 14 pitches
France · La Bérarde (Écrins)
The great classic of the Tête de la Maye: 13 pitches of rounded granite slab above La Bérarde with nothing athletic until the last hard pitch, a flake and wide crack of 5c+ that everyone remembers. Recently rebolted and very closely protected. It is camptocamp's reference route for the overall grade D.
5c+13 pitches350 m
Spain · Riglos & Agüero (Mallos)
A long beginner's big route on good conglomerate at a moderate angle. Pitches can be linked in pairs with a 60 m rope. A four-pitch headwall with a couple of panzas finishes high above the Gállego valley.
5c14 pitches375 m
France · Ailefroide
A long, sunny outing up a series of granite steps, consistently in the 5th grade, finishing with a great view over La Draye. Grassy ramps separate the tiers, so the climbing never feels exposed.
5c14 pitches450 m
Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)
Thirteen short pitches, mostly grade 4, with two 5c steps. The longest pitch is 45 m. A big day of easy mileage in the sun above the palm grove.
5c13 pitches340 m
Compiled from published sources and last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change. Climbing is dangerous and you are responsible for your own decisions: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.