Corborant, Mont Tenibre

Peaks: Corborant (3007m/9865ft), Mont Tenibre (3031m/9944ft)
Area: Maritime Alps, France
Routes: South Flank (uI+), East Ridge (uI)
I'd already had a hint that the day would be clear when I left the hut to pass water in the early hours: a superb full moon lit the lake and Chalanchas in an eerie silver glow. I slept very well, alone in the hut's loft, and had a decent breakfast, so felt fully refreshed after yesterday's exertions (St Robert plus the hut walk amounted to 2500m+ of climbing, perhaps a lot more). The shorter easterly route round the lake to the Pas de Corborant was choked with snow, so I took the Tenibre path and broke off along a vaguely cairned route finally catching a view of the intriguing hidden peak of Corborant half way along. A compelling objective, classically pyramidal, remote, hidden from view and awkward to reach. There was clearly a lot of snow in the steep, broad couloir leading to the Pas de Corborant, but the peak was so appealing I thought I'd give it a go. The terrain was almost as awkward as the central Mercantour: steep scree and vague cairns led to the remnants of what used to be the Corborant glacier (marked on old maps). Contoured above this easily to gain nasty shifting blocks then a very steep slope of shattered scree and powder. Really awkward and unpleasant to get up this, but at least it meant avoiding the iced neve further right. I left the slope as soon as I could to gain a ledge line leading left above the couloir. This became a tad exposed, and I was obviously near the top of the peak, so I just scrambled up a series of quite steep solid shelves to gain the summit in a sudden and exhilerating burst of sunshine, finally leaving the intimidating shadow of the couloir. The summit was small and superb: fabulous views over the cloud-covered Italian valleys, and south to Malinvern and the central Mercantour. Viso was as obvious as ever, but the main attraction for me was the galaxy of unfamiliar peaks fringing Rabuons. Tenibre, my next target, looked rather distant - and I was momentarily tempted by the Grand Cimon and Chalanchas. However, I opted to descend to the Tenibre path - now in beautiful warm sunshine. An enjoyable, well-cairned semi-tourist route leads up to the stunning lakes of Chaffour and Cimon (both almost completely ice-locked). Lost my way avoiding a large snowfield, going too far left before contouring to gain an obvious path above the wonderfully remote Lac de la Montagnette via one tricky snowfield. The Pas de Rabuons was a surprise: not the gentle through route I'd expected, but a dramatic cleft with steep drops down to an array of rock peaks along the Italian border, including Cime Burnat and Roche Brosse. The weather was worsening and I had no wish to navigate down through this ultra-complex terrain, so I bolted up the east ridge on steep scree to a level but narrowing final ridge - with a couple of awkward snowy breches - to the top. Corborant looked both pleasingly impressive and pleasingly far away! I scurried down as the cloud descended, recuperating with a good lunch above the lake. The Chemin de l'Energie was even better in reverse, with superb views down to the Tinee valley. So good, in fact, that I decided to extend the day continuing north from pt 2382 along the Chemin to beautiful Lac Petrus, then skirting Tete de Malignas to the next valley over: the Plan de Tenibre. The path stays level throughout, and I was sorry to leave it - but there was an obvious descent back to St Etienne south-west down a steep spur (Coste de Fournels). A satisfying day: Corborant and Tenibre are not close neighbours and both are significant independent peaks with very different characters - nice to do them in quick succession, with the Energie extension as a bonus. I was back in the village by mid-afternoon, and camped further down the Tinee valley in Isola.