Lion ridge

Leaving the bivouac, we climb the easy rocks that lead to the flat area where the Capanna Luigi Amedeo once stood, destroyed a few years ago, to cross a narrow section of ridge that immediately leads to the first fixed rope of the climb, the famous "Corda della Sveglia" which allows us to climb athletically a beautiful slab with final overhang (III+) to bring us onto the southern slope of the "Gran Tour" avoiding its spur, on the slabby and airy ledges to the right; climb a rocky notch and cross the recessed "Vallon des Glaçons" to get onto, always following the fixed ropes to the left, the terrace above.
At the end of the fixed ropes move horizontally to the right, in the direction of a narrow horizontal passage between two rocks, which gives access to an aesthetic chimney of 25 meters that we will climb with the help of a solid but not essential rope, up to the ledge above (II+); here the first series of fixed ropes ends.
With another horizontal section to the right, on ledges protected by sporadic bolts, we reach below a couloir, beyond some larger rocks that we will climb in the direction of the obvious ridge formed by several rock gendarmes, the "Cresta du Coq": the first section is tackled on the easy ledges of the Italian slope and then back onto the ridge by overcoming a steep rock step by bending right along a bifurcated inclined ledge, narrow and fairly exposed, called "Mauvais Pas" (III), reaching the foot of a slab "Rocher des Ecritures" where the name of J.A. Carrel should be engraved.
Finally we reach the point where we must descend briefly, still on ledges and easy rocks, toward what remains of the "ghiacciaio del Linceul"; on the upper edge of the névé is fixed a useful metal cable on which we can easily protect ourselves.
Once at the end of the metal cable we move again briefly to the right following sporadic pitons, slings and red marks, then climb decisively toward the ridge in the direction of the obvious chain that hangs in a clear vertical notch emerging on the ridge crest: this is the "Grande Corde" or "Corde Tyndall" about 30 meters long that will help us a great deal, especially in its steep final section (III+) (4.080 m; 2h).

Once on the ridge crest the climbing is airy and exposed, never difficult, on clean and solid rock: in this section it is possible to find, guiding us through the passages, a few faded red marks, pitons with slings and bolts. Initially its line follows easy leaning slabs and then goes on to overcome short and simple rock steps while generally always staying on the ridge or on the Swiss slope.
After a long section, almost at the summit of pic Tyndall, the terrain becomes debris-covered and we reach below a rock step of about 15 meters, more significant than the previous ones, which must be tackled directly on the ridge crest or in the obvious notch, a little to the right of the ridge above a steep debris couloir, with short climbing moves (II) until reaching the "Gravate", an exposed ledge on the Italian slope that brings us back onto the ridge, allowing us to emerge on top of Pic Tyndall; in this section there are not many obvious red marks, pitons or slings to guide us, however we can rely on the obvious rocks striated and polished by countless crampon points, a clear sign, if not covered by snow, of the preferred ascent and descent route (4.241 m; 3h).
From the summit of Pic Tyndall we continue toward the "Testa del Cervino" on the ridge crest which gradually becomes thinner and more exposed on the two very steep northern and southern slopes. This section of the route can easily be snow-covered; in that case pay very close attention to possible cornices!! In any case this section of ridge is as delicate as it is beautiful; we will have to downclimb two short gendarmes, delicate and slightly overhanging, however well protected by some pitons with slings and bolts.
The last move that separates us from the "Testa del Cervino" is crossing a narrow and very steep notch which, if we are not lucky enough to find it filled with snow, must be tackled with a stride: not by chance this passage is called "Enjambée".
This is followed by a section of climbing on easy but fairly bifurcated rocks, almost always icy, which however is not very clearly defined; from below it is possible however to clearly see the first of the series of fixed ropes that will allow us to overcome these last hundred meters of elevation gain, we aim for it staying generally on the solid rocks of a clear dihedral that forms above a broad terrace "Col Félicité" where the rope begins.

After climbing the steep wall of about ten meters that follows, served by the fixed rope, we head toward another steep face, slightly higher than the previous one, where another fixed rope begins which, after overcoming difficult slab sections and finally moving slightly across to the right, allows us to reach the first hanging rung of the "Scala Jordan", a rope ladder with 25 sturdy wooden rungs that allows us to overcome, laboriously, a very exposed overhanging slab of about ten meters, otherwise decidedly difficult (IV+). After the ladder the "Corda Piovano" helps us climb a steep and solid dihedral to the left until we emerge above a beautiful sloping slab, still served by the rope which will be overcome on a crack, the "Gite Wentworth", to regain the ridge edge formed now by very solid granite blocks. Once the last fixed rope beyond the sloping slab is finished, we climb the easy ridge rocks, overcoming an aesthetic little dihedral, to finally reach the summit of the Italian peak of the Cervino and shortly after the Cross placed on the saddle between the two opposite summits (4.476 m; 5h). To reach the Swiss summit, two meters higher than the Italian one, it is enough to follow the entire airy summit ridge on the crest, paying very close attention to possible cornices on the impressive north and south slopes (4.478 m; 5h10').