The 2025/2026 winter season in the French Alps has delivered yet another stunning performance. In a display of endurance and technical skill, French alpinists Antoine Bouqueret and Charles Dubouloz have completed a rare winter repeat of the formidable Directe Gamma on the Southeast Face of the Barre des Écrins.
This ascent, completed over four days from December 28 to 31, 2025, confirms the exceptional conditions currently found in the high mountains of France and marks a significant step in Dubouloz's ambitious seasonal project.
The Climb: Directe Gamma
The Directe Gamma is a serious undertaking located on the remote and wild Southeast Face of the Barre des Écrins (4,102m), the highest peak in the Écrins Massif. Rising above the Glacier Noir, this face is known for its austere beauty and rockfall potential in warmer months, making it a prime target for winter climbing when the terrain is frozen and stable.
The route was first established in 1992 by an Italian team: Michele Frigerio, Eugenio Manni, Riccardo Milani, and Manuele Panzeri.
Bouqueret and Dubouloz's ascent is notable not just for its difficulty, but for its timing. Reports suggest this could potentially be the first full winter ascent of the line, pending final verification by alpine historians. The duo spent multiple nights bivouacking on the face, battling the short days and bitter cold characteristic of the Dauphiné Alps in late December.
Context: Dubouloz's Winter Trilogy
For Charles Dubouloz, this climb is more than just a single summit; it is the second chapter of a massive "inner trilogy" project he is undertaking this winter. His goal is to solo or climb major winter lines across three different mountain ranges, linking them by bicycle.
- Part 1 (Completed): A solo winter ascent of Divine Providence on the Grand Pilier d'Angle (Mont Blanc Massif).
- The Link-Up: Cycling from Chamonix to the Écrins Massif with all gear.
- Part 2 (Completed): The Directe Gamma on Barre des Écrins with Antoine Bouqueret.
- Part 3 (Next): Dubouloz is expected to cycle toward the Pyrenees for the final leg of his trilogy.
The Significance
The ascent of Directe Gamma highlights the shift in modern high-end alpinism, where the challenge lies not only in the technical difficulty of the climbing but in the style of the approach and the continuity of effort. By combining complex winter alpinism with a human-powered link-up, Dubouloz and his partners are pushing the definition of a "winter season" in the Alps.
Congratulations to Antoine Bouqueret and Charles Dubouloz on a safe and visionary ascent to close out 2025.
