rock&ice 4

idea Montagnaeditoria e alpinismo

Mont Blancclassic & plaisir

SECOND EDITION

rock&ice

idea Montagnaeditoria e alpinismo

Mont Blanc classic & plaisir

Translation: Lynne Hempton

Opening a book about Mont Blanc is always a moving experience for me, a mountain which I’ve

dreamed of so much and which has given me so many dreams in return.

First of all, I remember the moment when I discovered these mountains, at fourteen years old,

thanks to Gaston Rebuffat’s beautifully entitled book, “Mont Blanc, jardin féérique”*.

I am immensely grateful to Rébuffat, who through this book revealed to me a true high-altitude

gem, something I’d only dreamed of, confusedly and ardently, having grown up in a flat region

with no mountains.

And then there are numerous memories of hours and hours spent there, in the heart of these

mountains, which little by little have become engraved in my memory. As well as these, though,

are the precious faces of so many companions, illuminated by the light and shade of the moun-

tains. Faces alight with effort or enthusiasm, with fatigue or joy, with worry or relief, with wonder

or confusion...

Let this book, so clearly the product of a true lifetime passion, reveal to its readers those great

places where dreams are made, along the main roads or secret corners of this inexhaustible “en-

chanted garden”. Let it guide you in the realisation of those dreams, accomplished and wholly

shared in that unique bond between climbers.

Patrick Gabarrou

* Mont Blanc, enchanted garden

5

PREFACE

First edition: July 2012Second edition: July 2015ISBN: 978-88-97299-63-9

Idea Montagna Editoria e AlpinismoVia Guido Rossa, 17 - 35016 Piazzola sul Brenta - Padua - ItalyTel. 049 9601797 - Fax 049 8840000info@ideamontagna.it - www.ideamontagna.it

General Coordination: Francesco Cappellari

Graphic Design: Rossella Benetollo

Layout, Images, Maps Irene Cappellari

Illustrations, Maps, Route Lines and Text: Marco Romelli

Translation: Lynne Hempton

Printed by: Litocenter Srl for Idea Montagna Editoria e Alpinismo

Cover Photo: Climbers on the gendarme of La Table to the Aiguille du Tour

Page 2: Dawn over the Grandes Jorasses viewed from the Aiguille de Leschaux

All rights reserved. Any reproduction of the text, images and photographs, even partial, is strictly forbidden.

Warning: This guide has been complied with the greatest possible care; however there is no guarantee against the possibility of errors or omissions. The use of the information in this guide is at the user’s own risk. The author and the editor accept no responsibility for any incidents or other consequences.

PHOTOGRAPHYAll of the photographs used for the photo topos were taken by the author, apart from the photos on page 301 (A. Chanoine) and 317 (A. Conz). Where not otherwise specified in the caption, all other photographs were taken by the author.

l Introduction

7

Around 300 million years ago, a large granite intrusion formed the base structure of today’s Mont Blanc massif. The alpine orogeny, still active today, has gradually raised this granite centre which, shaped by atmospheric agents and cracked by tectonic movements, is now visible today. Granite is an intrusive igneous rock, originating from the slow consolidation of magma below the earth’s crust. The term “igneous” is derived from “ignis” – the latin word for fire. In this sense, Mont Blanc was born from fire: not difficult to imagine when you observe the red shades of its gendarmes. A similarity is found in the topography: the rocky divide which descends to the Mer de Glace from the Aiguille du Dru, for example, is called “Flammes de Pierre”, “Flames of Stone”. As well as the rock, ice is another fundamental material which has determined the majestic and varied architecture of the massif. The glaciers have sculpted rock faces and excavated the valleys which we ski down or walk up to access routes today. That the summit of Mont Blanc reaches and goes beyond 4800 metres is only thanks to the thick ice cap which covers its rocky base. The altitude and the climatic situation have preserved remarkable glacial masses which, despite their general and unstoppable recession, can still be admired in all their glory today.But even if formation and colour alone were enough to distinguish Mont Blanc along the alpine chain, it is its history which makes it unique amongst the world’s mountains. Mountaineering was born on Mont Blanc and it is here it took the first steps of its evolution. In the last two centuries, footprints on the snows of its glaciers have multiplied, from the first shaky steps of hobnailed bo-ots to the precise tracks of modern technical crampons. Generations of mountaineers have put themselves to the test on its walls, following pre-existing routes or welcoming the new challenges of which this massif is an inexhaustible source. Starting with the inital scientific and naturalistic aims, the motivations which have attracted visitors to Mont Blanc have become adventurous and romantic, then more and more focused on sport.

Unlike the modern tendancy to focus on hard mixed climbing only accessible to a select few, this book proposes a selection of routes of “medium” technical difficulty, thus achievable by anyone with adequate preparation. Along these routes, sporting performance comes second to the com-plete experience, without forfeiting the elegance of the lines and the harmony of movements they create. In this way, following “plaisir” climbs such as the historical routes created by the pioneers, we can immerse ourselves completely in Mont Blanc’s unique atmosphere without the anxieties of performance or risk detracting from the feeling of beauty of this enchanted world to which we have been granted access.

Marco Romelli

INTRODUCTION

Left: The snowy cap of the Aiguille Verte overlooking Col du Passon and the Glacier du TourNext page: Spring on the Bosses Ridge

l Index

9

INDEX• Preface 5• Introduction 7• Geographic Location 12• Technical Information 14

ONE • ORNY - TRIENT 21 Gendarme d’Orny 25 001 • Papa Paye 26 Aiguille de la Cabane 30 002 • Voie du Bon Accueil 31 Aiguille d’Orny 35 003 • La Moquette 36 Aiguilles Dorées 41 004 • Couloir Copt 42 005 • South Ridge 46 Tête Blanche 52 006 • North Face 53

TWO • TOUR BASIN 55 Aiguille du Tour 60 007 • Normal Route 61 008 • Couloir de la Table 64 Aiguille du Chardonnet 67 009 • Forbes Arête 68 010 • Migot Spur 72 Tête Blanche and Petite Fourche 75 011 • Normal Routes 76

THREE • ARGENTIÈRE BASIN 79 Petite Aiguille Verte 85 012 • Normal Route 86 013 • Chevalier Couloir 88 Aiguille d’Argentière 90 014 • Normal Route 91 015 • Y Couloir 94 Aiguille du Refuge and Aiguille du Génépi 97 016 • Le Gâteau de Riz 98 017 • South Ridge 102

FOUR • MER DE GLACE 105 Lower Envers Slabs 110 018 • Pilier des Rhodo-Dindons 111 019 • Voie Georges 111 020 • Vingt Mille Lieues Sous la Neige 111 Aiguille du Moine 118 021 • South Side and South Ridge 119 022 • Normal Route 123 Aiguille Verte 125 023 • Normal Route 126 Les Courtes 132 024 • Normal Route and Traverse 133 Pointe Isabelle 138 025 • Normal Route 139

FIVE • AIGUILLES DE CHAMONIX 143 Aiguille de l’M 147 026 • North-North-East Ridge 148 Petits Charmoz 152 027 • Traverse 153 Lames Fontaine 158 028 • Voie Abert 159 Aiguille du Peigne 162 029 • Les Lépidoptères 163 030 • Arête des Papillons 167 031 • Éperon des Minettes 171

SIX • AIGUILLE DU MIDILES TROIS MONTS 175 Aiguille du Midi 181 032 • Cosmiques Arête 182 033 • Voie Rébuffat Eperon des Cosmiques 185 Aiguille du Plan 190 034 • Midi-Plan Traverse 191 Pointe Lachenal 195 035 • Traverse 196 Triangle du Tacul 198 036 • Contamine-Négri 199

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037 • Contamine-Grisolle 202 038 • Contamine-Mazeaud 204 039 • Goulotte Chéré 206 Mont Blanc du Tacul 209 040 • Normal Route 210 Mont Maudit 213 041 • North-East Ridge 214 Mont Blanc 217 042 • Voie des Trois Monts 218

SEVEN • BOSSONS - BIONNASSAYVALLÉE DES CONTAMINES 221 Mont Blanc 229 043 • Voie Royale 230 044 • Normal Route via the Aiguille du

Goûter and the Bosses Ridge 234 Aiguille de Bionnassay 238 045 • Traverse of the Ridges 239 Dômes de Miage 243 046 • Mettrier Ridge to Dôme Orientale 244 047 • Dômes de Miage Traverse 248 Aiguille Nord de Tré la Tête 252 048 • Normal Route via the NNW face 253 Aiguille de la Leé Blanche 255 049 • North-West Face 256

EIGHT • VAL VENY - SEIGNE 259 Aiguille des Glaciers 266 050 • Normal Route 267 Dôme de Neige des Glaciers 271 051 • Lanchettes Ridge 272 Pyramides Calcaires 275 052 • North-East Ridge 276 Petit Mont Blanc 280 053 • Normal Route 281 Aiguille Orientale de Tré la Tête 283 054 • East Ridge 284 Mont Blanc 287 055 • Aiguilles Grises Route 289 Aiguille du Châtelet 293 056 • Hydrotecnique 294

057 • Velociraptor 296 Aiguille Croux 298 058 • Via Cheney 299

NINE • POINTE HELBRONNERCOL DU GÉANT 303 Dent du Géant 310 059 • Normal Route 312 Aiguille de Rochefort 315 060 • Normal Route via the Rochefort Ridge 316 Aiguilles Marbrées 318 061 • Traverse 319 Aiguille de Toule 322 062 • South-West slope 323 063 • North Face 326 Aiguille d’Entrèves 328 064 • Ridge traverse 329 Tour Ronde 332 065 • Normal Route 333 066 • North Face 336 067 • Gervasutti Couloir 339 Roi de Siam 344 068 • Le Lifting du Roi 345 Pyramide du Tacul 350 069 • East Ridge 351

TEN • VAL FERRET 357 Aiguille de Leschaux 363 070 • Normal Route 364 Parete dei Titani 368 071 • Génépi 1-2 369 Monts Rouges de Triolet 371 072 • Les Chamois Volants 372 073 • La Bérésina 378 Mont Dolent 381 074 • Normal Route 382

ELEVEN • AIGUILLES ROUGES 385 Le Brévent 389 075 • La Frison-Roche 390

Aiguille de Charlanon 394 076 • Arête du Doigt 395 Aiguille de l’Index 399 077 • South-East Ridge 400 Pointe Gaspard 404 078 • Gaspard Premier 405 Aiguilles Crochues 407 079 • Traverse 408 080 • South Ridge to the South Summit 411

ROUTES IN GRADE ORDER 414• Mountaineering routes with some or limited in-situ gear 414• Fully bolted sport climbs 415• Ice routes 415• High mountain and mixed routes 416

BIOGRAPHIES AND TALESThe Remy brothers 34Michel Piola 116Edward Whymper 130Gaston Rébuffat 188André Contamine 201First ascent of Mont Blanc 237Giusto Gervasutti 342Arturo Ottoz 354Patrick Gabarrou and Manlio Motto 376

l IndexRock&Ice l Mont Blanc classic & plaisir

Passion, experience and quality Climbing, Mountaineering, Freeride and CanyoningTel: +39 3335742382Website: www.albertomountainguide.it

Alberto Boschiazzo

Alpine Guide

10

11 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Le Brévent 2525 m

Aiguille Verte 4122 m

Aiguille du Midi 3842 m

Aiguille du Plan 3673 m

Mt. Maudit 4465 m

Mt. Blanc 4810 m

Aig. de Bionnassay 4052 m

Aig. des Glaciers 3816 m

Aig. de Tré la Tête 3930 m

Dent du Géant4013 m

Plan de l’Aiguille

Bellevue

Va

l Fe

rr

et

V a

l Ve

ny

Montenvers

Nid d’Aigle

Dômes de

Miage

Les Grandes Jorasses4208 m

Col de la Seigne

Col du Petit Ferret

Col du Grand Ferret

Col des Montets

Mont Dolent 3823 mLes Courtes

3856 m

Aig. d’Argentière 3902 m

Aig. du Chardonnet 3824 m

Aig. du Tour 3544 m

Tête de Licony 2929 m

Grande Rochère3320 m

Berrio Blanc 3252 m

Pointe Noire de Pormenaz 2323 m

Désert de P

laté

La Breya

Mont Tondu 3196 m

Mer de G

lace

G lac . de Talèfre

Glac . du Géant

Glac. de la Brenva

G l a c i e r d u M i a g eGlac. de T

ré la

Têt

e

Gla

cier

des

Bo

sson

s

Lac Combal

Glac . du Tour

Plateau du Trient

Glac . d ’Argent ière

Aig. du Belvédère 2965 m

Aig

uil le

s Ro

uges

Chamonix

Courmayeur

Entrèves

Les Houches

Servoz

Le Fayet

Les Praz

St. Gervais

Les Contamines Montjoie

La Gruvaz

Argentière

Le Tour

MARTIGNY

SALLANCHESCLUSES

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GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

The Mont Blanc range extends for more than 30 km in the north-western part of the Alpine Arc in the Graian Alps. The main ridge runs SW-NE and marks the border between France and Italy and, further north, between France and Swit-zerland. The basin of the Glacier des Glaciers in the French department of Savoie forms the range’s southern limit. From south-west to nor-th-east, the Tré la Tête massif and the central Mont Blanc massif to the Pré de Bar basin stand between the Italian Valle d’Aosta and the Fren-ch Upper Savoie. The three countries of Fran-ce, Italy and Switzerland meet on the summit of Mont Dolent. From here to the Trient area, the ridge faces more decisively north and forms the border between the Upper Savoie and the Swiss canton of Valais. The Mont Blanc Tunnel (opened in 1965) extends for 11 km and con-nects France and Italy, whilst Col des Montets to the north of Chamonix gives access to the Swiss border. Road access to the far south and north-east areas of the range is less direct, given that the main passes, Col de la Seigne and the Grand and Petit Ferret passes are not accessible to road traffic.

AOSTAMILANTURIN

l Geographic locationRock&Ice l Mont Blanc classic & plaisir

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036

36

37

38

39

Triangle du Tacul

199

A triangular rocky buttress around 400 m high which characterises the north face of Mont Blanc du Tacul. On this formation, veined with gullies and icefalls, there are numerous routes which share an easy approach and technical climbing. Some lines, both characteristic and enjoyable, have now become ultra classics.The logical conclusion to a route on the Triangle is to gain the summit of Tacul via its superb north ridge, but impatient climbers can take advantage of a short cut which leads from the sum-mit of the Triangle to the normal route.General conditions: All of the routes are potentially climbable from spring to late autumn, depending on the condition of the descent route which is very delicate at any time of year after recent snowfall (see route 040). Thanks to the possibility of an abseil descent, Goulotte Chéré can be climbed year-round. The predominantly glacial nature of the rest of the routes makes them dangerous in very warm or dry periods (rockfall). In general the best conditions are found with a good snow cover and good refreezing conditions. Any further condition specifics are mentioned in the descriptions of each route.

Routes:Contamine-NégriContamine-GrisolleContamine-MazeaudGoulotte Chéré

TRIANGLE DU TACUL 3970 m

Ski approach to Triangle du Tacul

FIRST ASCENT: P. Labrunie, J. Martin, M. Négri, A. Contamine, 5 August 1962

GRADE: D, 70°, exposed to seracs at the start and on the first two pitches

ASCENT: 350 m

ASPECT: north-east

SUPPORT BASES: Refuge des Cosmiques

CHARACTERISTICS: Icy face, some possible mixed sections

On the summit of the Triangle

Contamine-NégriOn the north-east face alongside the seracs

Arête Nord du Tacul

Six l Aiguille du Midi – Les Trois Monts l Triangle du TaculRock&Ice l Mont Blanc classic & plaisir

Sentieri d’autore l Ferrate dell’Alto Garda

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This was the first route to be opened on the Triangle. It develops along the left side of the mountain, weaving into the bottleneck be-tween the rocks and the seracs. Some steep-er sections at the start add a good variety of moves. Rarely crowded.

GEARTwo technical axes, ice screws, equipment for glacier travel, one 60 m rope.

APPROACHFrom the Aiguille du Midi descend to Col du Midi. Cross the plateau, aiming directly for the left side of the Triangle (40-45 minutes).

ROUTECross the bergschrund and ascend vertically along the uniform ice slope (50°) until the bot-tleneck between the rocks of the Triangle du Ta-cul and the hanging serac which rests on Pointe Lachenal. A couple of steep pitches (up to 70° and possible easy mixed moves) overcome the bottleneck. Continue to the summit of the Trian-gle along a vague gully between the rocks of the Triangle on the right and the large slope of the seracs on the left (50°-55° with short steeper walls depending on the glacier conditions). 2 h 30 - 3 h.

DESCENTFrom the summit of the Triangle follow the N ridge (large cornices on the E side) until the summit of Mont Blanc du Tacul. The final 60 m on rock are shared with the normal route (1 - 1 h 30). Descend the normal route (route 040) to Col du Midi.In good conditions it is also possible, albeit less

interesting, to descend direct from the summit of the Triangle: traverse, descending slightly, along the steep NW slope of the Tacul (take care: danger of falling seracs and avalanches) towards the tracks of the normal route (see route 040 route line). Do not descend too low (seracs).

IDEAL CONDITIONSThe slope gets the sun very early in the morn-ing. The route is not recommended in dry pe-riods as it forms entirely of hard ice. Also see the general conditions of the Triangle du Tacul mentioned at the start of the chapter.

A stormy dawn at the exit of the Contamine-Negri route

André Contamine, (1919-1985), was an Alpine Guide, Ski instructor and teacher of the reknowned ENSA (École Nationale de Ski et Alpinisme) in Chamonix.His mountaineering exploits were concentrated on the Mont Blanc range, including some new routes which rapidly became super classics.In 1955, along with Marcel Bron and Pierre Labrunie, he put up the Contamine-Labrunie route on the smooth and imposing west face of the Petites Jorasses. In 1959, still with Labrunie and R. Wohlschlag, he opened the Contamine route on the east spur of Pointe Lachenal, still very popular

today, on excellent protogine granite. The same year, he also put up the small glacial route on the north face of Petite Aiguille Verte (see route 012, “Other Options”). However, his main success was the “Three Contamines” on the Triangle du Tacul, three small mountaineering masterpieces of high-altitude mixed climbing, which are repeated numerous times each year. The first route opened is the relatively less repeated and perhaps also the most fascinating: the Contamine-Négri. The Contamine-Mazeaud and Contamine-Grisolle were to follow. The latter, for its relative safety and often favourable conditions, is nowadays the most popular. Other than these acheivements, Contamine was also the pioneer of other less well-known and difficult routes, such as the Contamine route on the Aiguilles du Diable, L’Isolee (with G. Epinoux, Y. Maillard, Y. Morin, J.M. Parent and J. Raphoz, in 1968).In 1969 he put up a final line on the Triangle du Tacul with C. Cassin, A. Faure, R. Girod, J. Luc, J. Méchoud and G. Ménard, which confronted the serac and the suspended glacier of the NE face of the Triangle direct. This route, despite sharing the same ease of access as the other three Contamine routes on the Triangle, for obvious reasons is not climbed as frequently.

ANDRE CONTAMINE

Rock&Ice l Mont Blanc classic & plaisir

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061

61 C o l d u G é a n t

319

The ridge of the Aiguilles Marbrées extends N to S on the eastern border of the plateau of Col du Géant. Only slightly above the glacial plain, it is composd of rather loose rock. For this reason its short walls are not climbed, whilst the edge of the arête is very popular as a traverse route due to the lack of any difficult cliffs or monolithic gendarmes.

Route: Traverse

AIGUILLES MARBRÉES 3535 m

The North Peak of the Aiguilles Marbrées in the foreground

FIRST ASCENT: unknown

GRADE: PD

ASCENT: approximately 200 m, longer development

ASPECT: various. The main ridge faces N-S

SUPPORT BASES: Rifugio Torino (possible in a day from Pointe Helbronner)

CHARACTERISTICS: ridge traverse, possible gully variant

Avoiding the boulders at the start of the route

TraverseFrom Col de Rochefort to Col du Géant

N Peak S Peak

notch (abseil)

Nine l Pointe Helbronner - Col du Géant l Aiguilles MarbréesRock&Ice l Mont Blanc classic & plaisir

321320

b • From the SW gullyFrom autumn to spring with stable snow con-ditions, the N Summit of the Aiguilles Marbrées can be reached via the south-west gully. The gully is visible from Col du Géant: if it is com-pletely filled with snow, ascend it direct (45°) to exit onto the main Aiguilles Marbrées ridge just south of the S Summit. Move left along the ridge and ascend to the summit as described above. 1 h from the hut.

ROUTEFrom the N Summit of Aiguilles Marbrées de-scend S along the main ridge, retracing the final part of the approach and continuing easily to the snowy col at the top of the south-west gully.

Descend further along the blocks of the ridge to a pronounced gendarme. Move around this on snowy or scree ledges in summer (care re-quired) on the east side. Regain the ridge and move around the next gendarme easily on the west side. Stay on the ridge and climb a lovely rock section on the arête (I and II) which leads to a notch just N of the S Summit. There is a chain anchor here. Make a 30 m abseil, keeping right (looking up) to reach the glacier at Col du Géant. From here return quickly to Rifugio To-rino. On the abseil, avoid descending vertically: you run the risk of pulling down some of the large rocks stacked below the notch. 1-1 h 30 from the N Summit to the glacier.

IDEAL CONDITIONSThe route via an approach from Col de Ro-chefort is almost always tracked and generally possible year round. The rock is delicate and movement is safer with a good snow cover. In summer and in dry conditions, stay on the edge as much as possible, avoiding the loose rock of the sides. Stable snow is required in winter.The approach variant via the south-west gully is only possible with good snow cover. When the gully is not completely filled with snow or with poor refreezing conditions and high tempera-tures, it becomes dangerous due to rockfall.

A short distance away from Pointe Helbronner, the small but sharp ridge of the Aiguilles Mar-brées is an interesting playground for a half day excursion and for practicing alpine tech-niques. The classic line of the traverse begins from Col de Rochefort and follows the ENE side of the North Summit of the Aiguilles Marbrées. From the summit the real traverse begins, de-veloping along the main ridge of the Aiguilles facing N-S. The traverse usually ends at a col just north of the South Summit.

GEAREquipment for glacier travel, some slings and quickdraws for protection on spikes, a rack of small and medium cams, one 60 m single rope.

APPROACHa • From Col de Rochefort via the E ridge of the N SummitFrom Pointe Helbronner or Rifugio Torino cross the plateau of Col du Géant north-east, passing the west-northern arête of the N Summit of the Aiguilles Marbrées, then turn right (SE) to reach Col de Rochefort. Follow the E ridge of the Ai-guilles Marbrées N Summit. When there is snow on the ridge, all of the difficult sections can be avoided on the left; otherwise it is better to stay on the edge of the ridge with short sections of climbing on blocks (II). Continue beyond a small rise culminating in a characteristic rock flake and descend slightly to the next col. Climb to reach the main ridge of the Aiguilles Marbrées, facing N-S. Move right (N), go east around a gendarme and ascend to the N Summit via a short slab on the E side (II). 1 h 30-2 h from the hut.

Climbing on the ridge

The short slab leading to the N Summit

Nine l Pointe Helbronner - Col du Géant l Aiguilles MarbréesRock&Ice l Mont Blanc classic & plaisir