Mont Blanc Classic & Plaisir
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rock&ice 4 Mont Blanc classic & plaisir SECOND EDITION idea Montagna editoria e alpinismo rock&ice Mont Blanc classic & plaisir Translation: Lynne Hempton idea Montagna editoria e alpinismo PREFACE 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 PHOTOGRAPHY or confusion... All of the photographs used for the photo topos were taken by the author, apart from the photos on page 301 (A. Chanoine) Let this book, so clearly the product of a true lifetime passion, reveal to its readers those great and 317 (A. Conz). Where not otherwise specified in the caption, all other photographs were taken by the author. 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 First edition: July 2012 Second edition: July 2015 shared in that unique bond between climbers. ISBN: 978-88-97299-63-9 Idea Montagna Editoria e Alpinismo Patrick Gabarrou Via Guido Rossa, 17 - 35016 Piazzola sul Brenta - Padua - Italy Tel. 049 9601797 - Fax 049 8840000 [email protected] - www.ideamontagna.it * Mont Blanc, enchanted garden 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. 5 l Introduction INTRODUCTION 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 Left: The snowy cap of the Aiguille Verte overlooking Col du Passon and the Glacier du Tour Next page: Spring on the Bosses Ridge 7 l Index INDEX • Preface 5 FOUR • MER DE GLACE 105 • Introduction 7 Lower Envers Slabs 110 • Geographic Location 12 018 • Pilier des Rhodo-Dindons 111 • Technical Information 14 019 • Voie Georges 111 020 • Vingt Mille Lieues Sous la Neige 111 ONE • ORNY - TRIENT 21 Aiguille du Moine 118 Gendarme d’Orny 25 021 • South Side and South Ridge 119 001 • Papa Paye 26 022 • Normal Route 123 Aiguille de la Cabane 30 Aiguille Verte 125 002 • Voie du Bon Accueil 31 023 • Normal Route 126 Aiguille d’Orny 35 Les Courtes 132 003 • La Moquette 36 024 • Normal Route and Traverse 133 Aiguilles Dorées 41 Pointe Isabelle 138 004 • Couloir Copt 42 025 • Normal Route 139 005 • South Ridge 46 Tête Blanche 52 FIVE • AIGUILLES DE CHAMONIX 143 006 • North Face 53 Aiguille de l’M 147 026 • North-North-East Ridge 148 TWO • TOUR BASIN 55 Petits Charmoz 152 Aiguille du Tour 60 027 • Traverse 153 007 • Normal Route 61 Lames Fontaine 158 008 • Couloir de la Table 64 028 • Voie Abert 159 Aiguille du Chardonnet 67 Aiguille du Peigne 162 009 • Forbes Arête 68 029 • Les Lépidoptères 163 010 • Migot Spur 72 030 • Arête des Papillons 167 Tête Blanche and Petite Fourche 75 031 • Éperon des Minettes 171 011 • Normal Routes 76 SIX • AIGUILLE DU MIDI THREE • ARGENTIÈRE BASIN 79 LES TROIS MONTS 175 Petite Aiguille Verte 85 Aiguille du Midi 181 012 • Normal Route 86 032 • Cosmiques Arête 182 013 • Chevalier Couloir 88 033 • Voie Rébuffat Aiguille d’Argentière 90 Eperon des Cosmiques 185 014 • Normal Route 91 Aiguille du Plan 190 015 • Y Couloir 94 034 • Midi-Plan Traverse 191 Aiguille du Refuge Pointe Lachenal 195 and Aiguille du Génépi 97 035 • Traverse 196 016 • Le Gâteau de Riz 98 Triangle du Tacul 198 017 • South Ridge 102 036 • Contamine-Négri 199 9 Rock&Ice l Mont Blanc classic & plaisir l Index 037 • Contamine-Grisolle 202 057 • Velociraptor 296 Aiguille de Charlanon 394 BIOGRAPHIES AND TALES 038 • Contamine-Mazeaud 204 Aiguille Croux 298 076 • Arête du Doigt 395 The Remy brothers 34 039 • Goulotte Chéré 206 058 • Via Cheney 299 Aiguille de l’Index 399 Michel Piola 116 Mont Blanc du Tacul 209 077 • South-East Ridge 400 Edward Whymper 130 040 • Normal Route 210 NINE • POINTE HELBRONNER Pointe Gaspard 404 Gaston Rébuffat 188 Mont Maudit 213 COL DU GÉANT 303 078 • Gaspard Premier 405 André Contamine 201 041 • North-East Ridge 214 Dent du Géant 310 Aiguilles Crochues 407 First ascent of Mont Blanc 237 Mont Blanc 217 059 • Normal Route 312 079 • Traverse 408 Giusto Gervasutti 342 042 • Voie des Trois Monts 218 Aiguille de Rochefort 315 080 • South Ridge to the South Summit 411 Arturo Ottoz 354 060 • Normal Route Patrick Gabarrou and Manlio Motto 376 SEVEN • BOSSONS - BIONNASSAY via the Rochefort Ridge 316 ROUTES IN GRADE ORDER 414 VALLÉE DES CONTAMINES 221 Aiguilles Marbrées 318 • Mountaineering routes with some Mont Blanc 229 061 • Traverse 319 or limited in-situ gear 414 043 • Voie Royale 230 Aiguille de Toule 322 • Fully bolted sport climbs 415 044 • Normal Route via the Aiguille du 062 • South-West slope 323 • Ice routes 415 Goûter and the Bosses Ridge 234 063 • North Face 326 • High mountain and mixed routes 416 Aiguille de Bionnassay 238 Aiguille d’Entrèves 328 045 • Traverse of the Ridges 239 064 • Ridge traverse 329 Dômes de Miage 243 Tour Ronde 332 046 • Mettrier Ridge to Dôme Orientale 244 065 • Normal Route 333 047 • Dômes de Miage Traverse 248 066 • North Face 336 Aiguille Nord de Tré la Tête 252 067 • Gervasutti Couloir 339 048 • Normal Route via the NNW face 253 Roi de Siam 344 Aiguille de la Leé Blanche 255 068 • Le Lifting du Roi 345 049 • North-West Face 256 Pyramide du Tacul 350 069 • East Ridge 351 EIGHT • VAL VENY - SEIGNE 259 Aiguille des Glaciers