Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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45.81752°N / 6.86498°E |
Route Type:
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Mountaineering, Trad Climbing, Mixed |
Season:
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Summer |
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Time Required:
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A few days |
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Difficulty:
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PD/D |
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Overview
The Arête intégrale du Brouillard is one of the great and long riges on the italian side of Mt. Blanc.
It is easier than the well known neighbours Innominata and Peuterey but long and commiting.
UIAA I-II some pitches much harder UIAA IV-V (or A0/A1)
Lots of loose rock! Really - it's not a safe walk in the park!
Getting There
From Courmayeur go to Val Veny and park around 1570m.
At first take the path to the Morzino Hut or to the Gonella Hut. But stay on the Glacier de Miage until it's possible to reach a meadow behind the morain and below the start of the Brouillard Ridge (below grassy slopes).
Route Description
Finding the optimal route is not easy and not finding it can cost a lot of time and maybe another bivi.
Above the meadow climb steep grassy slopes with rather easy rock passages.
When reaching the upper rocks head left to a field of scree and climb a gully there. Otherwise it's possible to coninue straight up and ad some more towers to the journey which might cost several hours or up to an additional day.
More or less... follow the ridge. Several towers will be passed on the west side.
For more detailed description see the links below.
From the Bivi place at the Col Emile Rey descend some meters and traverse to the east until a wet or icy gully. (Lots of falling stones! Dangerous!) We climbed the first pitch on the left side - then entered the wet gully with overglazed rocks which we left to the right to some slings. Then straight up and slightly left for several pitches - follow old pitons, slings and gear...
The crux is a (wet) crack with a fixed friend. Very hard climbing A0/A1 is possible with some additional friends. Then the climbing gets much easier until reaching Pointe Louis Amédée where it's possible to make a bivi right on the summit.
After downclimbing and abseiling traverse to the east side and climb a difficult pitch (1 piton, UIAA IV-V, or A0/A1 is possible) to reach an easier gully and the crest of the ridge.
The rest to the summit(s) is much easier. Sometimes snow - sometimes rock...
If you want to go back to the Italian side I'd recomend the route via the Gonella Hut.
Essential Gear
Helmet!!!
Everything for Glacier
Rope with at least 40 m (up to 20 m absails)
Depending on conditions 2 Ice Axes might be necesary.
Some Friends and Nuts
Several Carabiners
Some Slings
External Links
Description on camptocamp.org (French)
Webcam Courmayeur-Youla (look towards NW)