Château Blanc (3.408m) normal route

Château Blanc (3.408m) normal route

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 45.63949°N / 7.02322°E
Additional Information Route Type: Hike/scramble (fixed ropes)&Basic Snow/Glacier Cli
Additional Information Time Required: A long day
Additional Information Difficulty: The route is classified F (easy) or PD (a little difficult) depending on the mountain conditions
Sign the Climber's Log

Approach

Follow the trail from La Joux (1.607m) to Rifugio Albert Deffeyes (2.494m) described in the main page.

Route Description

Descend from Rifugio Albert Deffeyes for about 50 meters the trail for the inlet stream of Lago Azzurro. Cross the small wooden bridge and keep the right trail that leads to the Upper Rutor Lakes (2.539m). After about 10 minutes the trail forks. Keep left and reach shorlty after a small lake known by the names of "Dans la Roche" or "Lac Sans Nom" (2.602m). Continue up to a small col at approximately 2.680m and on to the left moraine of the Huge Rutor Glacier. (Here at 2.790m you'll find fixed ropes that have been recently placed after the moraine slid on the glacier. This is perhaps the most difficult spot of the entire ascent.) Past this point, leave on your left the small valley that leads to Colle di Planaval (3.016m). Continue the ascent to reach the left branch of the glacier, located directly under Flambeau (3.315m). Continue the ascent with the rocks and ice of Flambeau directly to your left; Pass Col di Doravidi (3.337m) and colle di Château Blanc (3.279m) paying attention to crevasses, until you are under the west face of Château Blanc. Climb a snow gully that turns into easy rocks. Look for the best route aiming for the North Summit (3.408m), and then traverse on a small, level ridge to reach the South Summit (3.405m). From the hut, about 3h'30/4h'00. Descend along the same route.

Essential Gear

Mountaineering equipment including rope, ice axe, and crampons.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.


Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.