Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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45.47170°N / 7.06080°E |
Route Type:
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Basic Snow/Glacier |
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Time Required:
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A few days |
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Difficulty:
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F, MSA (ski-m.) |
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Approach
From Thumel, follow trail no. 14 for Rifugio Benevolo (1h45min).
Warning: in springtime, road for Thumel is closed for snow. This ski-mountineering could begin from Rhêmes Notre Dame. This will add 2 hours more to reach Benevolo Hut!
Route Description
Day 1. In spring or summer there are no difficulties to reach Benevolo Hut. As written before, it could be a very long hike ... it depends on where road ends.
Day 2. Ski-Mountaineering
From Benevolo Hut, cross Dora di Rhêmes river and leave it on your left. March on easy slopes around Truc Saint Helene, then turn W direction toward E great rocky Granta Parei face.
***Once reached large highlands at wall feet, turn to SW direction and cross these large plains leaving Granta Parei at your right.
Once reached southern corner of Granta Parei, you are on Tsanteleyna Glacier. Great sightseen of higher plateau from here. Tsanteleynaz Peak and Punta Calabre are now well visible.
Always marching in SWS direction, a little bit steeper slope will be found. This is the most dangerous zone for crevasses, expecially in late spring or summer season! Be careful.
Passed this steeper slope, a "snow airfield" called Punta Calabre is at your feet. Great sightseen on Monte Bianco and Gran Paradiso. But the greatest surprise here, is the hidden wild glacier basin of Val di Rhêmes. Southside Val d'Isere (France) will appare ...
Day 2: summer hike
From Benevolo Hut follow trail to Goletta Lake. Half an hour before arriving at Goletta lake, a "not so well marked" path (there is a yellow panel, and nothing else more ...) invites to Tsanteleynaz Col. Follow this pale track and continue on highlands just at Granta Parei E face feet. In summer time the path is traced close to Granta Parei Lake.
*** from this point the description is the same as for ski-mountaineering.
Keep your eyes well opened while crossing Tsanteleynaz glacier.
"Normal" people takes two days for Punta Calabre ... but well trained skiers can perform this run in a single day! Please remind the great distance from Thumel to Calabre summit and evaluate your training level.
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Essential Gear
Alpin gear is highly recommened, even in summer! Do not underrate this hike!
Miscellaneous Info
If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.