Dôme du Goûter

Overview

Dôme du Goûter is the third highest summit of Mont Blanc group, and maybe one of the flatest top in the all Alps. Even if most of the people going on Mont Blanc Goûter normal route is going on Dôme du Goûter, the summit is usually neglicted.

Completely covered by ice, the Dôme has 4 faces. The west face is steep -1000hm over Bionassay glacier- and with serac cliffs. It has an Italian and steep icy an rocky southern face over Glacier du Dôme. The NW side is covered with Taconnaz glacier. The east side is covered by ice wich is flowing to petit Plareau and Grand Plateau and later to Glacier des Bossons.

The Dôme is connected to Mont Blanc Bosses ridge (SE) , connected to Aiguille du oûter (NW) and connected to Aiguille de Bionnassay (W).

Getting There

During summer period TMB (Mont Blanc Train) helps to go from the valley to the begining of the route (2 372 m). Mont Blanc Train


1. You reach the St Gervais valley by train:

• a.
  From Martigny (Switzerland) via Vallorcine.


• b.
  From Geneva (airport)
  Annecy (TGV) and St. Gervais.

2. You reach the St Gervais valley by bus:

• From/via Annecy, Geneva, Grenoble, Courmayeur, Aoste and Turin

3 . You reach the St Gervais valley by car:

• a. From Geneva (from the NW) on the A40 till St. Gervais and from here on the N205.


• b. From Martigny (from the NE, Switzerland) via Vallorcine and the Col des Montets on the road no. N506.

Routes overview

The main danger on Goûter dôme is to become lost because of fog and hard wind, when the trail is going to be erased very fast.

Routes on Dôme du Goûter (from Gonella hut web site)

1. Dôme du Goûter Italian normal route
Start point : 3071 m (Refuge Gonella)
Hm: : 1200 hm
Cotation : PD+
Timing : 6h

From Gonella hut, 3071 m, snow traverse to join Dôme glacier. Go up on the glacier on the right part of the glacier (on the left when ascending) , to Aiguilles grises pass.
Southern spur of Piton des Italiens, 4003 m,
Snow ridge to Dôme du Goûter, 4304m


2. Dôme du Goûter French normal route
Start point : 3817 m (Refuge du Goûter)
Hm: : 500 hm
Cotation : F
Timing : 1h30

From Goûter hut, 3817 m :
Aiguille du Goûter summit ridge to Goûter pass 3840m
Direct snow ascend on Dôme NW flank (Mont Blanc normal route)
Just before descending to Col du Dôme, turn right to the south direction go straight 300m, and stop when it begins to descent.


3. Dôme du Goûter North ridge route from Grand Mulets
Start point : 3051 m (Refuge des Grand Mulets )
Hm: : 1250 hm
Cotation : AD
Timing : 6h

This route is more recommended than Petit Plateau route,
because of too much serac fall risk on Petit Plateau.

Red Tape

No red tape.
Hut reservation is mandatory.

When To Climb

June to september is the classical summer season for mountaineering.

Camping

They are camping place in Chamonix.

Huts

Goûter hut CAF

Tête Rousse hut CAF

Gonella hut CAI

Mountain Conditions

1. WEATHER INFOS:

• Météo France in Chamonix: 0033/836680274
• Snowinfos: 0033/836 681 020 (only in France, not from abroad)
• internet: Météo France
• meteo 7 days Chamonix

2. GENERAL INFOS:

• Office de Haute Montagnes (OHM)/Chamonix:
  0033450 532 208 (9:00-12:00 & 15:00-18:00 during the summer)
• Bureau des Guides in Chamonix: 0033/450530088.
• Office de Tourisme in Chamonix: 0033/450530024
• Office de Tourisme Argentière: 0033/450540214
• internet:
• www.chamonix.com
• www.courmayer-montblanc.com

Glaciers

Glacier des Bossons (east)
Glacier de Taconnaz (north)
Glacier de Bionassay (west)
Ghiacciaio del Dôme (south)

External links

intercarto.fr 3D Mont Blanc Massif Map

Images

View Dôme du Goûter Image Gallery - 228 Images