Page Type:
|
Route |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
|
45.84330°N / 6.90740°E |
Route Type:
|
mixed |
|
Time Required:
|
Most of a day |
|
Difficulty:
|
Mixed. II PD, UIAA I-II (YDS 5.3), 35º; snow couloir variant up to 45º |
|
Approach
Starting point is Torino Hut at Col du Géant (3375m).
Route Description
Very popular ridge route and most often used descent. Ridge length about 600m with 250 meters ascent. 3-4h from the Hut.
All in all non-trivial for a normal route.
FA party: J.Blackhouse, T.Carson, D.Freshfield, C.Tucker, D.Balleys & M.Payot 22.7.1867 in descent.
Starting from Torino Hut (3375m) cross the Col des Flambeaux and go around the base of Aiguille de Toule. From there there are two possibilities:
a) follow the glacier on the east side of Tour Ronde to the Col d'Entrèves (3527m, 1,5h from the hut). Follow the snowy South-East ridge, at first on the right side, then turn a series of gendarmes on the left. Reach a snow saddle of Col Freshfield at 3625m.
b) Before reaching the Col d'Entrèves head right to relatively steep (max.45 degrees?) snow couloir. Pass the bersgschrund and climb the couloir directly up to Col Freshfield .
From Col Freshfield climb on a moderate rock (II) with some airy sections on the granite crest. This is followed by a snowy slope that leads on the foot of final rocks. Scramble them to achieve to summit.
In descent 2-3h from summit to Col du Géant. It is possible to rappel the steep rocks down to Col Freshfield.
 |  |
Essential Gear
ice axe, crampons
References
1) Griffin Lindsay: Mont Blanc Massif, vol I. Alpine Club 1996. ISBN: 0-900523-57-3. pp 130 #267.
2) Eberlein Hartmunt: Mont-Blanc-Gruppe - Gebietsführer für Bergsteiger und Klettere. Bergverlag Rodulf Rother, 2000. ISBN: 3-7633-2414-3. pp179 #454 (ascent), pp181 #459 (descent).
3) La Tour Ronde Normalweg - Route description of couloir variant in German at der Alpenführer.
4) Gaston Rebuffat: The Mont Blanc Massif : The 100 Finest Routes. The Mountaineers Books, 1996. ISBN: 0898864771. #11.
5) Laroche Jean-Louis & Lelong Florence: Die Gipfel des Montblanc - die schönsten Routen in allen Schwierigkeiten. BLV Verlaggesellschaft mbH, 1999. ISBN: 3-405-15693-9. #7
Miscellaneous Info
If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.