CHANDELLE du TACUL : BONATTI-TABOU

RIDING THE BOX

 Having grown weary of climbing in big boots with heavy packs, Eva and I went looking for some lift accessed splitter granite. An early morning ride across the Panoramic Mont-Blanc telecabine left us with an easy 1 hr. walk to the Satellites du Tacul.

VALLEE BLANCHE

HEADED TO THE PLAYGROUND

We chose a classic Bonatti route on the Chandelle combined with a direct finish up Piola's Tabou.  Just SW of the Grand Capucin and Trident.

CHANDELLE

L3

L3

L4

EVA
L4

After 5 gorgeous pitches a cold wind began to blow. No stress, 45 minutes later we were back on the glacier and casually walked back to the lift. Another perfect day of Semi-Luxuriant Alpinism.

TRIDENT

TABOU
L5

SPLITTER

MT. BLANC DU TACUL

GREPON - MER DE GLACE

MADONNA

Continuing this summer's trend of classic granite alpine climbs, we decided on the E. face of the Grepon. First climbed in August, 1911 this historic route finishes with the famous Knubel Crack graded 5+ or (5.9+). Quite a stout pitch especially after 850m of climbing and topping out at 3482m.

MER DE GLACE FACE 

LATE LUNCH

REFUGE ENVERS

We set off midday starting with a ride up the Montenvers cog railway, then a 2.5 hr hike up to the Refuge Envers where we stopped for a delicious omelette and pasta. Around 5:00 p.m. we left the hut and made our way across the small Treleporte Glacier. A few tricky bergshrund crossings brought us to the base of the route. After 200m of moderate climbing we reached a large platform where we bivouacked for the night.

SPOOKY

CONTEMPLATING

BIVY LEDGE

ON THE ROCK

Setting off at first light we made our way up a series of ramps and slabs with a 20m rappel to cross a large couloir and finally onto the E buttress. The climbing got progressively harder as we followed a series of cracks and chimneys. The final 100m consisted of sustained 5+ chimneys and offwidths culminating with the Fissure Knubel just below the summit. We were rewarded with a beautiful panorama of the massif watched over by the famous Madonna.

AIGUILLE DU MOINE

MORNING SUN

WOLFIE HEADING UP

EVA IN A CLEAN CORNER

PIC DE ROC

FISSURE KNUBEL

VIEW DOWN THE ROUTE

SUMMIT

SERAC

A long and tedious descent brought us down and across the menacing Nantillons Glacier. Quite the adventure!

DOMES DES MIAGE

Domes des Miage

An unsettled forecast and marginal conditions on the famed Matterhorn had us searching for an alternative. Senior Mountaintracks guide Nick Parks suggested a visit to the remote western corner of the Mt Blanc range. A long approach from the hamlet of Bionnassay brought us to the Refuge Plan - Glacier. The following morning we climbed to the Col de Miage, after a brief rest at the Refuge Durier we set off for the Domes des Miage in deteriorating conditions. We traversed the first couple of summits of the Miage and opted to descend from the Col des Domes onto the Tre-la-Tete Glacier. A long descent of 2000m brought us past the Refuge des Conscrits and eventually back the village of Les Contamines.

Bionnassay

looking back from the Col du Tricot

afternoon trek

Refuge Plan-Glacier

Chef Patrick serving up a mean tartiflette 

Summit of the Miage

Refuge des Conscrits

ARETE RYAN; AIGUILLE DU PLAN

The E. Ridge of the Aig. du Plan rises from Envers de Blatiere Glacier, flanked by the Pain de Sucre and the Dent du Crocodile in the heart of the Chamonix Aiguilles. Another classic from Rebuffat's bible, this striking line was first climbed back in 1906 from the Montenvers train to the summit in an incredible twelve hours and forty minutes, Chapeau!

Being the relatively soft and timid modern alpinists that we are,  Eva and myself opted to spend a leisurely afternoon at the wonderful Envers des Aiguilles Refuge complete with a 3 course meal and cozy bed. We set off in the predawn hours for the 2 hour glacial approach leading to the infamous bergshrund crossing which is often the crux of the entire course. Excellent snow conditions allowed easy access to the fluted slopes of the Pain de Sucre which we followed to a variation pioneered by Lionel Terray.

TWILIGHT

PAIN DE SUCRE

VARIANT TERRAY

 Once back on the rock we more or less stayed on the crest of the ridge for 350m of old school Chamoniarde style climbing. While never too difficult, the seemingly endless supply of chimneys and wide cracks made sure we got our money's worth.

APPROACHING THE 1ST STEP

THE GOODS

EVA IN CHIMNEY LAND

UP

MER DE GLACE

MENU DU JOUR

DENT DU REQUIN

MORE WIDENESS

GETTING CLOSER

FINAL STEP

MIDI - PLAN TRAVERSE

We finished with the airy Plan - Midi traverse to join the hordes of gawking touristas at the top of the Aig. du Midi for a quick download to sandals and green grass.