Tour Ronde & Mont Blanc du Tacul
Discovering a few beautiful classic routes around the Géant glacier and the Col du Midi...
With Amélie, Thibault, Jérôme & Alex.
During the first week of the aspirant guide 3 course placement, Alex, Jérôme and I welcome Amélie and Thibault for a week of mountaineering. After a first day getting to know each other over a few pitches of climbing, we gain altitude: off to the Torino hut.
There is still a lot of snow, but it holds well and the approaches are pleasant. We start with the traverse of the Aiguilles Marbrées to get familiar with mixed terrain. The weather is splendid above a beautiful sea of clouds.
After a more or less good night depending on each of us, off to the Tour Ronde via the Gervasutti couloir. This very aesthetic couloir lets you do the summit as a loop. As with all the routes on the Tour Ronde, watch the timing because the descent faces east.
Amélie and Thibault are at ease and it goes smoothly. We are on the summit at 8am after feasting our eyes on a splendid setting. We take in the whole Combe Maudite, with Mont Blanc in the background and the line of the Peuterey ridge.
The descent by the normal route is in very good condition, but the snow is already starting to soften. A little more concentration on this slope and we are back at the hut at 10am.
After a good afternoon's rest, the following day brings together all the difficulties of the last two days, as we decide on Mont Blanc du Tacul via the Contamine-Grisolle. A beautiful, varied line leading to over 4000m.
Ice tools are on the menu, much to the delight of Thibault, who enjoys the few ice pitches on the route.
A change of atmosphere and effort for the last 200m that take us from the Triangle du Tacul to the summit. Not a breath of wind: we fully enjoy the place. The mountains are really beautiful at the end of this spring.
Once again, a big thank you to you both for your motivation and enthusiasm!
Photo gallery...