Goulotte chéré

What is great with Disneyland is you can choose your favourite carousel. Depending on your mood and wishes. It’s bit the same in « Monutain Disneyland » aka Chamonix.

You have several carousels (Aiguille du midi, Brévent, Flégère, Grands Montets…) and a lot of different toys (Skis, ice axes, rock climbing gear, paraglides…) Depending on the wheater, your mood and wishes, you pick one or two and just spend a great day in the range.

After  nice couloirs we decided with ena to go on ice climbing. Ice climbing in april, what a strange idea ! Don’t worry, « Goulotte chéré » on Mont-Blanc du tacul is often in good condition at this time. And it’s a perfect choice to discover or improve in « gully climbing style ».

Approach is obvious and this line is a really classic one. (sometimes crowded !!)

Belays are really good and 6 pitches of not too hard not too steep ice lead you to top of « triangle du tacul ». The gully is graded 4 and never steeper than 80°.

You need 2*60m rope, 8 ice screws and fews camalots. Once on summit you just abseil down, pick your skis and go down by the nice « vallée blanche ».

One more great day in the office ;)

And the day is even better when you have the surprise to meet friends on the way down.

Vanessa François is a dear Belgian/Chamonix friend. In 2010 a mountain accident let her disabled… It was really nice to meet her in the middle of Vallée blanche, achieving one of her little dream : skiing one more time this great hors piste, but with her skichair. Congratulation to you Vaness and all your team and keep this nice smile which suit you.

http://www.vanessafrancois.com/?p=954

Antoine.