Mont Blanc du Tacul - Face Est

"If you turn to your right, you will see the massive wall of granite and ice of Mont Blanc du Tacul". Words spoken to many skiers by many guides while descending the Vallée Blanche. Mont Blanc du Tacul forms the eastern end of the massive lump of granite around Mont Blanc itself, and, with its satellites, offers some of the finest alpine climbing anywhere on the planet. Of particular note are Pilier Gervasutti (endless granite), Super Couloir (endless ice) and Couloir Gervasutti (endless steep snow).

This particular image was shot while skiing Vallée Blanche in the spring, more or less aligned with Pyramide du Tacul, and shows routes on Pointe Adolphe Rey, Petit Capucin, Aiguilles du Diable, Pyramide du Tacul, Pilier des Trois Pointes, Pilier Gervasutti, Pilier Boccalatte and of course Mont Blanc du Tacul itself!

 

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Route List

1: Slave to the Rhythm, ED WI6+§, Parkin, Taylor, 1997

2: Vol de Nuit, ED M8, Jasper, Klindt, 1997

3: Scotch on the Rocks, ED M7+, Gouault, Haston, 1995

4: Pinocchio,ED- WI6+ M6, Gouault, Haston, 1994

5: Little Whipper, TD- WI4+, Jantet, Norreslet, 1998

6: Goulotte Modica-Noury, TD WI5 M5, Modica, Noury, 1979

7: Goulotte Albinoni-Gabarrou, TD- WI4+ M4, Albinoni, Gabarrou, 1974

8: Hidden Couloir, TD WI4 4c, Billane, Griffin, 1973-1974

9: Hidden Couloir, Sortie Directe, TD+ WI5 M6, Parkin, Noury, 1994

10: Couloir Jager, D/5.4 E3, Barthélémy, Jager, 1964/Bessat, 1977

11: Couloir Jager Direct, D+

12: Couloir Gervasutti, D- X/5.3 E3, Chabod, Gervasutti, 1934/Saudan, 1968

13: Éperon NE, TD- 4c, Aureli, Cavalieri, Montagna, Sironi, 1965

14: Pilier de la Quille, TD A2 5c, Mollaret, Seigneur, 1965

15: Couloir Macho, D+, Macho, 1973/Rhem, Ruby, 1994

16: Couloir Macho Direct, TD+ WI5 M6, Barton, Shaw, 1973

17: D Day, TD+ WI5, Darbellay, Gabarrou, 2004

18: Pilier Boccalatte, Sortie par la Tour Rouge, TD+ 5c, Boccalatte, Pietrasanta, 1936

19: Coco Fesse, TD+ WI4 M6+, Cormier, Radigue, 1986

20: Pilier Gervasutti, TD 6a/5c obl., Fornelli, Mauro, 1951

21: Joe’s Garage, 6c, Delisi, Forcatura, 1984

22: Federica au Mont Blanc, 5c, Delisi, Domenech, Forcatura, Remy, 1984

23: Super Couloir, ED- WI5 M6/5c, Boivin, Gabarrou, 1975

24: Totem, 6c+/6c obl., Piola, Strappazzon, 1988

25: Toboggan, 6b/6b obl., Piola, Steiner, 1986

26: Puzzle, 6b/5c obl., Caneparo, Ciavattini, Meneghin, Oviglia, 1984

27: Directe des Alsaciens, 6b, Hagenmuller, Koenig, 1979

28: Classique 1959, A1 5c, Cavalieri, Mellano, Perego, Tro, 1959

29: Le Labyrinthe de Minos, TD WI5, Boekart, Grassi, Leduc, Rossi, van Espen, 1987

30: Couloir du Diable, D/5.4 E3, Antoldi, Boccalatte, Chabod, Gallo, Ghiglione, 1934/Chauchefoin, 1976

31: Couloir de l’Isolée, D, Marty, Théron, 1956/Giacomini, 1977

32: De But en Blanc, D WI4, Collet, Devogue

33: Éperon ENE de la Corne du Diable, Branche de Droite, D+ WI3 5c, Cazeler, Macho, 1974

34: Goulotte Lafaille, D+ WI4, Lafaille, 1985

35: Goulotte Lafaille Directe, TD- WI4+, Aubert, Lafaille, 1994

36: Éperon ENE de la Corne du Diable, Branche de Gauche, D+ 5c, Cavalieri, Montagna, 1974

37: Couloir Chèré, D/5.4 E3, Chèré, 1974/Tardivel, 1994

38: Éperon du Col du Diable, AD, Cavalieri, Pastine, Pastine, 1974

39: Armes Égales, 6a, Domenech, Remy, Remy, 1984

40: Le Ronfleur Paradoxal, 5b, Remy, Remy, 1984

41: D’Entrée de Jeu, 6a+, Domenech, Remy, Remy, 1985

42: Cité Radieuse, 6c/6a+ obl., Piola, Piola, 1986

43: Taxi Surprise, 6c/6a obl., Armand, Hopfgartner, Piola, Vogler, 1985

44: Le Jour et la Nuit, 6c/6a obl., Long, Vogler, 1990

45: Arête E, D- 5a, Croux, Grivel, Ottoz, 1940

46: Ice Fall, 6c+/6b obl., Piola, Strappazzon, 1989

47: Face SE, D+ A1 5b, Nava, Ottoz, 1952

48: À la Recherche du Temps Perdu, TD WI5 X, Damilano, Grassi, 1989

49: Couloir Macho du Col du Diable, AD+/5.2 E3, Macho, 1975/Chauchefoin, Tardivel, 1981

50: Goulotte Grassi-Stratta, TD- WI4, Grassi, Stratta, 1985

51: Goulotte Germain, TD- WI4+, Challéat, Germain, 1973

52: Face N du Petit Capucin, ED A3 6a R, Glarey, Viotto, 1953

53: Éperon NE du Petit Capucin, ED- A2 6a, Ribaldone, Vaccari, 1965

54: Chippendale, TD- WI4, Lagesse, Pelissier, 1996

55: Goulotte Valéria, TD- WI4+ M3, Grassi, Rudatis, 1987

56: Arête E/Voie Gervasutti, D+ 5c, Gervasutti, Panei, 1943

57: Inpulso Geniale, TD+ M8, Cazzanelli, Perruquet, 2022

58: Ultra Directe EHM, TD+ A2 6a/M8, Bernezat, Revilliod, Riboud, Robbe, 1962/Gourques, Mercier, 2013

59: Changing Corners, TD+ M7, Dumarest, Livingstone, 2022

60: Voie Terray, TD+ A2 5c, Guillaume, Terray, 1958

61: Fil ou Face, 6c/6b obl., Amstutz, Mesot, Vogler, 1991

62: Cache Cache, 6c/6a obl., Amstutz, Vogler, 1989

63: Super Lionel, TD-, Cheraz, Framarin, Epiney, Fion, 1984

64: Voie Salluard, 6a/5c obl., Busi, Salluard, 1951

65: Arête du Diable, D+ 5b, Cachat, Charlet, O’Brien, Underhill, 1928

Updates

Feb 15, 2022: Added the new line "Changing Corners" from earlier this month, FA by Christophe Dumarest and Tom Livingstone.

Oct 18, 2022: Graphic design update

March 7, 2024: Graphic design update