Contamine Mazeaud, Triangle du Tacul

Climbing the Contamine Mazeaud route on the Triangle du Tacul

Friday, 15th July

An early start to get the first cable car but with the long queues already formed, we narrowly missed the second but did get the third car up towards the Aiguille du Midi and the sun.

Once down the arete from the cable car and across the Col du Midi, we moved together for the first 125metres with one ice screw runner just above the bergschrund then runners on the rock to our right till we crossed over to belay on the left below the steepening slopes.

Steeper ice took us up through a little gully to a belay just above on a little snowy shoulder then easier angled snow trending to our left then back right up and over a short rocky step. That was us on to the big snow ramp which traversed up and right for four long pitches then onwards and up towards the ridge following mixed ground and a snowy arete to finish with a steep section up an icy groove and over a final rocky step,the summit of the Triangle du Tacul.

The walk on to the summit of Mont Blanc du Tacul was quite spectacular in itself following the corniced arete to the shoulder and the normal route up Tacul.

We were lucky in that conditions couldn't have been much better for this great route that we've both wanted to do for years but never managed to catch it in good conditions.