Modica-Noury
AI5 M6- Steep Snow
Type: | Trad, Mixed, Ice, Snow, Alpine, 1640 ft (497 m), 4 pitches, Grade III |
FA: | Gilles Modica and Antoine Noury, 24 June 1979 |
Page Views: | 497 total · 14/month |
Shared By: | Bogdan Petre on Mar 31, 2022 |
Admins: | Bogdan Petre, David Riley, Luc-514 |
Description
The crux 2nd pitch is exceptional vertical ice in a corner/chimney that allows for stemming and backstepping. The fourth and final pitch is pretty good too. The first and third pitch meanwhile are pretty easy and straightforward.
Approach by climbing 55* snow slopes above the bergschrunds. Note the anchor chains on the right wall of the couloir for use when descending. After 1000' take the right fork and begin climbing easy mixed terrain. After simuling some M2-3/AI3 you'll find anchor options on your right. When we did it this was old tat on pins.
Pitch 1: Climb an 80* section of mixed/ice. Pass the chains on the right after the step and continue along lower angle ice towards the crux pitch until you see chains on the left. (40-60m).
Pitch 2: The AI5+ money pitch. Belay off pins on the left (backup with a screw). 40m.
Pitch 3: Snow climbing with a couple of mixed boulder moves if the snow is low. Take this to bolts on the right below the short final AI5 pitch. 50m.
Pitch 4: AI5. Possibly thin. Anchor on the top left. 15m
You can continue to the top via easy mixed terrain and descend the Tacul's standard route or (more often) rappel the route. 9-10 full length rappels gets you back over the bergschrund.
Location
This route is in the couloir right of the Gervasutti and Jaeger couloirs on Mont Blanc du Tacul's east fast, in the same drainage as Gabarrou Albinoni. The top half of the couloir features a fork. Gabarrou-Albinoni is the left side, and is slightly easier, while Modica Noury is the right and slightly thinner and steeper side.
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