Since March, a large crevasse has cut the normal route of Mont Blanc at the Bosses. It is therefore necessary to bypass it: from the right, some guides have placed moorings which have caused a controversy. The guide Daniel du Lac proposes here the main possible variants by bypassing the crevasse by the left.
The normal route of Mont Blanc has become more complicated this year, due to the glacial terrain becoming steeper or more uneven. This normal route is the scene of a controversy between the guides of S-Gervais who placed stakes to secure the so-called right-hand passage, and the Chamonix guide Christophe Profit who partially removed them. But this passage is not the only one to bypass the badly placed crevasse. Here’s a nice initiative: mountain guide Daniel du Lac shared with us his thoughts on this normal route and ways to get around the big crevasse on the Bosses.
Mont Blanc Bosses ridge. Photo and routes by Daniel du Lac.
*Green* = Dédé Rhem route opened by Christophe Profit end of April 22
*Yellow* = Daniel Dulac’s variant of April 30, 22.
*Blue* = after the start of the Dédé Rhem, similar to what was done before spring 2022.
*Red* = route on the Italian side and Tournette equipped with stakes (?)
Concerning the variant on the right, in red on the photo, the one where the guides of St Gervais had placed stakes which were partially removed by Christophe Profit, here is what Daniel thinks of it: « the problem is the end of the thin ridge because it is difficult to cross. »
Daniel has done several Mont Blancs this season and explains: « at the end of April I traced the north face in yellow with Sylvain Tesson and Philippe Removille, a route that was taken up by skiers… ». On a personal note, Daniel Dulac specifies that there is only the blue route that he has not done.
« The Dédé Rhem route is really easy with steps. I only took out the ice axe for the first 15 metres at the beginning of the traverse which goes around a small snow wall. Last Friday I went up that way and came down the red route [called the right hand route going up] which passes the rings by hand, but I had only one client ».
He added: « It’s good that everyone knows the different possibilities. »