UKC

Hi, 

Would like to ask if going down from Mont Blanc via Trois Monts route. Is abseiling down the snow slope from col du maudit necessary? Have anyone tried downclimbing the slope instead? Also, is there a fixed anchor for abseiling?

You could try:

http://www.alpine-club.org.uk/ac2/news/chamonix-condtions

The last update was on the 11th and said:

"Mont Blanc by the 3 Monts : the rope which was in place at Col du Mont Maudit is in a very bad state."

Or, try ringing the Chamonix guides office for the latest on the route.

I’m sure someone will be along to give you an up to date position but there are generally fixed anchors at the top and in the rock island in the middle. 50m rope was sufficient. It is possible to down climb dependant on conditions and if you have the capability- obviously your call. There is normally a fixed rope in situ as well but, depending on conditions it can be snowed/iced in to the slope and unusable. 

It depends on the condition of it. We down climbed it with one axe a while back. It is about 50 degrees. It was covered in snow then. If it was icy it would be a different proposition. Mind you the first one down fell into the berschund.. Luckily my axe was well planted and I held him.

As of Wednesday last week no abseiling is needed. Five metres of easy downclimbing will get you to a fixed rope. This fixed ropes leads about half way down the upper steep slope at which point it joins another fixed rope. This next rope has been badly damaged but the damaged section has been backed up with another rope. This rope will take you to the bottom of the steep stuff. The fixed ropes are anchored off buried pickets of some sort, so there's not really an in-situ ab anchor in place to use. The slope itself is currently pretty icey, but very stepped out.

We did it last week and downclimbed the top bit to the fixed ropes than downclimbed the rest of the ropes in succession with a prussic as a back-up. Some people were abseiling but it look like a big faff given there are limited anchors around, the number of people on the pitch at any given time and the possibility of getting tangled up in the fixed ropes. It should be relatively obvious what the best method is given the conditions when you get there. Try to avoid descending this section when it is busy, as it can descend into a bit of a mess, although easier said than done.

Thank you and everyone above. There really isn't much information on this part of the route elsewhere on the internet. Thanks again.