A step towards the roof of Europe, Mont Maudit is one of the peaks of the Mont-Blanc massif. Although rarely climbed, it's well worth the detour. Discover the history of the Mont Maudit ascent and a few words about the Mont-Blanc du Tacul.
What you need to know about Mont Maudit
Until the 18th century, Mont Blanc was commonly referred to as the cursed mountain. So it's no coincidence that one of its peaks is called Mont Maudit. It culminates at 4465 meters. It lies between Mont-Blanc du Tacul and Mont-Blanc, on the border between Haute-Savoie in France and Vallée d'Aoste in Italy. The Col du Mont is on an access route to Mont Blanc known as the " three-mountain route".
The ascent of Mont Maudit
Mont-Maudit is a very attractive summit. Yet it's rarely climbed when you do the Mont-Blanc via the traversée des trois monts. But it's well worth the effort.
For the record, the first ascent of Mont Maudit was made on September 12 1878 by Henry Seymour Hoare and Edward Davidson, accompanied by guides Johann Jaun and Johann von Bergen.
Today, one of the most beautiful access routes to Mont Maudit remains theKuffner ridge, also known as the Tour Ronde ridge. This long, mixed, high-altitude ridge route is not particularly difficult. To climb Mont Maudit, however, you need to be in very good physical condition. Experience of mixed climbing at altitude is also recommended. Progress alternates between snow and rock. Some of the ledges are particularly tricky.
However, the most common route is different. To climb Mont Maudit, you can spend the night at the Cosmiques hut at 3613 meters, then go over the Mont Blanc du Tacul pass.
Ascent of Mont Maudit: deadly expeditions
Unfortunately, Mont Maudit lives up to its name. It was the scene of the first fatal accident on a Mont Blanc expedition. In 1820, three guides were killed duringDr. Joseph Hamel's ascent.
More recently, mountaineers have been swept away by avalanches while climbing Mont Maudit :
- July 12, 2012: 21 people fall victim to an avalanche, 9 of whom perish.
- August 17, 2016: a serac avalanche kills three mountaineers. A serac is a large block of ice formed by the fracturing of a glacier.
- Finally, on July 15, 2020, two Italian climbers were killed on Mont Maudit.
What about the Mont-Blanc du Tacul climb?
Like Mont Maudit, Mont-Blanc du Tacul is one of Europe's roof peaks. It lies between theAiguille du Midi and Mont Maudit in Haute-Savoie. Its highest point is 4248 meters. Its shoulder, at 4028 meters, is on the three-mountain route to Mont-Blanc.
The mountain, which resembles a broad, snow-covered trapezoid, was officially climbed for the first time on August 8, 1855. The expedition was made up of several members unaccompanied by guides: Charles Hudson, Edward Shirley Kennedy, Edward John Stevenson, Christopher and James Grenvill Smith, Charles Ainslie and G.C. Joad. However, it is possible that guides from Courmayeur climbed the summit on previous attempts to reach the Mont Blanc massif in 1854 and 1855.
