Pointe de la Fouly, new ski descent in Mont Blanc massif

On 15 December France’s Vivian Bruchez kicked the steep skiing season in the Mt Blanc massif off to good start with a descent of what he believes is new line down the West Face of Pointe de la Fouly.

Bruchez made his way into the Argentière basin on 13 December with Jeremy Janody to check out the route he had identified two years previously, but the two were forced to retreat as the couloir they planned to ascend was far steeper than they had imagined.

Bruchez returned with Tristan Knoertzer and Ben Tibbetts early on Thursday morning and ascended the couloir, roping up for two 30m mixed pitches graded 4+, M5. Having reached their highpoint at 3611m, the trio then descended the line of ascent, requiring one 60m rappel down the steepest section.

The 600m long, 45° steep Fou de Fouly is a highly committing outing graded 5.2, M5 and marks the second success on Fouly this year: in mid-July Bruchez, Cédric Pugin and Jeremy Jamody spent two days skiing a new, 700m, 50° line down the mountain's SW Face.