Trail Running - Chamonix and the Mont Blanc region

800 Reprint 2020

Page 60 -Route 6

I ran this route last week, since when a temporary path closure has been put in place whilst some forestry work is undertaken. However, it's highlighted the fact that the spring avalanches and melt this year have caused significant erosion to the lower Taconnaz trail, and the quality of the ascent path is getting increasingly worse. It is therefore advisable for runners to follow the descent route both to ascend to La Jonction, and come down, as the paths are in better condition.

Route 6: La Jonction - Due to path erosion, and some unstable moraines overlying rock, there are several sections of paths on the ascent to Col Corbeau, which are especially delicate after heavy rains. The lower section of the ascent route near the Taconnaz Glacier is becoming overgrown, so now runners are advised to use the descent route described both for the ascent and descent of the route, as these trails are in the best maintained condition. Also note that the fixed equipment described often varies slightly even seasonally, due to damage caused by winter avalanches, and annual erosion. The yellow paint dots are always updated if there is any minor route tweak.

September 2016

Route 8: Chamonix Marathon - The final two kilometres of this route have been slightly changed, to move the finish slightly up the hillside to the top of the Teleski du Stade. This improvement is much welcomed by runners, as you finish on single track trails, rather than a stony 4x4 track. The route from La Flegere is as before until you reach the 4x4 track beneath the cables of the Telesiege du Col Cornu. Here you run diagonally L across the big track, and turn R onto the Tour du Pays du Mont Blanc path. This climbs in a rising traverse, around the bowl of the Montagne de Parsa, to reach the finish line just above the Teleski du Stade.

Route 37: UTMB - The 2015 and 2016 editions of the UTMB race have added an additional climb to the route that is not mentioned in the guidebook. After the initial c.200m descent from the Col de la Seigne, instead of descending directly to Lac Combal, the route now turns N to cross the higher of the two Col des Pyramides Calcaires at c.2650m. It then descends E to Refugio Elisabetta Soldini before rejoining the standard route to Lac Combal. This section begins with a vague path on grass that shortly turns into extremely rough scree and snowfields (depending on the season). The descent is very technical steep scree, on a path that becomes clearer and broader as the descent continues.