'Wreck Your Spleen' / Drus Couloir

Plum and I headed up to the top bin on the Grand Montets today as we awaited the new snow that didnt arrive. Anyway, we though sack it, lets go do the Rectiligne. Now I have done the Pas de Chevre before but never really taken much notice as to where the Rectiligne Coulouir actually is. I knew it was somewhere skiers left of the Pas de Chevre bowls.

Here is a photo showing the various lines on this side of the Grans Montets (you will need to click it to view the routes as they are quite small). Here we can see the Nant Blanc Face on the Verte and the Drus North Face.

Blue : Pas de Chevre Combe x 2
Red : The way we went.... i think (Since discovered is known a the Drus Couloir or 'WreckYourSpleen')
Green: Rectiligne Couloir

As a description we skied left of the normal 2 obvious bowls and took what we thought to be the third couloir entrance from the right. We had some nice snow for several turns maybe 100m or so descent, then dropped into a steep 45+ narrow gully about the width of Plums ski's, there were some rocks in the middle which proved difficult to negotiate (i forgot my ice axe) but we got there. Sideslipped down to some 40-45 terrain. From here we could ski quality snow all the way out.

In Anselme Baud's book it reads,

'There is also a variant route to the left of the Rectiligne that is less aesthetic, more dangerous and has a delicate section across some rocks'

So I presume we ski'd this.

After, we ski'd out the Mer de Glace then hiked up to the Buvette and ski'd the home run. The run down was fine with ample snow covering.

Work tomorrow but it has been a great week.

Discussion here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=388891