Les Grands Montets to Trient Hut
The first day of the Alps' most famous ski tour
Difficult Ski Touring
- Distance
- 11 km
- Ascent
- 1.2 km
- Descent
- 1.3 km
A prominent and sought after summit at 3900 meters yet it remains much more accessible than the other major peaks of the Argentière Basin.
Ski Touring Severe
A major peak and a true 'skiers' mountain with several first rate descents off it. The most amenable way both up and down is the Glacier du Milieu.
From the top of the Grand Montets cable car, ski down the very start of the Point du Vue piste before quickly ducking the rope and heading skier's right and down the Glacier du Rognons. Take care to watch out for some large crevasses on the upper section. Keep to skier's right of the Rognon itself (a large rock island). Alternatively it is often possible to keep a high traverse on the Glacier du Rognons, weaving in and around crevasses and small seracs with the odd bit of sidestepping. This route saves twenty minutes or so of skinning up the Glacier d'Argentière. Skin up the Glacier d'Argentière before heading up the moraine below the Argentière Refuge. Continue up the Glacier du Milieu until you arrive at the bottom of the upper 40-45 degree face. This 'face' has receded in recent years to form a couloir in the middle. Change to crampons and boot pack up the middle of this and onto the summit area. Ski back down the same way and down the skier's left side of the Argentière Glacier to Lognan. Although this route offers a great 'introduction' to ski mountaineering in the Argentière Basin, it is nonetheless a serious route and has seen a number of fatal accidents in recent years owing to inexperienced skiers falling on hard snow on the descent.
Severe
Steep skiing at 38-45 degrees. This requires very good technique and the risk of falling has serious consequences.
The first day of the Alps' most famous ski tour
Difficult Ski Touring
A slightly steeper alternative to the Col du Tour Noir
Moderate Ski Touring
Stunning views and the first leg of the famous Chamonix-Zermatt Haute Route
Moderate Ski Touring
0 m away
One of THE classic tours of the area taking in a variety of high quality ski terrain.
Moderate Ski Touring
1.1 km away
The king line of the Argentiere Basin
Extreme Ski Touring
2.5 km away
A spectacular hanging couloir, this line is a 1000m TD alpine route that has seen only three known descents
Extreme Ski Touring
3.2 km away
One of the lowest angle ski tours in the Argentiere basin, to a fabulous viewpoint.
Moderate Ski Touring
3.3 km away
A mythical line down the true north face of Les Courtes, it has still seen hardly more than a handful of descents.
Extreme Ski Touring
3.5 km away
Yet another big 5.4 in the Argentiere Basin
Extreme Ski Touring
3.6 km away
An inspiring couloir past a bulging tongue of ice.
Extreme Ski Touring
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