405 m away
Col d'Argentiere
A slightly steeper alternative to the Col du Tour Noir
Moderate Ski Touring
- Distance
- 12 km
- Ascent
- 1.1 km
- Descent
- 1.7 km
Passon
Balme (Le Tour)
Chamonix
Grands Montets
Les Grands Montets
Gd Montets, Passon, Tour 2013
Ski Touring Moderate
- Distance
- 13 km
- Ascent
- 854 m
- Descent
- 2.5 km
- Duration
- 5-6 hrs
- Low Point
- 1.5 km
- High Point
- 3.1 km
- Gradient
- 45˚
This is a popular ski touring route which is generally considered to be moderate. It's remote, it features low exposure (e1) and is typically done between January and April. From a low point of 1.5 km to the maximum altitude of 3.1 km, the route covers 13 km, 854 vertical metres of ascent and 2451 vertical metres of descent. You'll need skins, ice axe, crampons and glacier kit to complete it safely.
Description
A classical route. The exit of the Tour glacier descend is complex.
Difficulty
Moderate
Slopes become slightly steeper at around 25-30 degrees.
Low Exposure (E1)
Exposure is limited to that of the slope itself. Getting hurt is still likely if the slope is steep and/or the snow is hard.
Remoteness
Away from help but easily accessed.
Best time to visit
Features
- Ski Mountaineering
Equipment required
- Skins
- Ice axe
- Crampons
- Glacier kit
Similar routes nearby
405 m away
Col du Chardonnet
Stunning views and the first leg of the famous Chamonix-Zermatt Haute Route
Moderate Ski Touring
- Distance
- 8.2 km
- Ascent
- 820 m
- Descent
- 1.6 km
405 m away
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
405 m away
Aiguille d'Argentière via the Glacier du Milieu
A prominent and sought after summit at 3900 meters yet it remains much more accessible than the other major peaks of the Argentière Basin.
Severe Ski Touring
- Distance
- 9.8 km
- Ascent
- 1.3 km
- Descent
- 2 km
405 m away
Col du Passon
One of THE classic tours of the area taking in a variety of high quality ski terrain.
Moderate Ski Touring
- Distance
- 9.1 km
- Ascent
- 684 m
- Descent
- 2.5 km
1.5 km away
Aiguille Verte, Couturier Couloir
The king line of the Argentiere Basin
Extreme Ski Touring
- Distance
- 7.9 km
- Ascent
- 1.6 km
- Descent
- 1.6 km
2.2 km away
Col Armand Charlet Northeast Couloir
A spectacular hanging couloir, this line is a 1000m TD alpine route that has seen only three known descents
Extreme Ski Touring
- Distance
- 4.1 km
- Ascent
- 1.4 km
- Descent
- 1.4 km
2.8 km away
Col du Tour Noir
One of the lowest angle ski tours in the Argentiere basin, to a fabulous viewpoint.
Moderate Ski Touring
- Distance
- 7.1 km
- Ascent
- 826 m
- Descent
- 826 m
3 km away
Austrian Route, Les Courtes
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
- Distance
- 3.7 km
- Ascent
- 1.1 km
- Descent
- 1.1 km
3.2 km away
Col des Droites North Face
Yet another big 5.4 in the Argentiere Basin
Extreme Ski Touring
- Distance
- 2.3 km
- Ascent
- 983 m
- Descent
- 983 m
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Guidebooks in this area
5 routes · Freeride Skiing · Ski Touring
Chamonix's Ultimate Steep Skiing Ticklist
7 routes · Ski Touring
The Legendary Chamonix - Zermatt Haute Route Ski Tour
10 routes · Freeride Skiing · Ski Touring
The 10 Best Steep Ski Lines in Chamonix
6 routes · Ski Touring
The Epic "Plateau du Couloir" Haute Route Variant
7 routes · Ski Touring
The Chamonix - Zermatt Haute Route's "St Bernard" Variant
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