L'arête des Papillons (Butterfly ridge) is a beautiful but also very popular classic in Chamonix.

Statistics

511

m

496

m

38

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Severe

Description

## rise - From the Plan de l'Aiguille mountain station, leave the path to the right towards the Peleringletscher and climb left towards the grassy and rocky hills (small path). - From 2360m keep in the direction of the ridge and reach a wide horizontal terrace over the left side (north side) of the ridge.

This terrace is the most popular entrance to the route.

However, there are also variants on the right side or along the ridge (4c). [img=804429 center small]Arète des Papillons[/img] ##Route Depending on the level of the rope team, some rope lengths can be climbed dynamically or stands can be skipped. The stands and rope lengths described here are to be understood more as an orientation aid.

###First tower L# | 5c | | | Over to the south side and follow a crack to the left.

Here starts a torn fist with two stones (5c) stuck in it.

After the torn fist, cross a 4-5 long horizontal and airy ridge to the right (3a, hold more to the north).

Stand option (S1). L# | 4c | | Climb along the ridge.

In front of a small embrasure, there is a possibility to stand (S2). L# | 5c+ | | | | Spread from here over the gap to a steep wall section (2m, 5c+ or A0, 1 hook with a band).

Keep slightly to the left of the actual ridge and climb through a crack system (4c) to reach the top of the first tower.

Short descent via Grasstufen.

Booth (S3).

L2+L3 can be climbed with a 60m rope in one piece. ###Second tower L# | 4a | | | | The ascent to the second tower takes place north of the ridge. L# 4c down a chimney. L# | 4b | | | | Short descent, a spreader over a gap, and a 10m long traverse to the right (airy) to a second gap at the foot of the third tower (S6). ### Third tower L# | 4b | | | Plate with a crack on the left side (4b).

Follow the bands to the left on the north side and bypass the gendarmes.

From here descend to a saddle (S7). L# | 4c | | | | From the saddle, climb a little to the left of the ridge (4c, 15m) to get to a hole with a jammed boulder (S8, good standing). L# | 6a | | | | The next rope length starts steep and athletic: climb up 2m (6a or A0, 2 hooks and loops), then cross 2m (1 hook) and then climb up vertically (2 hooks) (When crossing you should think of your second rope, which could land far down in case of a fall after the 6a point).

After the second hack turn right and after 2-3m traverse along good cracks (4c) climb up to a loophole.

Cosy summit terrace at the third tower (S9, one hook and one normal hook). L# | 4b | | After that, we descent to a couloir.

From there to another loophole at the foot of the fourth tower (S10) ### Fourth Tower L# | 5c | | | North Side.

A plate with a fine crack (5c, 8m, two hooks).

Then a band to the left to climb to the top of the fourth tower (S11, 2819m). L# | 4b | | | | Climb down and cross the ridge to the next deepest saddle on the north side 20m (you will pass two bolts of the route [[routes/54501|Lépidoptère]]). There are two possibilities at the nick: ## [[routes/53808|Normalroute]] to the top of Aiguille du Peigne. If time planning and motivation allow it, go northward (4a) to reach a long band.

Then follow the [[routes/53808|Description of normal routes]]. ## Abseiling and descent to the middle station - Descend from the saddle 5m to the south.

There is a wide stand (S12) with two boring hooks and a chain for abseiling. - Rope down to the couloir of the papillon (either twice 2×25 m, or better still once 2×50 m). - Then descend the couloir of the Papillon on foot as well as you can (there are further abseiling possibilities in 2 places if the conditions are bad).

Towards the end keep left of the couloir and pass the entrance of the route [[routes/54229|l'Eperon des Minettes]]. - Finally a large stone manikin signals a path that leads to a small aisle on the left (there is also a well-trodden promising path to the right that leads nowhere). - Cross from the small aisle to the snow slope of Peigne.

This one down. - Then the descent to the top station takes place via a path that initially leads down along the moraine.<br/><br/>_This Adventure has been shared under the [Creative Commons Share Alike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/) licence._