A lovely, mellow tour to a ridge with panoramic views.

Statistics

1 - 2

hrs

258

m

259

m

28

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Difficult

Description

This is a relatively straightforward day tour, by Chamonix standards! You use lifts to access the start point, which begins with a long traverse that maintains your height on the mountain.

If you prefer, you can ski down a red piste to access the tour from a slightly lower start point.

There is the odd steeper pitch, but in general, the optimal line will have very few kickturns. Follow the route description for Col Belvedere, until just above Lac Blanc.

As you are heading towards the obvious Col Belvedere, head up left to leave the large cliff in front of you to your right and follow on to the lowest or most convenient point of the ridge to the left of the large cliff.

This is Col des Dards.

You can reverse your tracks in descent, or it is possible to descend more down and right on a vague bench.

There are many possibilities to take slightly steeper slopes down left to Lac Blanc or to continue in this direction and rejoin your earlier skinning track lower down, beyond Lac Blanc.

This option has slightly more complicated terrain but will avoid the need for poling over the frozen lake.