Haute Route 2012 2/7 (Ref. Argentière - Champex)
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 15.21 mi
- Elevation gain
- 3,619 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 7,940 ft
- Max elevation
- 10,725 ft
- TrailRank
- 41
- Min elevation
- 4,824 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Time
- 9 hours 10 minutes
- Coordinates
- 2269
- Uploaded
- June 20, 2012
- Recorded
- March 2010
near Le Tour, Rhône-Alpes (France)
Viewed 2951 times, downloaded 132 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
This may be the most difficult stage of all the Haute Route both for its profile and being the first real stage of the route. You have to leave early for 2 reasons: 1/usually there are some other groups travelling on the same route as you 2/ it’s a long day.
To get through the first mountain barrier, we have 2 options:
- Accross the Col du Chardonnet: The rise is nice and narrows as we reach the hill. Once up, you will be in Swiss territory! The descent is somewhat complicated. You need to use the rope to make a rappel of one hundred meters to the base on Saleina Glacier. I do not advise to take this route when there are many people on the road as you will find yourself queuing for rappelling down. Then, cut to the left to reach the bottom of the “Fenêtre de Saleina”. After a major effort to go through the steps of the pass more inclined, you reach the “Glacier du Trient”.
- Across the “Col du Passon”: The route is easier but longer than that described above. First go down on the right of the Glacier d'Argentière to reach the foot of the ramps that lead to the Col du Passon. After a heating climb, you will have to put your crampons on to cross the upper part of the Col du Passon. At the top, try not to lose altitude by going to your right to reach the Col Supérieur du Tour. Once up, you will be in Swiss territory, on the Glacier du Trient.
Here we rejoin the two routes.
Descend the Glacier du Trient to the foot of the Col des Ecandies. We had to use a fixed rope as there was no snow. Once up, enjoy an anthologic descent to Champex.
Do not forget to buy you a beer! You deserve it!
(Keep in mind that the path marked by the GPS is now an indication. You must adapt your own path to the snow, glacier and weather conditions, or any other factors which may affect the safety of the route.)
To get through the first mountain barrier, we have 2 options:
- Accross the Col du Chardonnet: The rise is nice and narrows as we reach the hill. Once up, you will be in Swiss territory! The descent is somewhat complicated. You need to use the rope to make a rappel of one hundred meters to the base on Saleina Glacier. I do not advise to take this route when there are many people on the road as you will find yourself queuing for rappelling down. Then, cut to the left to reach the bottom of the “Fenêtre de Saleina”. After a major effort to go through the steps of the pass more inclined, you reach the “Glacier du Trient”.
- Across the “Col du Passon”: The route is easier but longer than that described above. First go down on the right of the Glacier d'Argentière to reach the foot of the ramps that lead to the Col du Passon. After a heating climb, you will have to put your crampons on to cross the upper part of the Col du Passon. At the top, try not to lose altitude by going to your right to reach the Col Supérieur du Tour. Once up, you will be in Swiss territory, on the Glacier du Trient.
Here we rejoin the two routes.
Descend the Glacier du Trient to the foot of the Col des Ecandies. We had to use a fixed rope as there was no snow. Once up, enjoy an anthologic descent to Champex.
Do not forget to buy you a beer! You deserve it!
(Keep in mind that the path marked by the GPS is now an indication. You must adapt your own path to the snow, glacier and weather conditions, or any other factors which may affect the safety of the route.)
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