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Aiguille d'Argentière
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Aiguille d'Argentière

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Aiguille d\'Argentière

Page Type: Mountain/Rock

Location: Haute Savoie (Mont Blanc), France, Europe

Lat/Lon: 45.96060°N / 7.01790°E

Elevation: 12801 ft / 3902 m

 

Page By: Rahel Maria Liuhiltrud.liu

Created/Edited: Nov 26, 2001 / Jun 12, 2013

Object ID: 150684

Hits: 37753 

Page Score: 96.84%  - 63 Votes 

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Overview


    Aiguille d'Argentière seen from Grands Montets (March 2001) - Photo by Rahel Maria Liu



Dedication:
In memory of Rahel Maria Liu, the former maintainer of this page. Rahel died on the Innominata Spur to Mont Blanc in a snow storm on August 24th, 2004.

SunriseGlacier du MilieuAdenostylesSunsetGlacier du Milieu





Aiguille d'Argentière - a peak in the Mont Blanc Massif


    The Aiguille d'Argentière (3902 m) is situated in the Mont Blanc Massif, in the North of some major peaks as the Mont Blanc and Les Droites and south-east of
    Aiguille du Chardonnet.

    It is a very beautiful and interesting mountain concerning its shape and with regard to the ascents.




Aiguille d'Argentière - Photo by andrea.it



    According to Eberlein, there exist more than 50 ascents (although he does not name all).

    Most famous are the Normal Route and the North Face ascents. But also the SW Ridge and the many ridge towers provide many interesting climbing routes. There only more in the Aiguilles of Chamonix.




Historical notes

    First ascent: E. Whymper and A. Reilly with M. Croz, M. Payot and H. Charlet on the 15th of July 1864.




Routes Overview


  • Panoramic View of Aiguille d'Argentière - Glacier du Milieu - Glacier d'Argentière - Photo by Rahel Maria Liu


  • Aiguille du Chardonnet - Aiguille d'Argentière - Tour Noir - Aiguilles Rouges du Mont Dolent - Mont Dolent - Aiguille de Triolet - Show labels




  • ROUTES - Photos by andrea.it - gabriele/Jeroen Vels - El Tigre Valderrama - schadik


  • Ski route
    W Side
    North Face
    N Side
    Y Couloir
    S Side
    ESE & NE Ridge
    E Side

      SW Flank - Glacier du Milieu:
                      steepest passage 50°, PD+, 400 hm (summit face), altogether 1200 hm, 4-5 h from Ref. d'Argentiere. (Eberlein, p. 411)

                      Photos by Hiltrud Liu - andrea.it

                      RouteStartUpperGLNarrowPSummitView


      W Flank and NW Ridge - Ascent from Ref. d'Argentière:
                      mixed, steepest ice passage 45°, PD, 5 h (Eberlein, p. 411f.)

                      Photos by Hiltrud Liu - om - Tony Simkins - andrea.it - Modi

                      W FlankW SideNW R
                      very right
                      NW SideView


                      50° in the average, D, 600 hm (face), 3-6 h from the foot (Eberlein, 412)

                      Photos by Jeroen Vels/gabriele - schadik - gabriele - Jeroen Vels

                      ViewSunriseNorth WallClimbAscentSummit


      NE Face - Ascent from Ref. d'Argentière:
                      average of steepness: 49°, steepest passage 55°, IV, mostly III, D, 700 hm (face), 4-6 h from the foot (Eberlein, 414)

                      Photos by noah - Huberschwiller -schadik - om

                      NE RidgeViewSaleina GlE SideNE Face

      ESE Ridge - Ascent from Ref. d'Argentière:
                      III, mostly easier, ice till 50°, AD, 1000 lm, 350 hm, 5,5 h (Eberlein, p. 415)

                      Photos by Koen - andrea.it - schadik - pablo

                      CrevassesViewSummitBarbet FSaleinaGlViewDescent


                      pure firn, 45° at 450 m, AD, 550 hm, 4,5 h (Eberlein, p. 416)

                      Photos by El Tigre Valderrama - Stuart Buchanan

                      StartClimbSummitBiviingAscentSummit


      Jardin Ridge - Ascent from Ref. d'Argentière:
                      IV+, mostly IV and III, D, 900 hm, 1500 lm, 9 h (Eberlein, 416)

                      Photos by Hiltrud Liu - rasto krizan - ferro - Simnel - Nigel Braggins

                      JardinRArgGlW SideArgGlView



                      Photos by andrea.it

                      Milieu GlRouteClimbCouloirSummitView



    Climber's Logs

    Getting There



  • Alpine wildflowers Adenostyles Alpina and Cicerbita Alpina - on the way to the Glacier d'Argentière


  • Adenostyles (Grauer Alpendost) and Cicerbita (Alpine Blue-sow-thistle, Alpen-Milchlattich) - Photo by Hiltrud Liu




    To the Aiguille d'Argentièree

      You come from the Ref. d'Argentière.


    To the Ref. d'Argentière

      In order to reach the hut, you have 3 possibilities:

        From Croix de Lognan (1970 m) in 3 - 3,5 h, to Croix de Lognan with cable car from Argentière: From Croix de Lognan, you go on foot up over the morainecrest till about 2250m. Than you continue horizontally to the glacier, which you follow on the orographically left side. After about 1 km, the glacier becomes steeper and more torn. You climb onto the morain of the Rognons, first over a slippery shelf, than via a marked way which you follow until you reach the upper end of the ice break. You climb the glacier in SE direction and reach over the moraine the hut.

        On foot from Argentière in 5 h: From the ground station of the cable car, you follow the wide aisle of the ski-run. You leave it at the height of about 1750m and reach the way of the middle station of the cable car (2 h). Now, you need 3 h to the hut.

        From Aiguille des Grands Montets (summit station of the cable car from Argentière; last train up: 4:45 p.m.) in 2 h: From the summit station, you go via a stairway to the Col des Grandes Montets. You traverse a bergschrund (maybe with the help of a rope) and go up the steep hang to the Glacier Rognons. You go in ENE direction on the western side along P. 3000 to P. 2754m. You go down southeastern to the glacier d'Argentière, which you reach above the icebreak. From here in 2 h to the hut.

        You reach Argentière by train (from Martigny/CH or Geneva or Annecy - TGV to St. Gervais), bus (from Annecy, Geneva, Grenoble, Courmayeur, Aoste and Turin) or car from Geneva or Martigny (Switzerland) via Vallorcine and the Col des Montets.


  • You reach the Chamonix Valley by train:

      From Martigny (Switzerland) via Vallorcine.

      From Geneva (airport) via Anncey (TGV till here) and St. Gervais.


  • You reach the Chamonix Valley by bus:

      From/via Annecy, Geneva, Grenoble, Courmayeur, Aoste and Turin


  • You reach the Chamonix Valley by car:

      From Geneva (from the NW) on the A40 till St. Gervais and from here on the N205.

      From Martigny (from the NE, Switzerland) via Vallorcine and the Col des Montets on the road no. N506.


  • You reach the Val Ferret (Italy) by bus or car:

      From Chamonix through the Mont Blanc Tunnel from the NW.

      From Torino (from the SE) on the A5 via Villeneuve.






    Mountainhut


  • Views of Aiguille d'Argentière - Photos by barrys, Jurgen Mesman, om, schadik


  • Summit ViewSW Flank N SideW SideE Face




    Refuge d'Argentière (2271 m)

    Refuge d'Argentière is a modern big hut with a view directly to the northfaces on the opposite side: from Aiguille Verte to Mont Dolent. It is situated near the corner where the Glacier d'Argentière and the Glacier des Améthystes come together.



  • You reach the Refuge d'Argentière:


    • from Croix de Lognan (1970 m) in 3 - 3,5 h, to Croix de Lognan with cable car from Argentière

      on foot from Argentière in 5 h

      from Aiguille des Grands Montets (Summit Station of the cable car from Argentière) in 2 h




    Infos


  • Panoramic View of Aiguille d'Argentière - Glacier d'Argentière - Photo by Hiltrud Liu


  • Aiguille d'Argentière - Tour Noir - Aiguilles Rouges du Mont Dolent - Mont DolentHide labels




    WEATHER INFOS





    GENERAL INFOS





    TRAIN CHAMONIX VALLEY

      Phone: 0033/450 53 1298 - 0033/8 36 35 35 35

      0033/450530702 (Train station Chamonix)

      Phone of the Montenvers-train: ++33(0)450/531254


    Ticket shop



    BUS CHAMONIX VALLEY

      Phone: 0033/450 53 0555 - 0033/450 53 0115




    CABLE CARS




    Campingplace

  • There are campingplaces in




  • Map&Books

  • Sunrise ... With this beautiful panorama of all the major mountains of the Mont Blanc Group - Photo by Jurgen Mesman



  • Mont Blanc, Aiguille du Midi, Aiguille Verte, Aiguille d'Argentiére, Aiguille du Chardonnent and the Aiguille du Tour







      BOOKS


      Hartmut Eberlein, Mont-Blanc-Gruppe. Gebietsführer für Bergsteiger und Kletterer, 2000 or 2012, amazon.de (look at the contents Aiguille d'Argentière)

      Helmut Dumler/Willi P. Burkhardt, The High Mountains of the Alps. amazon.com (look at the contents Aiguille d'Argentière)

      Gaston Rébuffat: The Mont Blanc Massif. The 100 Finest Routes. London 1996. ISBN 1-898573-03-4. amazon.de or amazon.com (look at the contents)

      Erich Vanis, Im steilen Eis. 80 Eiswände in den Alpen. Munich et al. 1980. ISBN 3-405-12158-2. amazon.de

      Damilano/Perroux, Neige, Glace Et Mixte: Mont Blanc. Editions Ice 1996. ISBN 2950986803. UKClimbing.com

      Laroche/Lelong: Die Gipfel des Montblanc. Munich 1999. ISBN 3-405-15693-9. amazon.de

      Helmut Dumler/Willi P. Burkhardt, Viertausender der Alpen. 11th ed. Munich 1998. ISBN 3-7633-7427-2. amazon.de

      Lindsay Griffin, Mont Blanc Massif, Vol. 2 - Published Alpine Club (2002) - ISBN 0-900523-58-1. amazon.com)




  • Glacier d'Argentière - Cicerbita Alpina - Glacier d'Argentière - Glacier de Saleina - Photos by Modi, Hiltrud Liu - Andy Kennedy and noah


  • Glacier d'ArgentièreView from Grands MontetsCicerbitaCrossing the GlacierGlacier de Saleina



    Link - MountainArea



    MountainArea



    Bureau des Guides - France


    Società Guide Alpine Courmayeur - Italy



    Images