Les Droites

Overview

Getting There

Transport:

• Train: Railway station in the town. The Saint Gervais to Vallorcine line connects to the high-speed TGV line 
  in Annecy (in peak season the TGV runs directly to Saint Gervais) +33-(0)450 53 1298; +33-(0)8 36 35 35 35
• Bus: Mont-Blanc Bus: Regular bus service covering all of the Chamonix valley +33-(0)450 53 0555 
  Daily services to Annecy, Geneva, Grenoble, Courmayeur, Aoste and Turin, as well as to all the principal
   towns in the Mont-Blanc region +33-(0)450 53 0115
• Car: From:
   - Switzerland: starting from Martigny and passing by the 'Col des Montets', Cham is only a mere 16 km from the border.
   - France: Geneva is connected to Cham via a Toll-Higway and normal roads.
   - Italy: The Mont Blanc from Courmayeur makes the access very fast and easy year-round. 

• Chamonix for the easier south-side From Chamonix you can take the train up the 'Mer de Glace', continue over the glacier (crevasses!) and stay overnight in the 'Refuge de Couvercle' From there it is about 4-5 hours to summit
• Argentiere for the north-face, which is just a few miles north of Cham. From Argentiere, you can take the 'teleferique' Grand Montets up and walk down again over the glacier (easy) to the "Refuge D'Argentiere". From there it is 7-12 hours to the top depending on the route

Red Tape

When To Climb

Staying Overnight

• Ref. d' Argentiere (2771m) Tel +33-450 531692 alt email: refugeargentiere@wanadoo.fr http://www.clubalpin-chamonix.com/fr/refArgentiere.htm
• Refuge du Couvercle (2687m) Tel: +33-450 531694 http://www.clubalpin-chamonix.com/fr/refCouvercle.htm

Mountain Conditons

• www.chamonix.com Genereral Tourist and Weather Information
• Office de Haute Montagnes (OHM) (+33-(0)450 532 208) offers a comprehensive information service about routes and weather conditions. Located in the building adjacent to Èglise-St.Michel church, 9:00-12:00 & 15:00-18:00 during the summer.
• Information can also be gotten from the Bureau des Guides in Chamonix (+33-(0)450 530 088).
• Tel. weather bulletin +33-(0)836 680 274
• Tel. state of snow +33-(0)836 681 020

Approach to the Huts

To the Ref. d'Argentiere
There are 3 choices (depending on your time and energy)

1. 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 moraine crest 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 with SE-direction and reach the hut above the moraine .
2. 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.
3. 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 with 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.

To the Ref. de Couvercle

1. You reach the hut from Montenvers in 3,5 h over the glacier:
   From Montenvers to the starting point of the hiking way to the Ref. d'Envers des Aiguilles:
   You have to follow the way with direction to Les Echelles which goes slightly down to the western side of the Mer de Glace. But before you enter the Glacier, you have to follow the way on the western side of the glacier for about 20 min. Now you have to go up the glacier first more on the western side, then just through the middle with SE direction to Les Moulins. Now you do not follow the marking signs to the moraines but
   continue with S and then E direction to the steep passages at Les Egralets (partly a little bit like a way).
   You go the steep passages up and via a good way through grass hangs to a moraine, from which you reach the hut soon.
   You can reach Montenvers:
   • Either with the special Montenvers-train from Chamonix. The train goes the whole year except from the middle of November till the middle of December. The first train starts during the season often not before 8 a.m., the last train down not after 6.30 p.m.
   • Or on foot from Chamonix on the marked way via Biollay in 2,5 h.
2. Via a new climbing track below the Flammes de Pierre and the ends of the Aig. du Moine:
   Note: Because of ice avalanches, some passages of this route have become very dangerous.
   You have to ask for the actual conditions.

Routes

External Links

• 
  
• My own page, with some more pictures
  http://www.montagnes.com/us/mount/droite.asp
  Supercool Page ! (scroll down if needed) Clickable Routes to compare next to each other on a Photo !
  
• Aris Base Camp
  Very Detailed Page with more good links on the Mt Blanc Region
  
• Les Droites at www.4000er.de
  Images, routes, coordinates and more information about the highest peaks of the Alps
  
• Mountain Guide Adventure - Chamonix Mont-Blanc Mountain Guide - France
  A Mountain Guide team will help you to realize your mountain and adventure dreams . A Mountain Guide team in Chamonix propose : mountaineering, alpine rock climbing, ice climbing, heliskiing, ski touring, off piste skiing and expeditions all over the world.
  
  

Additions and Corrections

[ Post an Addition or Correction ]

Viewing: 1-2 of 2

mamo	Untitled Comment
Hasn't voted	Route description From refuge de the Couvercle, to catch up the glacier of Talèfre for the track that it crosses towards and down the morainic 's steps . To go back it towards DOPING and then towards the contour line 3000m turning DOPING in direction of the East spur . To catch up the binding of the oblique corridor toright that cuts this last spur . To go back it (200m, 45° of average), and earns the arete. Or to exceed the spur and to climb the great slope of the Les Droites's pass being kept itself the most possible neighbors to cliffs of the same spur , in order then to follow left back (climbing) the first or the second ascent ramp corridor that allows to approach the spur and (solution easy, better if the oblique corridor is in bad conditions). - To continue in oblique to right and scaling easy full of rocks terraces (max II°) until the base of the difficulties of compound and cliff. - To continue large way towards right (being climbed) in order to exceed this barrier of approximately 100m. towards a large wall rossastro, than one lets on the left. Sequences do not obligate to you. Over a snow slope is caught up (45/50°) that allows to earn a snow arete that leads to the feet of I lock full of rocks summit. To go around it to right, and finally with a length of easy compound, is arrived in point (locks full of rocks). Configuration and route type comments : The two accesses to the buttress, from the oblique corridor, and the great slope of the Les Droites's pass(+ easy) become dangerous for rolling stones from the late morning. Specific equipment : Some "friends" small medium measure /, nuts and accessory cords and "fettucce". Route description (descent) : On the ascent route, where series of anchorages for abseils from25 are present . Avoid the oblique corridor to the afternoon and the great slope of the Les Droites's pass in the late morning (rolling stones 's danger ). Material for ice.
	Posted Dec 16, 2005 5:46 pm

	UlrichPrinz	Re: Untitled Comment
	Hasn't voted	Hi Mamo thanks for the description! I have added it to the south ridge route! Regards, Ulli
		Posted Feb 24, 2006 9:24 am

Viewing: 1-2 of 2

Images

[ View Gallery - 56 More Images ]