Overview
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| Aiguille d'Argentière viewed from Grands Montets (March 2001) |
Dedication:
Rahel, in memory of your climbing I take care of your mountain page.
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.
- 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.
Aiguille du Chardonnet - Aiguille d'Argentière (Photo by Simnel)
Route Overview
1. SW flank: steepest passage 50°, PD+, 400 hm (summit face), altogether 1200 hm, 4-5 h from Ref. d'Argentiere. (Eberlein, p. 411)
2. West flank and NW Ridge: mixed, steepest ice passage 45°, PD, 5 h (Eberlein, p. 411f.)
3. North Face: 50° in the average, D, 600 hm (face), 3-6 h from the foot (Eberlein, 412)
4. NE Face: average of steepness: 49°, steepest passage 55°, IV, mostly III, D, 700 hm (face), 4-6 h from the foot (Eberlein, p. 414)
5. East Face: average 45°, steepest passage 50°, AD, 600 hm (face), 5-6 h (Eberlein, 414)
6. ESE Ridge: III, mostly easier, ice till 50°, AD, 1000 lm, 350 hm, 5,5 h (Eberlein, p. 415)
7. Y Couloir (S Couloir): pure firn, 45° at 450 m, AD, 550 hm, 4,5 h (Eberlein, p. 416)
8. Jardin ridge: IV+, mostly IV and III, D, 900 hm, 1500 lm, 9 h (Eberlein, 416)
 |  |  |  |  |  | | Ski route | Glacier du Milieu | North Face Original route | Y Couloir | T. Fral. soloing the Y Coul. | ESE Ridge |
Getting there
1. To the Aiguille d'Argentièree- a. You come from the Ref. d'Argentière.
2. To the Ref. d'Argentière
- In order to reach the hut, you have 3 possibilities:
- a. 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.
- b. 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.
- c. 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.
3. You reach the Chamonix Valley by train:- a. From Martigny (Switzerland) via Vallorcine.
- b. From Geneva (airport) via Anncey (TGV till here) and St. Gervais.
4. You reach the Chamonix Valley by bus:- From/via Annecy, Geneva, Grenoble, Courmayeur, Aoste and Turin
5. You reach the Chamonix Valley by car:- a. From Geneva (from the NW) on the A40 till St. Gervais and from here on the N205.
- b. From Martigny (from the NE, Switzerland) via Vallorcine and the Col des Montets on the road no. N506.
6. You reach the Val Ferret (Italy) by bus or car:- a. From Chamonix through the Mont Blanc Tunnel from the NW.
- b. From Torino (from the SE) on the A5 via Villeneuve.
When to climb
 |  |  | | Glacier d'Argentière | Aiguille d'Argentière | Glacier de Saleina |
It depends on your capabilities ... (summer and winter).
Camping
There are campingplaces in
Mountainhut
1. Refuge d'Argentière
The 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:
- a. from Croix de Lognan (1970 m) in 3 - 3,5 h, to Croix de Lognan with cable car from Argentière
- b. on foot from Argentière in 5 h
- c. from Aiguille des Grands Montets (summit station of the cable car from Argentière) in 2 h
Mountain Conditions and General Information
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
1. WEATHER INFOS
2. GENERAL INFOS
3. 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
4. BUS CHAMONIX VALLEY
- Phone: 0033/450 53 0555 - 0033/450 53 0115
5. CABLE CARS
Map
 |  |  |  | | Glacier du Milieu | Aig. d'Argentière | Sunset | Glacier du Milieu |
Institut Géographique National1:25000 no. 3630 OT Chamonix - Massif du Mont Blanc
Instituto Geografico Centrale1:25000 no. 165107 IGC Monte Bianco
Mappa Courmayeur cartina
MapPlus by TYDAC
Dav-shop
cordee.co.uk
Books
Hartmut Eberlein: Mont-Blanc-Gruppe. DAV-Gebietsführer. 9th ed. Munich 2000.
ISBN 3-7633-2414-3
(to order at amazon.de)
Gaston Rébuffat: The Mont Blanc Massif. The 100 Finest Routes. London 1996
ISBN 1-898573-03-4
(to order at amazon.de or at amazon.com)
Erich Vanis, Im steilen Eis. 80 Eiswände in den Alpen. Munich et al. 1980.
ISBN 3-405-12158-2
Damilano/Perroux, Neige, Glace Et Mixte: Mont Blanc.Editions Ice 1996.
ISBN 2950986803
Laroche/Lelong: Die Gipfel des Montblanc. Munich 1999.
ISBN 3-405-15693-9
(to order at amazon.de)
Helmut Dumler/Willi P. Burkhardt, Viertausender der Alpen. 11th ed. Munich 1998.
ISBN 3-7633-7427-2
(to order at amazon.de)
Helmut Dumler/Willi P. Burkhardt, The High Mountains of the Alps.
(to order at amazon.com)
External Links
Bureau des Guides - France
Società Guide Alpine Courmayeur - Italy
Images
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Graie Alps
