Overview

• The Aiguille Verte is one of the most prominent mountains of the Mont Blanc range. It is very visible from Argentière.
  Besides Mont Blanc and Grandes Jorasses, Aiguille Verte is one of the most beautiful mountains of the Mont Blanc Massif - because of the huge rigdes. Eberlein calls it even the most beautiful mountain of the Alps at all (Eberlein, 357).

• Besides the famous couloirs (NE and NW), the big ridges are interesting for climbers. The most beautiful route is probably the traverse Sans Nom - Jardin Ridge. Even the Moine Ridge (SW ridge) is not easy. Therefore the Aiguille Verte is the most difficult 4000 m peak of the Alps.

• First ascent: E. Whymper with Ch. Almer and F. Biner on 29. June 1865.

Les Drus - Aiguille Verte - Les Droites - Les Courtes - Aiguille de Triolet

Routes Overview

a) Cordier Couloir: 55° average, D+, 1000 hm, 7-10 h (Eberlein, p. 367)

b) Contamine Route: V, mostly IV, ice till 50°, TD-, alltogether 1050 hm (face), 600 hm rock climbing and mixed, 450 hm ice, 8-10 h (Eberlein, p. 367)

c) Couloir Couturier: 55° at 300 m, average: 49°, D-, 900 hm (face), 4-8 h (Eberlein, p. 369)

Getting there

• a. You can come from the Ref. d'Argentiere.



• b. You can come from the Ref. de Couvercle.

• 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 2250 m. 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, then 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 1750 m 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. 2754 m. You go down in south-eastern direction of the glacier d'Argentière, which you reach above the ice break. 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.

• a. 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 in direction of 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 in SE direction of Les Moulins. Now you do not follow the marking signs to the moraines but continue in S and then E direction of 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.



• b. You can reach the hut via a new climbing track below the Flammes de Pierre and the ends of the Aig. du Moine to the Ref. du Couvercle. But because of ice avalanches, some passages of this route have become very dangerous. You have to ask for the actual conditions. 3,5 h from Montenvers to Couvercle.


To Montenvers:


• 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.



• You reach Chamonix 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, the Col des Montets and Argentière.

• a. From Martigny (Switzerland) via Vallorcine.



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

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

• 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.

• 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

Camping

Mountain Huts

according to Eberlein:

• 120 beds


• serviced from 15. March to 15. September


• winter room with 35 beds


• phone: +33-450 531692


• Email: refugeargentiere@wanadoo.fr


• internet: Ref. d'Argentière


• to the Ref. 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

according to Eberlein:

• 137 beds


• serviced during the season


• phone: +33-450 531694


• internet: Ref. du Couvercle


• ascent to the hut from Montenvers in 3,5 h via moraines or via the Balcon du Mer de Glace in 3,5 h

Mountain Condition and General Information

• Météo France in Chamonix: 0033/836680274
• Snowinfos: 0033/836 681 020 (only in France, not from abroad)
• internet: Météo France

• Office de Haute Montagnes (OHM)/Chamonix:
  0033450 532 208 (9 - 12 h and 15 - 18 h during the summer)
• Bureau des Guides in Chamonix: 0033/450530088.
• Office de Tourisme in Chamonix: 0033/450530024
• Office de Tourisme Argentière: 0033/450540214
• internet: www.chamonix.com
• Phone of the Montenvers-train: ++33(0)450/531254


• Phone of the Cable Car in Argentière: ++33(0)450/540071

0033/450 53 1298
0033/8 36 35 35 35
0033/450530702 (train station Chamonix)
internet: www.cff.ch

Map

Institut Géographique National

1:25000 no. 3630 OT (Chamonix)
(to order at DAV Service

Books

External Links

• Aiguille Verte 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.

Images

[ View Gallery - 189 More Images ]