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

Shelter / Huts

• 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

Routes

• The easiest Route is the "Pente NE" (AD, 700m, Seriousness III )
• The nicest Route is probably the Swiss Route (TD-, 800m, Seriousness IV)
• Another well known Route is the 'Austrian' (D+, 800m, Seriousness IV)

Books

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.

Mountain Conditions

• 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

External Links

• Trip Report, Ulli Prinz
  A report and some pictures from my Swiss-Route Nov.2001
  
• tvmountain.com suisse-route
  Nice pictures and a sort of Topo
  
• Mountain Guide Adventure
  A local guide service, if you need one...
  

Images

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