The Northwest Flank and Southwest Ridge is the normal route on the mountain and the usual descent route. It is a scenic, popular and frequently climbed route without much difficulty in normal conditions, but snow and ice on the Southwest Ridge can complicate the ascent considerably.

Approach

The route begins at the Col de Cheilon (3243 m) that is most easily reached from the Dix Hut with a straightforward one-hour walk across the Cheilon Glacier and up its moraines on a good track.

See the main page for the routes to the Dix Hut.

Route Description

From the Col de Cheilon climb an obvious rock rib or the snow slopes immediately adjacent to it to the glacier above. Ascend this (crevasses) to the obvious saddle in the Southwest Ridge, which is then followed to the summit. Climbing on the Southwest Ridge is normally mixed snow and rock, which can be icy and / or heavily corniced depending on the time of year and conditions.

If conditions are poor, it is possible to continue a short ways past the Col de Cheilon and climb to the saddle on the glacier all the way via more gently slopes.

Essential Gear

Normal glacier travel equipment.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.

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