Mont Pelvoux

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 44.89780°N / 6.39560°E
Additional Information Elevation: 12946 ft / 3946 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

Geographical classification: Western Alps > High Dauphiné Alps > Mont Pelvoux

Mont Pelvoux is one of the most important and complicated mountain in Ecrins massif, the most southwesterly high massif in the Alps.

In the past, people thought Mont Pelvoux was the highest summit of the region because from a distance in Durance valley, it's impossible to see Barre des Ecrins wich is highest and behind Mont Pelvoux.

Mont Pelvoux is the first high mountain of the massif to be climbed in 1928 by Captain Durand and two chamois hunters. 2 days after the first ascent they came back on the summit to build a geodesic signal and do measurements during 3 days.

Mont Pelvoux has very high rock slopes with a snow comb in the middle (Pelvoux glacier). Four summits are around the glacier comb: Pointe Puiseux (3946m), Pointe Durand (3932m), 3 Dents (3682m) and Petit Pelvoux (3753m).

Mont Pelvoux is west connected to a very high ridge including Pic Sans Nom [Peak without name! ] (3914m) and Ailefroides (3953m).

Mont Pelvoux has Glacier on it: Pelvoux glacier ont he top, glacier Du Clos De L'Homme on south side, Glacier des Violettes and Glacier de la Momie on east side and is borded on the north by Glacier Noir (Black glacier) about 5km long.

They are many routes on Mont Pelvoux different by their types and difficulties, snow, ice corridors, rock, traverse, a 1000m north route with D+ cotation.

Lots of people is doing Pelvoux traverse on summer (PD)

This page is dedicated to George Vernet. He has opened with Jean Vernet the first route on the east side of the mountain.

Pelvoux huts

Pelvoux hut 2700 m (CAF)
Situation: Vallon du Sélé RPELVO N 44° 52' 57'' E 006° 24' 20''
Capacity : 58
Phone : 04 92 23 39 47
Open : june 15 to september 8
Difference in height: 1 250 m
Time required : 3 heures 30
Map : IGN Top 25 - 3436 Est
To go there: From Ailefroide, by vallon du Sélé

Routes overview

Route name: normal route (Pelvoux traverse using Coolidge corridor to climb and Glacier des violettes to go down)
Difficulty: PD and serac's fall (Glacier de l'Homme and Glacier des Violettes) if the glaciers are not in very good conditions
Time required: from hut to point 3225m: 1.30h + 1.30h-2h to summit = 3h-4.30h from hut to summit, + 3h- 4h to return to Ailefroide on Pelvoux east side.
Start point: Pelvoux hut (2704m)
Top point: Pelvoux Pointe Puiseux (3946m) or Pointe Durand (3932m) or both.
Difference in height: hut to to summit = 1242m. from summit to Ailfroide is nearly -2500m
First ascent: Captain A. Durand , Jacques Etienne Matéoud and Alexis Liotard july 30 1828 but not using the same route they used "Rochers rouges" routes.
W.A.B Coolidge, Christian Almer, Aldrich Almer, July 15 1881were the first to climb Normal Route ( Coolidge corridor)
and Charles Passavant, A.Burgener, and P.A. Reymond have done the first ascent on Glacier des violettes june 25 1881.

normal route montagne-virtuel topo


Route name: Trois Dent rock ascent
Difficulty: AD
Time required: Ailefroide to 3 Dent ridge: 5h+ 4h-5h to summit It possible to stop for the night before ridge atack (night outside).
Start point: Ailefroide (1510m)
Top point: 3 Dents summit (3682m)
Difference in height: Ailefroide to point 3100: 1590m + 600m to summit = 2190m
First ascent: J. Charignon, J-A Morin, A Roux, H. Sarthou, Georges Vernet, Jean Vernet August 17 1935


Route name: Trois Dent Chaud Corridor ascent
Difficulty: TD+ and high risk serac's fall.
Time required: Ailefroide to 3 Dent atack : 5h+ 6h-11h to summit. It possible to stop for the night before atack (night outside).
Start point: Ailefroide (1510m)
Top point: 3 Dents summit (3682m)
Difference in height: Ailefroide to point 3100: 1590m + 600m to summit (400m on corridor) = 2190m
First ascent: V. Chaud and E. Cortial july 14 1950


Route name: Petit Pelvoux South Ridge
Difficulty: D
Time required: hut to atack: 2h + 4h to summit = 6h from hut to summit
Start point: Pelvoux hut (2704m)
Top point: Petit Pelvoux (3753m)
Difference in height: hut to ridge rock: 550m + 500m to summit = 1050m
First ascent: Georges Vernet, Jean Vernet August 16 1938


Route name: Pointe Puiseux north ridge
Difficulty: Dsup
Time required: hut to basis: 2.30h + to summit: 6h-10h
Start point: Cézanne hut (1874m) or bivouac near Glacier Noir (2550m)
Top point: Pelvoux Pointe Puiseux (3946m)
Difference in height: hut to basis: 1050m + to summit: 1000m
First ascent: M.Fourastier,A. Manhès, august 22-23 1936

Route name: Pelvoux East pass route.
Difficulty: D
Time required: hut to basis: 2.30h + to pass: 3h-4h
Start point: Cézanne hut (1874m) or bivouac near Glacier Noir (2550m)
Top point: Pelvoux East pass (3604m)
Difference in height: hut to basis: 1050m + to pass: 700m
First ascent: H. Metrier, Eugène estienne, JP Engilberge, july 23 1909

Route name: Pelvoux SW face route (Metrier corridor).
Difficulty: AD
Time required: 1.30h
Essential gear: mousquetons
Start point: Pelvoux East pass (3604m)
Top point: Pelvoux Pointe Puiseux (3946m)
Difference in height: 340m
First ascent:H. Metrier, Eugène estienne, JP Engilberge, july 13 1907

Route name: Pelvoux SW face route (Picard Route).
Difficulty: D
Time required: 4h
Essential gear: mousquetons
Start point: Pelvoux East pass (3604m)
Top point: Pelvoux Pointe Puiseux (3946m)
Difference in height: 340m
First ascent:H. Metrier, Eugène estienne, JP Engilberge, july 13 1907

Route name: Pelvoux W ridge route.
Difficulty: TD inf (15 pitons)
Time required: 5h-6h
Start point: Pelvoux East pass (3604m)
Top point: Pelvoux Pointe Puiseux (3946m)
Difference in height: 340m
First ascent:Y. Besson, R. Guinot, M. Mariet, JC Saurin july 1958

Route name: Pelvoux N central route.
Pente centrale pictures

When To Climb

june to september

Camping and facilities

Camping:
There is an extensive campsite on the way into Ailefroide village.


Facilities:
Ailefroide has four hotels, two small shops (selling a very good variety of food, a number of gear shops, bars, restaurants and a Bureau des Guides.
Vallouise has in addition bank, doctor, pharmacy.


Accomodations and huts:
http://www.les-ecrins-parc-national.fr/medias/FicheHeberg2001.pdf
http://www.les-ecrins-parc-national.fr/medias/CarteRefGitesWeb.pdf


Mountain Conditions

meteo 7 days Briançon

meteo 7 days Bourg d'Oisans

meteo 7 days Grenoble

meteo 7 days Gap


old pictures


Getting there

Durance valley - Argentière - Vallouise - Ailefroide

External Links



Children

Children

Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. For example, the Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' The Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children.