Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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45.98773°N / 6.87388°E |
Route Type:
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Mountaineering |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Difficulty:
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F |
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Rock Difficulty:
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5.4 (YDS) |
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Number of Pitches:
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1 |
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Grade:
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I |
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Overview
The south arete offers a combination of scrambling and a short section of technical (5.4, 3b) climbing. It could be considered either an excellent introduction for beginning mountaineers or a relaxing day for more experienced climbers when the weather on the Mont Blanc massif is less favorable. The route finding is straightforward. The technical sections of the route are short and the belay stances are comfortable.Getting There
See the Getting There section for Aiguille du Belvedere.Route Description
DifficultyGrade I / Facile. Easy rock arête (~200m) with a short (10m) chimney rated 3b. Snow approach in early season.
Time
Ascent: From Flegere (1890m), expect 1 hour to reach Lac Blanc (2352m) and 2 to 3 hours to reach the summit of the Aiguille du Belvedere (2965m). Add 2 hours if hiking from Les Praz / Chamonix.
Ascent
Ascend west and north-west from the Refuge du Lac Blanc through rocky terrain or snow in early season. It's easiest to pass in between the two lakes and ascend the scree slope to the right of a rocky ridge. After approximately 400m of elevation gain, reach the Col des Dards (2790m) at the start of the south arête. Scramble on low-angle broken rocks until gaining the start of the ridge. After crossing to the east side on an easy slab, reach a short chimney (3b). Continue to scramble up the ridge, passing rock features on the right or left, until reaching the summit.
Descent
Return the same way south to the Lac Blanc and back to Les Praz / Chamonix.
Variations
One can also traverse the Aiguille du Belvedere connecting the Col des Dards and Col de Belvedere in either direction or combine an ascent of the Aiguille du Belvedere with other summits in the Aiguilles Rouges.