Haute
Route
Notes on maps: grid lines equal 1 kilometer; contour interval is 20 meters; elevations are in meters; red lines depict ski tours; our tour is marked by yellow highlighted dots; maps take awhile to load in full color but are worth the wait to really see where the tour goes
Day 1 The Vallée Blanche
Our
first day serves as a bit of a training and warm-up day. It begins with
an ascent by téléphérique from the middle of Chamonix to the summit
of the Aiguille du Midi which at 3,842 meters is the highest point of
the Chamonix Aiguilles. The whole day is downhill beginning with a steep
descent on foot from the lift station followed by what can be in the
right conditions up to 9,000 feet of vertical descent! The Vallée Blanche
ski run will give us the opportunity to practice and learn while enjoying
the best and most famous one day ski tour in the Alps.
Day 2 Argentière to Argentière Hut map
The
first day of the Haute Route begins with another easy ascent via téléphérique
to the top of the Grands Montets. From here we descend easily to the
Argentière Glacier and then skin up to the hut. Along the way we will
have time to practice our rope techniques, avalanche and crevasse rescue
procedures and other techniques. The Argentière Glacier is surrounded
by an unparalleled collection of majestic north wall ice faces. Some
of the most famous classic ice climbs in the Alps are in plain view
just outside the hut.
© Chauvin Guides International, P.O. Box 2151, North Conway, NH 03860 Voice: 603-356-8919