6 days climbing the Aretes in Chamonix-Mont Blanc

From the cable car in the village of Le Praz we’ll enjoy great views of the entire north side of the famous needles of Chamonix. We will start a short approach to the base of the Aiguille de l’Index. There we’ll begin to climb the south ridge to the summit (2,595m), which will take us between 2-3 hours. From the top we abseil to the chairlift. We will use this shorter activity to learn the technique on edges and prepare for longer and committed ridges.

We get the cable car to the Aiguille du Midi, and then climb to the top at 3,842 meters, just to the edge of the Cosmiques station. Then with an ice axe and crampons we descend the famous snow. We descend the large glacier which is surrounded by peaks of over 4,000 meters. We will reach the observatory of Cosmiques, where we start climbing.

The first part we climb up snow slopes to the first gendarme where we are fully exposed to the edge; air steps, abseiling, rock climbing, down climbing. We don’t get bored while crossing the ridge. The route was opened by George Finch and Finch Maxwell, on 2 August 1911. Today it has become one of the most traversed edges of Mont Blanc and the Alps.

Today we change scenery for a couple of days. We leave the view of the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix and go to the Italian area of the Mont Blanc massif, to get the views of Courmayeur and much of the Valle d’Aosta. We will have two options, either cross the gondola of Panoràmic, linking the Aiguille du Midi to the Refuge Torino, or cross the Mont Blanc tunnel to Courmayeur and go up the cable car Skyway to Punta Helbronner, where the Torino Refuge is located. From there a comfortable 1-hour approach by the Galciar du Géant leave us on the Col d’Entrèves where we start on the sharp and aerial ridge to the summit of the Aiguille d’Entrèves (3,604m). From there we make some descents by climbing and abseiling to continue on the downward edge before heading to the same way back to the refuge of Torino.

We will go back to the Glacier du Geant and Dent du Géant, where we begin along the edge of Rochefort. With crampons and an ice axe in hand, we begin to explore this snowy ridge, which is a classic, through sections that are sure to be picturesque. In the last part to reach the summit we will be climbing III and III +, where after climbing a few meters reach the prized summit (4,001m). After enjoying the views from its summit (Mont Blanc, Dent du Géant, Jorasses, Aiguille du Midi) we return the same route, but this time downhill until you get back to the Torino shelter. That afternoon we return to Chamonix by cable or by the Panoramic Mont Blanc tunnel, depending on our route.

We descend to the valley where we can appreciate a quieter and more restful night. The edge of the Petite Aiguille Verte, also a classic without much difficulty and not very long. Steps of snow and rock with aerial sections will make us enjoy and feel the surrounding isolation. We will head to the town of Argentiere, to the Les Grands Montets cable car that will take us to 3,296 meters. From there, we go down a long staircase on the hill where we will use crampons. A snow shovel gives us access to the edge, which after climbing and avoiding air gendarmes deposited us at the summit with unforgettable views. The Aiguille Verte (4,122m), the Drus, the Argentiere glacier, the Mer de Glace and countless other summits provide us the perfect background.

To end the program we will cross another classic edge, but this time further down the Aiguille. A ridge of rock that ends the buttresses of the Aiguille de Peigne, on the north side of the Aiguilles du Chamonix. Once in the intermediate station of the Aiguille du Midi, we go down the first section by cable car and head towards the edge made from stone and block. We’ll start climbing, the first part easier where we have to go looking for the best way. The second part is more vertical and aerial, and is the most spectacular stretch with steps we have to climb and others where you better not look down! Once in the gap we have to make a couple of rappels down and continue down a vertical corridor. This path connects with the climb to get back to the cable car.