Aiguille du Chardonnet, South Couloir
Backcountry Skiing Route
Details
1.01 mi
1,418 ft
A very rewarding descent amongst beautiful granite formations, but not easy to find in good condition.
This lies amongst beautiful granite formations, but not easy to find in good condition.
From the top of the Grand Montets cable car, ski down the very start of the Point du Vue piste before quickly ducking the rope and heading skier's right and down the Glacier du Rognons. Take care to watch out for some large crevasses on the upper section. Keep to skier's right of the Rognon itself (a large rock island). This soon brings you down onto the Glacier d'Argentière. Transition to skins and head east to the bottom of the Glacier du Chardonnet. The first couple hundred meters of the climb can be quite steep and it is advisable to take ski crampons (or it may even be necessary to climb on foot sometimes). It is possible to climb either to the left or the right of the icefall in the middle. This brings you to the bottom of the couloir. Halfway up there is a small ridge separating the lower couloir from the upper branches. It is possible to take the left hand branch which is a more logical way to the summit (east facing) or the right hand branch (south facing) which terminates at the ridge (Forbes Arete). The lower half of the couloir faces east so if starting from the first bin you had better be fast! Ski back down the Glacier du Chardonnet and out down the Glacier d'Argentière and back down to Lognan. Written by Thomas Grant
This lies amongst beautiful granite formations, but not easy to find in good condition.
From the top of the Grand Montets cable car, ski down the very start of the Point du Vue piste before quickly ducking the rope and heading skier's right and down the Glacier du Rognons. Take care to watch out for some large crevasses on the upper section. Keep to skier's right of the Rognon itself (a large rock island). This soon brings you down onto the Glacier d'Argentière. Transition to skins and head east to the bottom of the Glacier du Chardonnet. The first couple hundred meters of the climb can be quite steep and it is advisable to take ski crampons (or it may even be necessary to climb on foot sometimes). It is possible to climb either to the left or the right of the icefall in the middle. This brings you to the bottom of the couloir. Halfway up there is a small ridge separating the lower couloir from the upper branches. It is possible to take the left hand branch which is a more logical way to the summit (east facing) or the right hand branch (south facing) which terminates at the ridge (Forbes Arete). The lower half of the couloir faces east so if starting from the first bin you had better be fast! Ski back down the Glacier du Chardonnet and out down the Glacier d'Argentière and back down to Lognan. Written by Thomas Grant