Alps: Day 1 Planning
Thought we would plan to have an easy first day in the Alps. The afternoon before we will take the Charamillion-Balme ski lift up from Le Tour in the Chamonix valley and stay overnight at the Albert Premier Hut (2,702m) which is located about 1 hour 45 minutes above the top of the lift.
The Glacier du Tour closes the top of the Chamonix valley with Mont Blanc to the South and its eastern edge marks the border between France and Switzerland. It is a favourite location for newcomers like us.
In the morning we will set out before first light, having remembered to take a bearing the day before, and pass between Signal and Signal Reilly. From here it’s a steady glacial walk passing the North and South Peaks of Aiguille du Tour to the foot of Tête Blanche which we should reach after 2 hours.
Here we plan to practice the self arrest and belay techniques that we learnt in Scotland on the gentle southern slopes of Tête Blanche.
Time permitting we will take the ordinary route, first climbed in 1857, to the summit (an easy Grade I.F) to admire the view back across the Glacier du Tour and to peer down the much steeper (55 degrees) North Face (Grade II.AD) into the Plateau du Trient before returning via the same route to the Albert Hut.
Well that’s the plan for Day 1
The Glacier du Tour closes the top of the Chamonix valley with Mont Blanc to the South and its eastern edge marks the border between France and Switzerland. It is a favourite location for newcomers like us.
In the morning we will set out before first light, having remembered to take a bearing the day before, and pass between Signal and Signal Reilly. From here it’s a steady glacial walk passing the North and South Peaks of Aiguille du Tour to the foot of Tête Blanche which we should reach after 2 hours.
Here we plan to practice the self arrest and belay techniques that we learnt in Scotland on the gentle southern slopes of Tête Blanche.
Time permitting we will take the ordinary route, first climbed in 1857, to the summit (an easy Grade I.F) to admire the view back across the Glacier du Tour and to peer down the much steeper (55 degrees) North Face (Grade II.AD) into the Plateau du Trient before returning via the same route to the Albert Hut.
Well that’s the plan for Day 1
1 comment:
Hi guys, Hope your initial Alpine trip went really well and you had great wetaher : O )
My Easter wasn't quite as exciting but good though - update on: http://southerntracks.blogspot.com/
Have sharpened the ice axes with the thought of NZ winter...........
Gerard
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