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An excellent mountaineering route in an awesome position beneath the mighty South Face of Monte Bianco

Alpine Mountaineering on the French / Italian frontier

An 0200 breakfast was taken before the glacier left bank approach was used to climb La Bosse and on to the Forbes Arete. Aiguilles Dorees Beyond

The lift station is just under the summit spire & the Cosmiques Hut can be seen on the lower rock buttress centre left. The left hand skyline leading to the Hut is the Arete Laurence & the up to the station is the Cosmiques Arete. The right hand snow ridge out of the station is the Midi - Plan traverse & the glacial plateau infront of it all is the Col du Midi.

Classic Alpine Mountaineering in Chamonix

This point is gained via sustained scrambling either up the 'Couloir des Papillons', from the top of 'Les Lépidoptéres' or the Papillons Arete. The Chamonix Aiguilles, Grepon, Charmoz & Bec d'Oiseau beyond.

En Route to the Tour Glacier and on to the crossing in to Switzerland, the Trient Glacier and ascent of the Aiguille du Tour. The super N. Face of the Aiguile du Chardonnet in the background.

Dent du Geant behind. Superb 'PD' standard mountaineering in Chamonix

The Red line is a rough approximation of the line we took in August 2012. The Grand Rocheuse and Aiguille du Jardin to the right with the Whymper Couloir visible just right of centre.

This excellent short ridge leads to the Cosmiques Hut and gives a pleasant acclimatisation outing from the Aiguille du Midi

Footpaths are followed up the Bionnassay Valley and on to the Refuge Plan Glacier via the Col du Tricot. Base Camp for the Miage North Face. If the Bionnassay traverse is completed after the Miage North Face the descent can be via the Gouter Route, visible here at the end of the valley.

Steep granite walls of the Pre de Bar North Face all around

A magnificent position high above the Argentiere Basin with great views to the Aiguilles Chardonnet, Argentiere, Mont Dolent and the big north faces of the Verte & Droites. The bergschrund can be tricky but was very easy today in late December 2015.

Approximate lines of Frendo Ravanel (II,5) and Claire Chazal (II,4) marked

The classic traverse from the Conscrits Hut ascends the glacier Tre-la-Tete and arrives at the central snowy col - with the return, westward leg leading rightwards back along the crest & down to the hut. The journey from Conscrits to Durier traverses the skyline from right to left.

Line marked to the left is the classic Frendo Spur further left on the Face

Escarra Route marked in red. Photo: Rich Bentley

Farraon takes the big central snow couloir leading in to mixed ground between the Claire Chazal and the Frendo Ravanel

The fine narrow gully to the upper left of the snow couloir is the line

This fine mixed buttress sits between the two classic ice routes of Cheré Couloir (R) and Contamine Mazaued (L). The line described gives five good mixed pitches followed by 3 rappels down the Chere Couloir (on 2 X 60m ropes)

Lean conditions in mid March 2015, some good snow & ice but some loose rock also.