A perfect day 2

June 30th

Start:  Cabane du Trient; finish (and night): Refuge d’Argentière (CAF).
Distance: 12,9 km (5 km along the frontier)
Walking time: 6 hours 50 minutes (plus 2 hours for the stops)
Vertical distance:  1210 m uphill, 1610 m downhill

Main summit: Aiguille d’Argentière, 3901 m

Breakfast at 3 a.m. and leave before 4 a.m. to get good snow conditions.  We have already given up on visiting every single summit, because this would be too time-consuming.  Instead, we visit only the more important summits but otherwise keep as close to the frontier as possible.  We crossed the Fenêtre de Saleina (very steep down the far side for 50 m), then traversed beneath Grande Fourche to the Col du Chardonnet.  The ascent here of about 120 m was very steep, a mixture of snow, ice and rubble, and had me quite out of breath at the end.  From here we had to go down the glacier for about 200 m before attacking the last 800 m up to the summit of the Aiguille d’Argentière, which we reached at 10 a.m.  Rapidly softening snow precluded any further attempt to traverse other peaks, so we descended the initially steep “voie normale” to the Argentière Hut, where we had lunch and a siesta.

A beautiful day, with not a cloud in the sky, and excellent views in all directions.  A day to make life worth living!

Photo:
1.  9 a.m.  Kenny and Graham, last rest before the summit
2.  40 minutes later
3.  On the summit ridge