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For an end of season expedition Christine, Sam, Dan and I decided
to do the first section of the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute route.
This is normally done over two days, due to time and weather we
decided to do it over one instead.
First lift up
Setting off from the Grand Montets summit on the first lift of the
day we descended some rather unpleasant refrozen cut up slush to
the Argentiere glacier. Here we met the tracks of those who had
stayed at the Argentiere Refuge, the normal way of getting an early
start.
  
The first climb is the Col du Chardonnet, a 3 hour
slog first up steep hard snow and then a gentler sun baked section.
With climbing skins and harchisen (metal teeth that help you grip
more) on our skis we set of uphill. At the top we were greeted by
a very steep col with a nasty looking sideslip track down it. We
decided rather ski we would abseil down. About halfway down the
steep bit the angle changed and we sidesliped the rest, pretty good
really as that was as far as 50m ropes reach.
Traverse and climb
We were now in the Saleina basin in Switzerland behind the Aiguille
du Chardonnet and the Aiguille du Argentiere. From here it was a
short traverse and slide round the north side of a bowl before we
started climbing again. With the sun now high in the sky it was
quite a warm walk. The end of this section is the steepish climb
to the Fenetre du Saleina, the kick turns at this point need a fair
amount of poise and balance to avoid tumbling back down. Christine
took the less stressful option and bootpacked up this part. From
this col the decent onto the Trient plateau is a gentle slide.
To get all the way the Refuge du Trient there was
always a short last climb, not really what you want when you have
already covered many miles and climbed many 1000's of feet. But
skins back on the skis and we were there in about quarter of an
hour. It was now early evening enjoying the sun on the balcony,
the crew were staying the night with the next days skiing being
all downhill to Champex Lac.
Home and shattered
 I
on the other hand had to be back at work. It took me about an hour
and a half of hard slog to traverse a the flat looking Trient plateau
to the col du Tour. From here on it was all down hill across the
tour glacier and down to the village of le Tour as the sun was going
down in some of the deepest wettest slush I have ever skied.
I was so tired at this point I just lay on the Vormaine
car park until my buddy Rob picked me up to go home.
Words and Pictures
from Tom
Greenall - Natives Resort Reporter
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