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Weather was supposed to storms all WE, so we transformed our 2 days hut and glacier tour into a day tour (and a groomer/party day for the season ending at les Grands Montets). We were like "if it snows in the night and we have a good window the next day, it's going to be quite the steal…". Well, guess what happened… 😎
We were off to Col du Passon, a classic in Chamonix, especially good on splitboard because it has virtually no traverse and quite some wide open faces! I had never did it, although it had been mentionned a couple times in the plans… but this time was the right one. First chair in the morning, everybody is ready to party hard at the waterslide on monoskis or just go for a last tour. And its full on bluebirds sky, hell yeah. Off we are to beautiful Glacier d'Argentière:
![Sky Mountain Snow Cloud Slope]()
![Sky Mountain Snow Azure Natural landscape]()
Then we rope up to cross the glacier. Not that it's necessary at this time of the year, but we wanted to practice a bit and learn how to be efficient with our kits. We do the first climb roped up again for the same reason (climbing with poles and loops in hand isn't that easy at first).
![Sky Cloud Mountain Snow Sports equipment]()
![Sky Mountain Helmet Outdoor recreation Bedrock]()
And then we are good for the real climb, first skinning and then with crampons. Snow is soft with the sun but not too much, perfect for skinning! The couloir climb is pretty OK too, we are not the first so we have nice steps 😅 The upper part is a bit dry and should be full rock before end of the week if it doesn't snow again.
![Sky Cloud Snow Mountain Azure]()
![Mountain Snow Slope Outdoor recreation Ice cap]()
And here we are at almost 3100m, beautiful view on everything: Glacier du Tour, Aiguilles rouges, Glacier d'Argentière, glacier du Chardonnet, les Courtes, le Dolent, l'Aiguille Verte… and f***ing May POW 😱 It's not deep but we are definitely going to make tracks on fresh snow ! So off we are for 1600m of vertical drop, straight to le Tour! Snow is unbelievable on the glacier part, a nice layer of fresh snow and soft underneath (problably didn't refreeze at night due the layer of fresh snow). We end up with some nice slush and a bit of bushwacking for good measure. 15mn hike and we are good. Not the best for the season, it's been dry this year, but far from aweful.
![Cloud Sky Snow Mountain Sports equipment]()
![Snow Mountain Cloud Nature Azure]()
![Mountain Snow Slope Plant Climbing]()
Overall really awesome conditions for the season. Not the full on glacier tour we imagined, but a highly recommanded itinirary and the best tour of the year for me. Perfect day to close the seaon—I'm not even answering messages, I'm not risking walking hours under the rain for two turns in slush after that!
Overall, I highly recommend this tour if you are the area. It's one my best itineraries ever. It might be better earlier in the season (like ferbruary) so you can ride all the way down in pow! It's far from a hidden gem, but it's not that crowded either. Any good intermediate can do it with a guide if they are fit (1000m D+, with some 300 in the couloir I think), there is nothing technical at all, but you'll feel like you're quite the mountaineer! As for going by yourself, it's not hard at all, often well tracked for the way up, but these are big mountains, high altitude with crevassed glacier and gnarly cliffs. Nothing hard, just be sure of your game and don't overestimate yourself, as always
.
We were off to Col du Passon, a classic in Chamonix, especially good on splitboard because it has virtually no traverse and quite some wide open faces! I had never did it, although it had been mentionned a couple times in the plans… but this time was the right one. First chair in the morning, everybody is ready to party hard at the waterslide on monoskis or just go for a last tour. And its full on bluebirds sky, hell yeah. Off we are to beautiful Glacier d'Argentière:
Then we rope up to cross the glacier. Not that it's necessary at this time of the year, but we wanted to practice a bit and learn how to be efficient with our kits. We do the first climb roped up again for the same reason (climbing with poles and loops in hand isn't that easy at first).
And then we are good for the real climb, first skinning and then with crampons. Snow is soft with the sun but not too much, perfect for skinning! The couloir climb is pretty OK too, we are not the first so we have nice steps 😅 The upper part is a bit dry and should be full rock before end of the week if it doesn't snow again.
And here we are at almost 3100m, beautiful view on everything: Glacier du Tour, Aiguilles rouges, Glacier d'Argentière, glacier du Chardonnet, les Courtes, le Dolent, l'Aiguille Verte… and f***ing May POW 😱 It's not deep but we are definitely going to make tracks on fresh snow ! So off we are for 1600m of vertical drop, straight to le Tour! Snow is unbelievable on the glacier part, a nice layer of fresh snow and soft underneath (problably didn't refreeze at night due the layer of fresh snow). We end up with some nice slush and a bit of bushwacking for good measure. 15mn hike and we are good. Not the best for the season, it's been dry this year, but far from aweful.
Overall really awesome conditions for the season. Not the full on glacier tour we imagined, but a highly recommanded itinirary and the best tour of the year for me. Perfect day to close the seaon—I'm not even answering messages, I'm not risking walking hours under the rain for two turns in slush after that!
Overall, I highly recommend this tour if you are the area. It's one my best itineraries ever. It might be better earlier in the season (like ferbruary) so you can ride all the way down in pow! It's far from a hidden gem, but it's not that crowded either. Any good intermediate can do it with a guide if they are fit (1000m D+, with some 300 in the couloir I think), there is nothing technical at all, but you'll feel like you're quite the mountaineer! As for going by yourself, it's not hard at all, often well tracked for the way up, but these are big mountains, high altitude with crevassed glacier and gnarly cliffs. Nothing hard, just be sure of your game and don't overestimate yourself, as always
.
