in the wild
Jan 25, 2017
Words and video by Chris Brinlee Jr.
Mont Blanc, at 15,771', is the highest peak in Europe west of Russia; its first ascent in 1786 triggered the birth of alpinism. The great white giant, which towers more than 10,000' above the French valley below, has almost as much prominence (the vertical distance between its highest and lowest points) as Mt. Everest. Nestled quietly below Mont Blanc's great shadow is the village of Chamonix. Speak its name; you're sure to catch the attention of skiers, alpinists, and altitude junkies around the world.
Cham, as it's affectionately called, is also home to the Aiguille du Midi (one of the world's highest cable cars,) and provides access to hundreds of climbing routes, ski descents, trails, and single-track-all mere minutes from town.
The area is a must-visit for any aspiring alpinist, skier, or lover-of-mountains; the two routes that we share below are absolute must-climbs for anyone visiting the valley.
Arete des Cosmiques Tackle Chamonix's Classic Mixed Alpine Route
Statistics: 4 Hours, Mountaineering/Trad, AD/4a difficulty, 150m elevation gain
How to get there: Take the Aiguille du Midi cable car from Chamonix to its terminus at 12,605' and then proceed through the alpinists exit via a tunnel of ice; onto the Col du Midi. Drop down onto the glacier and follow that to the right of the Cosmiques hut, where the route begins. (45 minutes from the Midi.)
You can't go to Chamonix and not climb the Arete des Cosmiques. This superb, classic route provides a fun, easy, and accessible introduction to the mixed alpine climbing (movement that involves rock, snow, and ice-while climbing in crampons) that Chamonix is so well-known for.
This route only takes a few hours, is easy to follow (due to its popularity, there are almost always tracks to follow through sections of snow or crampon marks on the rock,) difficult sections are well-protected, and it begins and ends at the Aiguille du Midi cablecar-making it a must-do for anyone short on time, or who just wants a low-stress day of climbing in the mountains. The route also never goes out of condition, meaning that it can be tackled year-round.
Due to its popularity, people flock to the Arete des Cosmiques on the first cable car up. To beat the crowds and avoid traffic on the route, try going later in the day-just don't miss the last cable car down.
Aguille DEntreves This ultra-classic mountaineering route straddles the French-Italian border and offers tons of exposure and epic alpine views.
Statistics: 8 Hours, Mountaineering/Trad, AD/4c difficulty, 400m elevation gain
How to get there: From Chamonix, take the Aiguille du Midi cable car to the top, proceed through the alpinists' exit, drop down the Col du Midi (the same as on the Arete des Cosmiques) and then trek across the glaciers of The Valle Blanche-past the Tour Ronde, and then climb up due south towards the Col D'Entreves. (3 hours from Midi)
The Aiguille D'Entreves is a classic for many reasons. It's a mountaineering traverse (read, climbing on snow and rock with crampons) similar to the Arete des Cosmiques, but it is longer, slightly more difficult, and even more scenic. The route literally traverses along the French and Italian border; the views represent as much: while climbing, on the right you'll see lush valleys and villages in Italy-while on the left you'll look across the rugged alpine landscape of the Valle Blanche and Mont Blanc massif back towards France. This is not a climb to miss. Stay at the Torino hut on the Italian side afterward and treat yourself to the large meal included with a half-board.
If gear rentals are needed for either climb, you can pick up mountaineering boots, crampons, ice axes, and helmets from Snell Sports in downtown Chamonix (which happens to host one of the largest inventories of climbing gear in the world, so be sure to take a look around.) Also, if you're not comfortable tackling the routes on your own, don't let that be a deterrent to these experiences: hire our friend Jeff Banks, mountain guide to show you the ropes.
Chances are that Chris Brinlee, Jr. wrote this from the road (or on a boat, plane, or train) while traveling around the globe. Wanna see what he's currently up to? Follow his adventures and stories on Instagram.
**Stay tuned to see how Chris Brinlee Jr. is able to shoot and edit these killer climbing videos with his HERO5 and Quik software.
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in the wild 
