A mountaineering day on the Aiguilles Crochues

The Chamonix Valley offers much more in terms of mountaineering than the iconic Mont Blanc; and you can be sure that even as a beginner in the art of climbing, you can enjoy first-class adventures and scenery – as long as you know where to go. The Aiguilles Crochues is one of these easily accessible gems. Referring to a succession of some of the highest peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges range, the Aiguilles Crochues face the Mont Blanc and promise to offer incredible views of the iconic peak. The terrain makes it a favorite day-tour from Chamonix for amateur climbers, but what exactly can you expect? 

Who is this adventure for?

The mountaineering day trip to the top of the Aiguilles Crochues is ideal for mountaineering beginners. Easily accessible, the route presents very moderate difficulty allowing newcomers to the world of climbing to practice their rock and ice climbing skills while enjoying the views of the Mont Blanc valley. Of course, more experienced climbers are also welcome and will enjoy this easy expedition to take it easy for a day or as an alternative if the weather delays a longer climbing expedition for a day or two. Indeed, the lower routes of the Aiguilles Crochues mean that they dry faster in case of bad weather and are ready to climb sooner than higher routes.

Mountaineering on the Aiguilles Crochues

How to get there 

Getting to the Aiguilles Crochues trailhead from Chamonix is remarkably easy. First, you will have to reach the Flégère-Index cable car in the village of Les Praz. Depending on your situation, you can drive to the departure point of the cable car or take the bus heading to La Tour from Chamonix and get off at La Flégère, which should take you around 10 minutes. During peak season, in summertime, the bus runs every 30 minutes and will cost you around 3 euros round-trip. Expeditions leave from both Chamonix and Les Praz depending on the operator, so make sure that this detail is clear to you before the D-day! Once you have ridden the cable car all the way to the top station, and then the Index Ski Lift to the top, from there, you will easily find the start of the trail.

The Expedition

Starting between 7:00 and 8:00 in the morning, depending on whether you depart from Chamonix or from the cable car directly, the day trip to the Aiguilles Crochues will take you the whole day. 

From the Index Ski Lift, you will first have to ascend to the start of the route you have chosen to follow (more details on that follows) by following the signs, or following the crowds if you go during peak season. Hiking up the corridor should take you around 1 hour. Afterwards, and depending on your climbing level, two routes are available to reach the summit:

1. The Traverse: the first route takes its name from the fact that it traverses the succession of peaks from the Col des Crochues to the Col des Dards. It is graded PD and will take you approximately 1.5 hours to complete. The most technical aspect you will encounter will be a chimney leading you to the ridge, but once this is passed the way is quite straightforward.

2. The East Face: a bit more difficult than the Traverse and graded AD, this route will take you climbing the east face of the Petite Crochue peak. It will take you between 2 and 4 hours in total, to climb and to complete the traverse all the way. 

Both routes are equally popular because of how quickly they take you on top while offering graduating technical challenges for you to practice your skills depending on your experience. 

A day at the Aiguilles Crochues

Standing at 2,840m high, on top of the Aiguilles Crochues, you will be amazed by the views of the Mont Blanc on the opposite side. Look down from the Massif facing you, and you will be staring at an equally beautiful sight: the Lac Blanc, one of the region’s most impressive frozen lakes. You can continue along the ridge until the lake and take a break here by having a drink or a warm, traditional Savoyard lunch at the Refuge du Lac Blanc restaurant, before heading back down to Les Praz and Chamonix.

For the descent also, different possibilities are available. If you have stopped at the restaurant, signs will easily guide you back to the Flegere cable car. You can also turn back and do the route in reverse, which as you may expect will include some rappel in the chimney that you climb at the beginning of the journey. A couple of other options are possible but offer more difficulties and are less frequented; therefore, discuss them with your guide before attempting and make sure that you feel confident in your technique to ensure safety.

Once back at the lift, you will head back to your accommodation in the Valley. While this excursion will go by very quickly, you will be proud of having practiced real-life climbing skills and this will most definitely motivate you to keep getting better and better. Once you have more practice under your belt, come back for a longer expedition and who knows – you might soon find yourself on top of the Mont Blanc!