Traverse of the Pelvoux 3943 m
Meeting :
6 pm at the Pelvoux refuge (2700 m)
The Traverse of the Pelvoux is one of the great climbs of the Écrins mountain massif. In addition to the richness of the landscapes crossed and seen, there is the quality of the itinerary, constantly changing and varied, which keeps your senses awake to mark indelible memories in your routes memories.
Programm
– Meet your High Mountain Guide at around 6pm at the Pelvoux refuge (2700 m) which you will have reached in three to four hours of hiking from the village of Ailefroide.
– The next day, leaving a little before sunrise, and after having reached the Bosse de Sialouze, you will approach the famous Coolidge corridor opened by the famous American reverend in the second half of the 19th century.
– From the top, the traverse begins.
– 2500 meters of descending elevation. Through the Glacier des Violettes and the rocky spurs that cut it you will reach the névé Pelissier and then the village of Ailefroide thanks to a system of rocky turns. Be careful the descent is long, from 4 to 9 hours depending on your physical fitness and your ability to de-escalate and evolve in steep and rugged terrain. In some dry years, the ascent to the summit is done through the "Rochers Rouges", a great rocky path of small difficulty that the first ascensionists had taken in 1828.
– The next day, leaving a little before sunrise, and after having reached the Bosse de Sialouze, you will approach the famous Coolidge corridor opened by the famous American reverend in the second half of the 19th century.
– From the top, the traverse begins.
– 2500 meters of descending elevation. Through the Glacier des Violettes and the rocky spurs that cut it you will reach the névé Pelissier and then the village of Ailefroide thanks to a system of rocky turns. Be careful the descent is long, from 4 to 9 hours depending on your physical fitness and your ability to de-escalate and evolve in steep and rugged terrain. In some dry years, the ascent to the summit is done through the "Rochers Rouges", a great rocky path of small difficulty that the first ascensionists had taken in 1828.
Equipment
– Mountain pants.
– Warm under clothes.
– Warm fleece jacket.
– Waterproof and breathable jacket.
– 2 pairs of gloves, hat.
– Warm socks.
– Sunglasses, sunscreen for face and lips.
– Medium capacity backpack (30 to 40 litres).
– A minimum of one litre bottle, groceries and picnic.
– Sunscreen, face and lips.
– Headlamp with batteries in good condition.
– bed sheet. No need for sleeping bags (there are blankets at the refuge)
– alpinism shoes with stiff soles that can be fitted with crampons (check with your crampons before you hike to the refuge) (1)
– Classic ice axe(1)
– Crampons adjusted on your shoes.(1)
– Harness.(1)
– Helmet.(1)
– Hiking sticks.(1)
Possibility to rent.
participants
– 2 participants minimum and maximum in the group format.
– Maximum 2 participants in private.
– Maximum 2 participants in private.
Access
The Pelvoux refuge is accessible by foot from Ailefroide where you can leave your vehicle (large car park). About 1200 m. of ascending elevation.
Access to Ailefroide by going up the valley from Argentière la Bessée in the Hautes Alpes via Vallouise and Pelvoux.
Train station at l’Argentiere called "l’Argentiere les Ecrins".
Level
– Very very good physical and technical condition required.
– The schedule can be doubled during the descent depending on your state of freshness and your ability to progress during the descent into a wild high mountain terrain.
– Long day, with mostly glacial difficulties with the famous Coolidge corridor (40°), but the rocky passages, on the descent, are part of the difficulties of the route even if they remain pretty easy.
– Be careful for several years (Glacier drop), the’’Pelvoux traverse’’ requires a good practice of abseiling (4 of them at mimimun). Schedule: from 8 to 14 hours.
– The schedule can be doubled during the descent depending on your state of freshness and your ability to progress during the descent into a wild high mountain terrain.
– Long day, with mostly glacial difficulties with the famous Coolidge corridor (40°), but the rocky passages, on the descent, are part of the difficulties of the route even if they remain pretty easy.
– Be careful for several years (Glacier drop), the’’Pelvoux traverse’’ requires a good practice of abseiling (4 of them at mimimun). Schedule: from 8 to 14 hours.