UKC

Looking for recommendations for routes around Chamonix without the need for a lift pass. A lift pass will be purchased at some point... but until then looking for mixed, ice or rock recomendations. Any grade considered, but looking for more technical routes!

Thanks, Will

I dont know much about technical routes nr Chamonix, but in the past i've got to the Torino refuge (and by extension everything on the Valee Blanche, Tacul etc) by walking up directly behind the Skyway lift from Courmayeur. Takes about 4 hours. and with a tent can get quite a bit done without spending anything

For rock routes ( mostly ) you could take the path up to the Midi mid station area where there are lots of great bivvy spots. Probably two to three hours with bivvy kit and food.There is a hut but I'm guessing you'd want to save money. Should be snow / water readily accessible.

    Walking up to Montenvers is quite doable, probably a couple of hours with bivvy kit. From there you can access routes below and above the Envers hut which are maybe another couple of hours. Lots of bivvy sites around the Couvercle, again probably a couple of hours further from Montenvers.

   There are some great multi pitch sport rock routes in the valley such as at Barberine.

   Another option may be to buy one return uplift pass to, for example, the Torino or Cosmique areas where there are great bivvy spots and then stay there for several days. Torino area is especially suitable for this, lots of great discrete camping spots.

A variation on this is  to buy one ticket & that person to take all the heavy gear while the other(s) walk up with very light sacs.

Oooh, I like it.

The place that springs to mind for me is the Envers. Amazing long rock routes.

Can walk in from the valley floor with/without food and bivvi/stay in the very cheap hut. We were allowed to cook our own food in the hut last time I went, don't know if that's still the case. Quite a lot of good bivi spots.

A few suggestions:

You can do the long scramble up Via Corda Alpina (PD+ 3+) at Les Motets, then walk up towards Montenvers, then abseil in to Josiane (5c).

You can do a route in the Chamonix Aiguilles from the valley in a day (a bloody long one!). Maybe something like the Voie Couzy (TD- 5c) is possible.

More mellow would be a route in the  Aiguilles Rouges. Les Cheserys is a 45 min walk up, with sport routes up to about 6a. For something bigger, Mont Oreb - Vallorcine has lovely climbs from about 6a upwards, and 8 pitches up.

For the shortest walls, you could go to  Barberine Gietroz, or link some routes at  Le Chapeau - you could put 7 or 8 pitches together

Doug, you’re so Aberdonian 👍🏻

For one of our first Alpine routes we did the Petit Aguille Verte.

A day to hike up, a day to do the route and a day to hike across to the Mer de Glace and back to Cham.

This was a totally stupid plan, as everytone else got the lift up and did it as a short mornings outing! There is no way we could have afforded the lift, The guidebook said it was a great first alpine route!!!

Anyway, of of the many things I learned from the experience is that if you are not 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 a lift, then climb where there 𝘪𝘴 no lift for a better wilderness experience.

The Perrons  Les Perrons de Vallorcine is just the place for you! Drive through Vallorcine and just into Switzerland, and up to the Emosson dam. Walk in from there. 300m high SSE facing. Twenty routes in the grade range 6a > 7b, mainly completely equipped clip-ups but also some semi-trad.

A Bigger Bang (7a)

Le premier matin du monde (7a+)

Bada Boom (ED2 7b)

Bada Bing (ED1 6c)

and dont forget the perrons traverse, possibly the best easy access (without lifts) alpine route in the area! and it can be done in both directions at different grades, giving two routes in one!

If you are here before all the snow has gone from the pierre a ric ski piste then you can access lots of technical mixed routes in the argentiere basin on skis without a need for lifts. some can be done from the valley up in a day if you are super fit and motivated (it was happening a lot during covid...) or you can pack heavy and spend a few days up there at (or near) the hut.