NE face of the Aiguille de l’Amone (TD 45°-55°)

NE face of the Aiguille de l'Amone

Yesterday Luca Pandolfi, Cedric Bernardini and I got the first lift up Grands Montets with the aim of skiing the NE face of the Aiguille de l’Amone. Normally this tour would be done in two days by climbing up the route from La Fouly but by accessing it from the Argentiere basin we managed to do it in a day. We headed all the way to the back of the Argentiere basin and climbed up the south couloir of the Col de l’Amone. Once at the col you have to traverse a fun ridge to get to the top of the NE face, it is easy but exposed so as we had not been there before we got the rope out. The snow was hard at the top of the descent but soon the gradient eased and we got some great powder turns and finally some spring snow lower down.  Thanks to Cedric for his great photos i have used of Luca (snow-board) and me (skis) and to Tom for picking us up!

Skinning up the Argentiere Basin

Climbing the south couloir of the Col de l'Amone

Traversing the ridge from the col to the summit

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Luca near the top

Getting into the powder in the middle of the top face.

In the best snow.

The start of the second face.

At the bottom.

Walking down through the woods.