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Grand Paradis: By the Glacier du Grand Paradis (normal route)

One of the easiest 4000m peaks

Approach

From Pont, follow the path (paved in places) along the side of the river then up to the Vittorio Emanuele II hut

Route

From the hut, go due N to bypass a rocky spur to the left and then veer gradually to the E.  Go upwards due E, with an obvious, square-cut moraine to your left, to reach a little rocky bowl.  Escape from the bottom of this by a rising traverse to the right, can be icy.
Where the slope eases, go to the left and up a steeper slope. A large rock pinnacle comes into view on the right. Keep well to the left of this and the other pinnacles and continue to go upwards to the E over a hump.  (The route form the Chabod hut comes up from left, passing under a huge serac.)  You reach a steep, SSW facing slope, (sometimes icy), at the level of the Becca de Montcorve - 3869m.  After this there is a little plateau before the summit slope.  

Careful: The crest below the summit, before it becomes rocky, usually has a cornice to the E.

Alternative by the moraine "Schiena d'Asino"
From the hut, take the path between the main hut and the winter hut. Follow this well marked path, (cairns) to cross a scree slope to the stream coming down from the glacier.  Cross the stream and go up the moraine on the other side to gain an obvious path on its crest. The moraine loses itself in a large plateau of loose, flat rocks.  Follow cairns as best as possible through this to reach the head of the plateau.  From here, do not continue up the ridge between the two glaciers but instead make a short descent onto the Glacier de Laveciau. On the glacier, avoiding the crevasses, go as directly as possible to join the route coming up from the Chabod hut.  Follow this up the glacier and then by a steeper slope reach a plateau at 3700m and rejoin the classic route.

Descent

By the same route

On skis
Descend by the same route to the hut.  From here there are two options:
1. By the gully to the left, (looking upwards) of the ascent path, if it is in good condition.  (Faces W beware of snow slides.)
2. By Grand Etret valley : At the hut, put on your skins to go due S, (cairns) to cross a moraine (200m height gain.) Make a long traverse to reach the Valsavarenche, which you ski down on one side or the other, to the parking. (N.B. In some snow conditions it is preferable to go up to the hut by this route, even though much longer.)

  • Difficulty: S3 - Medium (<35°)
  • Danger/Exposure: E1 - Low
  • Total climb: 1330 m
  • Total elevation drop: 1330 m
  • Highest altitude: 4061 m
  • Lowest altitude: 2732 m
  • Extra gear: None
  • Lift access: No

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