{"id":126,"date":"2016-05-10T15:15:46","date_gmt":"2016-05-10T13:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/wordpress\/?p=126"},"modified":"2018-02-16T12:07:39","modified_gmt":"2018-02-16T11:07:39","slug":"aiguille-du-midi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/summer-activities\/aiguille-du-midi\/","title":{"rendered":"Ascent to the Aiguille du Midi"},"content":{"rendered":"
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T<\/span>he unmistakable outline of the legendary Aiguille du Midi stand sentinel over virtually the entire Vall\u00e9e de Chamonix. Topping off at a literally breathtaking 3842m, it’s both satisfyingly high and hypnotically remote-looking, but since the world’s greatest cable-car makes it accessible to anyone, who could resist?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\nThe snow-covered Ar\u00eate de l’Aiguille du Midi offers a testing rite of passage for skiers bound for off-piste terrain like Les Grandes Jorasses, the Glacier des Rognons and the world-famous Vall\u00e9e Blanche.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\"Aiguille\n<\/div>\n
\n\"Aiguille\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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World’s greatest cable-car<\/h2>\n

Each year around 500 000 people respond to that particular temptation by riding the cable-car to find out for themselves just how everything looks and feels up there, a success story which is reflected in the newly-enlarged and extravagantly-restyled departure area. In fact, the whole complex is now on the kind of monumental scale which sends out a clear message that you’re in for the kind of experience you won’t forget in a hurry. From the off, the ride doesn’t disappoint, as the cable-car rolls off the end of the docking arms and onto the giant cables which droop under their own weight between the bottom station and the first steel pylon barely visible in the far distance up the mountainside.<\/p>\n

After an initial surge of acceleration the cars settle into their operating velocity, for the lower section of what will be a two-stage haul, of around 10m\/sec. Despite easing briefly to pass over the supporting pylons, the up-and-over passage creates a significant swinging sensation to entertain unsuspecting passengers. Otherwise, it’s a smooth haul, with little sense of speed until the descending car passes by at an impressive closing velocity of around 20m\/sec.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Stage two: higher and (much) steeper<\/h2>\n

The upper section of the first stage flattens at the approach to the 2317m mid-station, at which point passengers transfer to the second car, for the truly epic haul all the way to the top. This time the operating speed is higher \u2014 12.5m\/sec \u2014 an increase which doesn’t seem overly significant until you’re passing the descending car, which is gone in a flash. Impressive.<\/p>\n

It’s soon convincingly upstaged, however, as the final haul becomes ever nearer to vertical, and the car slows to an agonising crawl as it enters the perpetually ice-clad top station docking point. Suddenly the balmy summer vibe down in the valley seems a world away. Stepping from the arrival area means stepping into the dessicating chill of altitude (3777m) and onto a vertiginous bridge connecting with the central mass of the Aiguille’s topmost rocks. Fortunately, the surrounding scenery is enough to take your thoughts off the void below, including a first glimpse of Mont Blanc in all its snowy magnificence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\"Rock\n<\/div>\n
\n\"Even\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Gateway to the Vall\u00e9e Blanche<\/h2>\n
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Much closer at hand is something which will quicken the pulse of anyone with even the most basic grounding in Alpinism. The snow-covered Ar\u00eate de l’Aiguille du Midi offers a testing rite of passage for skiers bound for off-piste terrain like Les Grandes Jorasses, the Glacier des Rognons and the world-famous Vall\u00e9e Blanche \u2014 a 22km glacier itinerary (with almost 2000m of vertical drop) culminating at the Montenvers rail terminus.<\/p>\n

Beyond the bridge, deep within the vast rocky spire of the Aiguille itself, lies a network of passages whose signage offers visitors directions to viewing terraces, a cafeteria, a restaurant plus the inevitable gift shop.<\/p>\n

In the opposite direction, however, is a cave-like onward passage signed ‘Sortie Vall\u00e9e Blanche’, which has an appropriately hardcore feel, climaxing in something resembling an ice-grotto and emerging onto a heart-stopping panorama across the famous ar\u00eate. At this point the only thing lying between the unwary and a long, drawn-out plummet to the floor of the valley is a small iron gate with a sign proclaiming sternly ‘Access Interdite aux Pietons’. You have been warned.<\/p>\n

In fact, there’s a steady flow of non-skiers taking this very route, but access to the high mountain at any time obviously requires special equipment (not least the crampons which even skiers are strongly advised to use) and the services of an experienced mountain guide. Close to the exit lies the departure point for another superlative experience, in the shape of the Panoramic du Mont-Blanc Italia. This pulsed gondola lift heads off across the Franco-Italian border to the Pointe (or Punta) Helbronner some 3462m above Courmayeur, in the Aosta Valley.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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