Overview
Geographical classification: Western Alps >
High Dauphiné Alps > Ailefroide
L'ailefroide (3954m) is the third summit in Ecrins massif after Barre des Ecrins (4102m) and La Meije (3983m). Mont Pelvoux (3946m) is a little bit lower than Ailefroide.
L'ailefroide is close to Barre des Ecrins and there is only one summit in between (Pic Coolidge). L'ailefroide belongs to the same ridge than Mont Pelvoux and Pic Sans Nom (3914m).
L'ailefroide is a 2 km long high E-W ridge. The lower point on this ridge is 3781m high.
The 3 ridge main summits are (from E to W):
L'ailefroide Orientale(3848m)
L'ailefroide Centrale (3928m)
L'ailefroide Occidentale(3954m)
The mountain is complex. It has 3 faces: the North face [800 Hm] with a glacier in the face and above Glacier Noir, the huge NW face [1050 Hm] above Coste Rouge Glacier, and the complex South side above L'ailefroide Glacier.
L'ailefroide gives a lot of route from snow normal route to extremely difficult rock and ice route.
The easiest and normal route is to climb L'ailefroide Orientale(3848m) using S ridge or SW side at begining of season.
The normal route starts from Sélé hut
Ailefroide Orientale
Coste Rouge
Ailefroide Centrale and Occidentale
Ailefroide north face
Ailefroide north west face
Getting There
for all faces except NW face:
Durance valley - Argentière - Vallouise - Ailefroide
for NW face
Vénéon valley - St Christophe en Oisans - La bérarde
Red Tape
They are national park rules to respect. Mountains are free for climbing in France.
When To Climb
end of june to september
Camping and facilities
Camping:
There is an extensive campsite on the way into Ailefroide village.
Facilities:
Ailefroide has four hotels, two small shops (selling a very good variety of food, a number of gear shops, bars, restaurants and a Bureau des Guides.
Vallouise has in addition bank, doctor, pharmacy.
Accomodations and huts:
http://www.les-ecrins-parc-national.fr/medias/FicheHeberg2001.pdf
http://www.les-ecrins-parc-national.fr/medias/CarteRefGitesWeb.pdf
Mountain Conditions
meteo 7 days Briançon
meteo 7 days Bourg d'Oisans
meteo 7 days Grenoble
meteo 7 days Gap
routes overview
Route name: Sélé Pass
Difficulty: PD
Time required: hut to basis: 3.30h-4h + 6h-7h to summit = 9.30h-11h
Essential gear: crampons
Start point: Pilatte hut (2572m) or Sélé hut (2511m)
Top point: Sélé Pass (3278m)
Difference in height: hut to Pass 706m or 568m
First ascent:F.F. Tuckett, M. Croz, P. Perren July 14 1862
Route name: Orientale Ailefroide normal route (S Ridge)
Difficulty: PD (if on snow)
Time required: hut to summit: 5h
Essential gear: crampons
Start point: Sélé hut (2710m)
Top point: Oriental Ailefroide (2511m)
Difference in height: 1330m
First ascent:J. Nérot, Emile Pic, Giraud-Lézin August 25 1880
normal route montagne-virtuel topo
Route name: Occidentale Ailefroide Glacier Long route
Difficulty: D (40°-50° snow)
Time required (W face and SW Ridge option): hut to basis: 2h + 3h-5h to glacier top + 4h-5h to top= 9h-12h
Time required (frères Chamois Breach and SW Ridge option): hut to basis: 2h + 3h-5h to glacier top + 1.30h to breach + 2.30h-3h to top = 9h-11.30h
Essential gear: crampons, crabs, mousquetons
Start point: Carrelet hut (1908m) or bivouac near Coste Rouge Glacier (2600m) to win 2h
Mid points (W face and SW Ridge option): glacier top (3400m)
Mid points (Breach and SW Ridge option): glacier top (3400m), frères Chamois Breach (3545m)
Top point: Occidentale Ailefroide (3954m)
Difference in height (W face and SW Ridge option): 1138m + 550m = 1688m
Difference in height (Breach and SW Ridge option): 1138m + 700m = 1838m
First ascent (W face and SW Ridge option):M. Bost, J. Charignon August 16 1933
First ascent (Breach and SW Ridge option):F. Perrin, C. Verne, Pierre Gaspard Ch. Clot, J. Turc, August 3 1889
Route name: Occidentale Ailefroide Central Spur route
Difficulty: ED (lots of IV, V, 3x Vsup, 1x VI)
Time required: hut to basis: 1h to summit: 12h-15h
Essential gear: crampons (one per group), mousquetons
Start point: bivouac near Coste Rouge Glacier (2600m) [Access from Carrelet hut].
Top point: Occidentale Ailefroide (3954m)
Difference in height: 1350m
First ascent:L. Devies, G. Gervasutti July 23-24 1936
Route name: Central Ailefroide Coste Rouge route
Difficulty: D (high route conditions)
Time required: Coste Rouge Pass to summit: 7h-8h
Essential gear: crampons, mousquetons
Start point: bivouac near Coste Rouge Pass (3195m) [windy and no water].
Start point (option): small hut near Temple Pass (3250m) [5 places only].
Top point: Central Ailefroide (3928m)
Difference in height: 733m
First ascent:L. Devies, G. Gervasutti July 23-24 1936
Route name: Central Ailefroide north face route
Difficulty: TD inf danger of ice or rock fall at low part.
Time required: Coste Rouge Pass to summit: 8h-12h
Essential gear: crampons, crabs, pitons, mousquetons
Start point: small hut near Temple Pass (3250m) [5 places only] or bivouac near Temple Pass (3250m).
Top point: Central Ailefroide (3928m)
Difference in height: 800m
First ascent:M; Fourastier, H. Le Breton, A. Manhès, september 1 1936
L'ailefroide huts
Ailefroide glaciers
Glacier Noir.
Glacier de l'Ailefroide.
Glacier de Coste Rouge.
Glacier du Coup de Sabre.
Glacier Suspendu.
Glacier Long.
Glacier Gris.
old pictures
Panorama from L'Ailefroide
External Links
Flachlandtiroler - Oct 15, 2003 10:19 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentDue to vanishing glaciers and snowfields in the past years normal route up to L'Ailefroide Orientale is mainly through (easy) rock nowadays, mostly walking ground with one or two short pieces of UIAA I-II. What is left from the glacier has become steeper and grading in the actual french guidebook therefore has advanced from "F" to "PD".
As others have already stated in the captions of their pictures, altitude of Sélé hut is 2511m, not 2710m (which maybe is the height of the old hut used as winter hut nowadays). So ascend (on the second day) is 1330m taking usually 5h, as a french guide told us.