A very popular first ‘alpine route’ – the East Flank of the Aiguille Du Tour makes for a great training climb and is often used for acclimatisation for Mont Blanc. The summit views across the range are excellent.

The climb can be approached from either the Albert Premier Hut in France, or the Cabane D’Orny or Cabane de Trient in Switzerland. From either hut, an early breakfast is required in order to be on the glacier at dawn, making good progress in the cool of the day on (hopefully!) well frozen ground. At the foot of the final rocks, it’s normal to adjust the rope seperation as we move from glacier travel to climbing terrain, in order to better protect the scrambling above. All too soon the summit arrives and it’s time for photos and a break, before dropping back down to the glacier. The return to the hut needs to be done quickly and carefully, as snow bridges are beginning to soften in the midday sun.