Mont Blanc de Cheilon
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Mont Blanc de Cheilon

12694 feet/3869 meters
Wallis (Arolla), Switzerland, Europe

Last update: April 15th, 2002
   © Copyright by Rahel Maria Liu


Mont Blanc de Cheilon

Mont Blanc de Cheilon

 (Picture credit to: © Alpineguides.Ch )
Overview

The Mont Blanc de Cheilon builds the end of the Val des Dix. It has a beautiful pyramidal form with its clear-cut northface. Its a rewarding easy summit via the normal routes and a difficult challenge via the northface. Especially the nice traverse from the Col de la Serpentine to the Mont Blanc de Cheilon is recommandable (perhaps in combination with the Pigne d'Arolla). The both snow hilltops on the normal routes are often the goal of skimountaineers in winter.

The spotless pyramide of the Mont Blanc de Cheilon has a quite severe N-face which is framed by two sharp rock rigdes. The summit ridges have often snow and cornices. This is the reason for its quite elegant silhouette.

During the past 30 years, most northfaces of the Walliser Alps have changed very much. The general dryness has consequences also at the northface of the Mont Blanc de Cheilon. In former times, the northface had snow and ice everywhere all the year. Only at the summit, you could see a few rocks. Today, the ice is during summer only in the big couloir in the middle of the face. Only during winter and spring, it looks like in earlier years.

If there is enough snow and if the conditions of the snow are good, the climbing of the N-face is not too difficult. You can only get difficulties in the upper part if there is no snow anymore. The rocks are loose. Therefore, during the past years, there have been openend many new routes which go from the face to the ridges.

In contrast to these problems, the ridges are always good for climbing. The rock is mostly very good. Belay is easy to make.

Routes Overview

1. W-flank and SW-ridge (normal route):
2. E-ridge (traverse from Col de la Serpentine):
  • ZS, III, 4 h ( Biner )
  • III (passages), 330 hm, G 6 , 4 1/2 h from the Dixhütte ( Waeber )
3. NW-ridge (Gallet-ridge):
  • IV ( Waeber )
  • ZS, 942 hm (incl. the ascent from the hut), 3-5 h, ridge: 670 hm, 2 h (Vaucher)
4. NNE-ridge (Jenkins-ridge):
  • IV ( Waeber )
  • 942 hm (incl. the ascent from the hut), ZS+, 4-6 h, ridge: 830 hm (Vaucher)
5. Northface:
  • V, 57°, during the last years more and more snowless ( Waeber )
  • SS, 942 hm, 6-8 h totally, 670 hm (face) (Vaucher)
Getting There

1. To the Mont Blanc de Cheilon
  • You come from the Cabane de Dix (2928m)
    •
2. To the the Cabane de Dix
  • a. From the Dix-Stausee (Val d'Hérémence): In 3 h from the dam wall (570 hm). A cable car (phone: ++41(0)272811282) goes from the parking place Le Chargeur (2141m) to the dam (2365m). You need on foot 40 min. (on a way). From there, you follow the road to the E-side of the lake till the S-end (P. 2386m). A way goes over the "Pas du Chat" around the NW-end of the Luette and above the glacier tongue on the left moraine to the rock shelf Tête Noire. You turn around this. After that, you go to the left and up to the hut. This is not a way for winter because of the danger of avalanches.
  • b. From Arolla: In 3 h, 1000 hm. The road goes until the uppermost Chalets of Arolla (about 2120m); private route to the Alm La Remointse (2409m). The cable cars in winter go up to 2450 m. From Arolla you go 45 min. on a road via the cable car region to Remointse and further on a very well marked hiking way with E-direction to the Pas du Chèvres, the lowest saddle in the crest between Mont Rouges and the Pointes de Tsena Refien (1 h). Then you climb over 2 vertical ladders about 30 m a rock face down and traverse on kind of a way to the S to the Cheilon-glacier. You traverse this glacier in SW-direction to the Tête Noire. Afterwards, you climb up about 100hm on the way from the Dix-reservoir to the hut (45 min.). This is the normal winter ascent ( 3h from Arolla)
  • c. From the Prafleuri-Hütte over the Col des Roux: in 3,5 h. This part of the Hiking-Haute-Route Verbier-Arolla goes over the Col des Roux to the alms of La Barma (1 h) and meets the way via the Dix-reservoir. Also with ski.
    •
3. To Arolla (1998m):

Arolla is the topmost village of the uppermost valley of the Val d'Hérens, which has the same name. In former times, you could reach it only on foot. Now, there exists a road. You reach Arolla by car from Sion via Evolène and Les Haudères.

4. To Sion (491m):

Sion is the main city of the Kanton Wallis. It has an international airport and IC-trainstation. It is bus junction:
    a. Val d'Hérens (Arolla (Ferpècle)
    b. Val d'Hérémence (Dix-reservoir)
    c. Nax-Mase
    d. Crans/Montana
    e. Anzère (Lac de Tseusier)
    f. Savièse (Sanetschpass)
    g. Conthey (Derborence)
    h. Ovronnaz
    i. Thyon
    j. Nendaz
  • You reach Sion by car:
      a. from the West: From Geneva (airport) on the A1 to Lausanne, on the A9 via Montreux and Martigny.

      b. from the North: from Bern on the A6 to Spiez, from here the road to Kandersteg, at Kandersteg, you drive your car on a train and go by train through a tunnel; end of the tunnel: Goppenstein; you continue the road to the S and reach the main road from Sierre. On the crossroad, you turn right (W) and reach Sion. From here, continue as described under 3.

      c. from the East: from Bregenz on the A13 to Chur; turn off at Reichenau and continue the road no. 19 to Sion via Flims - Sedrun - Andermatt - Gletsch - Fiesch - Brig - Sierre.

      d. from the South: either from Como on the A2 via Bellinzona to Airollo, then road no.2 till Hospental and here to the left on the road no. 19 to Brig/Visp or from Arona till the end von the A26 and then the E62 via Domodóssola, Brig and Sierre.

    • When To Climb

  • Summer and winter (ski)

    		•
    Camping and/or Accomodation

  • Camping in the villages Arolla, Les Hauderes or Evolène

    		•
    Mountainhuts

    Cabane des Dix (2928 m)

    The hut is situated on the west side above the Cheilon-glacier in the East of La Luette, in the south of the little rocknose Tête Noire and directly opposite of the northface of the Mont Blanc de Cheilon.
      (according to Waeber )
      - build in 1945
      - beds: 146
      - serviced from 15 March to 15 september (in june only sometimes)
      - winter room always open
      - phone: ++41(0)27/2811523
      - information and reservation: ++41(0)27/207 39 66
      - internet: http://www.noth.ch/h0105_e.html or http://www.arolla.ch/cab_dix.html
      - Further ascents from the hut: Pigne d'Arolla, La Ruinette, La Luette, Le Pleureur
    Mountain Conditions and General Information

    1. GENERAL INFOS: 2. WEATHER
    Maps

  • Schweizer Landeskarten:
      1:25000 no. 1347 Matterhorn and 1346 Chanrion
      1:50000 no. 283 Arolla
      (to order at DAV Service )

    • Books

  • Hermann Biner , Hochtouren im Wallis. Vom Trient zum Nufenenpass. 2nd ed. 1996.
    ISBN 3-859022-160-5

  • Michel Vaucher, Walliser Alpen. Die 100 schönsten Touren. 2nd ed. Munich 1990.
    ISBN 3-7654-2124-3

  • Michael Waeber , Walliser Alpen. DAV-Gebietsführer. 12th ed. Munich 1999.
    ISBN 3-7633-2416-X

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