Traverse

Approach # 35mins

From the up station of the Skyway Montebianco cable car, reach the upper terrace of new Torino hut (lift and tunnel). From this point, reach the glacier, aim for the Pointe de Marbres and pass it on the left, main track for the Dent du Geant. Leave this track and go up towards the Col de Rochefort.

Route # 2h

Start where the rocks of the NE ridge meet the snow. If the crack is followed, one or two friends are useful, but this is easily avoided on the left. Keep going up the NE ridge with one or two detours on the Italian side to where this ridge joins the main ridge after a level section. From here, turn right to follow the main ridge to the summit, (5 mins). Descend back the same way and continue traversing the main ridge, weaving past some pinnacles and passing above some snow couloirs descending to the right. Eventually you arrive at the top of a little gully with a good in-situ abseil point. A 25m abseil brings you to the glacier. (Careful of the bergschrund which opens up typically by the end of June.)

Descent # 25mins

A simple walk back to the Torino hut but be careful not to go to far to the left (S) cornices.

Note

The traverse can also be done from S to N. However, the gullies giving access to the ridge are often devoid of snow and very loose in summer and may make the climb AD rather than PD. Likewise the bergshrund may pose problems.