Aiguille d'Argentière - West flank and NW Ridge (Whymper route)
Historic route, replaced by the glacier du Mileu]
Route
Follow the itinerary for the ‘Col du Chardonnet’ until a plateau at 3050m. Loop around to the right towards the upper Chardonnet glacier. Climb this glacier to its bergschrund (~3500m, can be awkward) then follow the most obvious gully (“Couloir en X”), that gives access to the NW ridge of Aiguille d’Argentière at around 3650m. Follow this ridge to a rocky outcrop around 3750m. Go onto the N face and climb a large steep slope (often icy unfortunately) which gives access to the W summit of the Aiguille d’Argentière.
Descent
By the same route (two 50m abseils down the ice slope and another abseil over the bergschrund), or by the ‘glacier du Milieu’.
N facing all the way up to the summit ridge, then W.
45° for 150m in the relatively narrow gully under the NW ridge then 45° for 100m on the N face.

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