Ailefroide North face :  Emeraude or Esmeralda gullies, the "col du Glacier Noir", the "Fourastier" ...

This beautiful and wide face has everything for it : the remote region of the "Glacier Noir". An impressive variety of routes in term of ground (snow, ice, mixed), of technical difficulties, runout or not, of height (500 to 900 m).

We will have to leave very early in the morning from the "pré de Madame Carle" and walk 3 to 4 hours to reach the base of the face. Un bivvi on the glacier Noir is also possible.

The north face of the "Col du glacier Noir" is a nice snow couloir of 500 m height at 50/55°. It is a perfect introduction to this activity. Emeraudes gullies are quite technical routes with ice pitchs and sometimes a litle of mixed. Esméralda gully is between the both : mainly in snow (60°). Fourastier route (900m, 4 in ice, V in rock) is bigger. It reaches the Ailefroide summit (3907 m). The "petite face N des arêtes", that I opened in 2009, is a litle shorter and easier route in that impressive face. My price for theses routes can vary according to the organisation to put in place (bivvi, descent at ski, etc ...), and sometimes according to the route conditions. It cost around 500 € for the couloir and until 1000 € for the Fourastier route.

To find good snow or ice conditions for a route is often difficult, that's why it is preferable to choose the good route jus t before your arrival.

Sometime usefull condition informations can be found on the web. Nevertheless, look out the frequenting !

In an ice route it is quickly dangerous to be under.

As a guide, our regular frequenting of the mountain allows us to find sometimes the good plan.

Months of may and june are often the most favorable.