Tour des Periades, from the Aiguille du Midi

Introduction

Beautiful outing, physically demanding, technical, in an extraordinary environment. I recommend, contrary to what is written on White Horizons, starting from Chamonix to avoid logistical problems. 

Description

From Chamonix (1030 m) by cable car to the Aiguille du Midi (3842 m). Leave the station via the east ridge and descend on skis along the numerous traces of the Vallée Blanche, passing the Seracs du Géant, to the Salle à Manger, below the hut du Requin (approx. 2420 m). Then traverse to the right below the seracs and climb the right branch of the Périades glacier, below the north of the Dente du Géant, heading left to a plateau up to the steep gully of the Brèche Puiseux, which is only visible at the last (about 3200 m). The steep gully is climbed (200m, 45°, AD). The centre of the gully is at times occupied by a deep riffle, forcing one to look for a passage on the counter slopes to the right. The central part is less steep but the last few metres become quite steep. You come out on the col des Périades (3432 m) below a bivouac. From the left of the snowy saddle, abseil down (30 m) on the other side to put your skis on the Mont Mallet glacier. You now ski to the left, between large crevasses, skiing on beautiful slopes. A steep gully leads to the Leschaux glacier in view of the hut of the same name (approx. 2400 m). We now follow the gently sloping slope until we rejoin the Mer de Glace, which we follow (crevasses) to the Ice Grotto (1800 m) from where a cable car leads to Montanvers (1913 m) and the train to Chamonix. If there is plenty of snow, continue along the glacier and then climb left to a pass (1769 m, bar) where a mule track leads on skis to the village (1030 m).