Bivying/Camping around aiguille du midi

[David Kirsfelds]

Hello,

Does anyone have any experience of bivying/camping around aiguille du midi? I’ve found some good information on this site:

http://www.summitpost.org/aiguille-du-midi/150216

But I wanted to know if anyone had actually done it. Or, if anyone has any experience of winter alpine camping/bivying and can pass on any useful advice on how not to freeze!

Thanks,

David

[Rich Johnson]

I’ve bivvied there on a number of occasions, by far the best was dossing by the plant room on the Midi station. This was a popular spot and last time was tolerated by the Midi staff as long as you made no mess and were gone by the time the first tourists arrived. It was also warm being near the plant room, if a little noisy.

I have heard that you can also doss in an old cable car plant room. This is however very cold! Never been up there myself.

Also bivvied on the Col in a bivy bag. One year I took a mates advice and saved weight by only sleeping in a down jacket, fleece liner and bivy bag. My advice, don’t do it!

Good down bag, bivy bag and thermarest will make you as comfortable as possible. Synthetic jacket a good addition and insurance in case the down gets wet.

Jetboil would also be very useful for melting snow!

That’s my thoughts anyway!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Rich Johnson.

[David Kirsfelds]

Hey,

I’ve recently found out that my mate’s van has broken so I’m no longer going to the Alps this year 🙁 Thanks for the advice though, I’m sure I’ll end up there at some point in the future.

Thanks,

David

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