Can you camp legally near the Torino Hut?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Mountaineering : One Thread

Interested in establishing a one-tent camp on the glacier near the Torino Hut for a period of about two weeks beginning on July 24. Can you camp there legally and feed in the hut? Is there suitable terrain near the hut? Have there been theft problems when you are away from camp on a route for a few days? What is the tram schedule from Italy and from Aguille du Midi (e.g. earliest and latest departures)? Any information would be appreciated.

-- Court Ogilvie (courto@uu.net), June 15, 1998

Answers

I don't know about italy, but in france you cannot camp on the glacier. People have been harassed at col du Midi. The border goes on the ridge where torino hut lies. the italian side is steep, the french site very flat with plenty of space. i don't think the french would come and harass you there, however this place is quite developped, with even a summer ski resort. Tram schedules are variable, however i vaguely remember 7am-5pm from italy and 9am-3.30pm from midi.

-- Quang-Tuan Luong (luong@ai.sri.com), June 22, 1998.

Thanks, Tuan. Since I posted this question, I've learned through a few other sources that the Italian side is flat enough, that there are fewer rules, and that nobody over there is terribly interested in enforcing them.

As for Col du Midi, I think things must have changed since your last visit. Last August, there was a huge encampment of 20 or more tents, and the climbers that I spoke with indicated that the only rule which was being enforced was to relocate the camping area a 100 yards further away from the Cosmiques Hut. This was supposedly for environmental reasons.

This is an excellent website, and a great resource. Thanks again for the response!

-- Court Ogilvie (courto@uu.net), July 10, 1998.


Just a quick follow-up in case anyone else is interested: You can indeed camp without problems in the Col du Flambeaux and/or in the Col de Gigante, within a few hundred yards of the Torino Hut. Those locations are technically on French soil (snow), but the French did not enforce their "no camping" rules at all...and we left our tent up for almost our entire two-week trip.

It's an excellent jump-off point for La Tour Ronde and Deant du Geant, as well as tons of other great routes.

We also observed an encampment of more than 50 (!) tents in Col du Midi within sight of the Cosmiques Hut...although there is a sign prominently displayed in the Aguille du Midi tunnel that says in four languages that tenting is prohibited and bivouacing is allowed only from sunset to sunrise.

-- Court Ogilvie (courto@uu.net), August 19, 1998.


WHO GIVES A SHIT!!

-- john and susan hare (johnandsue@theoldbyre.freeserve.co.uk), June 22, 2003.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ