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Park along a track suitable for vehicles, to the left of the road as you head uphill, shortly after the Fontcouverte bridge and the Argentière campsite.
(S/E) From the car park, take the track – which is closed to all vehicles – up to the Chalets du Queyrelin.
(1) Shortly after a chapel, turn left onto the path climbing the left bank of the Ruisseau du Chardonnet, initially heading west then south-west. This path changes banks where the slope levels off, to avoid the scree at the foot of the Queyrellin ridges.
(2) Where the path veers off to the left (southwards), leave it to cross the stream below on the right, and find a track that runs along the foot of the scree slopes beneath the Queyrellin ridges. This track is sometimes faint, but it is easy to follow as it runs mainly away from the scree, apart from when crossing a few large boulders. It heads quickly north-west, before turning due north after a small lake (IGN elevation 2,483 m) which is dry by the end of the season. It then climbs up a steeper slope to the west to reach the Lacs de la Casse Blanche.
(3) On the plateau between the two lakes, look out for the Tête de la Cassille (the highest peak to the north-west, marked by a cross) and go round the upper lake to its left (west), climbing up through the scree until you reach a very steep grassy couloir dotted with small rocks. Using your ice axe (plant the blade into the ground to create an anchor point), climb this grassy gully until you emerge onto the ridge leading to the Tête de la Cassille.
(4) On the ridge, turn left, heading due west, and follow the ridge to the left (south) of its line until you reach less steep slopes of coarse scree. Climb up the scree to reach the first secondary summit, from which you can clearly see the second, rockier secondary summit and the cross on the true summit. Descend slightly down the less steep side (to the right of the ridge, on the eastern side) before climbing the second secondary summit via this same side. A small col separates the secondary summit from the main summit, and you must climb a few metres up a slab inclined at 15º, made of sound rock, to reach the cross. At the foot of the cross is a box containing the Tête de la Cassille visitors’ book.
(5) Return via the same route or follow my track, which veers slightly off the main path through the scree until it rejoins the point of arrival on the ridge.
(4) Go round a rocky promontory to the right (south side) before crossing over to the other side of the ridge (north), which is easier. Stay as close as possible to this ridge as you head eastwards to reach a small pass strewn with very dark slate slabs (IGN elevation 2878m). Continue along the ridge towards a small summit (IGN elevation 2914m), from which you can clearly make out the rest of the route: to the north, the Combe du Lac Rouge, where the descent will take place; to the south, the Combe de Casse Blanche, where the ascent was made; and finally, to the east, a scree-filled valley of almost white rocks.
From this small summit, head north (i.e. to the left) to descend the ridge towards a small pass separating the Combe du Lac Rouge from the unnamed valley of white scree. A scree slope descends to the left (west), criss-crossed by a faint, winding path that regularly runs up against a small rocky cliff to the north.
(6) Follow this path for a few hairpin bends until you can go round the cliff at its western end; from there, head due north, still following the faint path. This soon leads onto less steep but still very rocky slopes and continues northwards to Lac Rouge.
(7) At Lac Rouge, turn right, heading due east, to cross a small pass and descend through scree beneath the Chandelle du Lac Rouge, either by following the switchbacks of the path or by making your own way through the scree. This will take you to meadows dotted with large boulders. Two boulders, significantly larger than the others and about 50 metres apart, mark the turning point of the route.
(8) Between these two boulders, veer right and head by sight towards the south-east, then south-south-east, along the grassy ledge of the Montagne des Travers. Stay on the flattest part of the plateau between the Clarée Valley and the Crête du Queyrellin, taking care at all times not to gain or lose altitude, and you will reach the IGN elevation point at 2,413 metres.
(9) At this point, head for the Dent du Diable, which dominates the horizon above two grassy knolls; more specifically, aim for the small pass between these two knolls. Keeping to level ground, reach this small pass and, a few steps further on, cross the Ruisseau de Rif Tord. From there, the path you took on the way out is clearly visible.
Head for this path; the easiest way is to descend slowly along the hillside towards it rather than cutting straight across the slope.
(1) Once on this path, follow it back down in the opposite direction to the ascent route, to reach the car park shortly after the Chalets du Queyrellin (S/E).
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