UKC

Hi all, with all the talk of the bad conditions that have been occuring in Chamonix; What routes have been up recently and how objectively safe were they regarding the conditions? What routes do people usually go for in these types of conditions?
Cheers, Ed

In reply to boothy: bump

In reply to boothy: Anyone done any routes recntly and what conditions were they in? cheers

In reply to boothy: Have you tried the OHM website in Chamonix. Usually has up to date gen.

In reply to boothy:

Matteo Calca, a regular member of italian forum Fuorivia.com has posted this photo report of an afternoon family trip up the SW ridge of the Aiguille D'Entreves, a nice little climb not far from the Torino hut. Can give a good idea of conditions there (check the Mt. Maudit pictures)

http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13337&highlight=

In reply to Luca Signorelli: Cheers Luca, that picture at the end shows the Knuffer in its entirety? It all looks quite white? Are the descent routes down from the Maudit/Blanc going to be extremely avalanche prone at the moment?? I imagine most of the Mont Blanc massif is!

In reply to boothy:

Yes! Very scary!


>It all looks quite white?

Above 3800 it's REALLY white - more snow than it has ever been there since at least the late eighties.

>Are the descent routes down from the Maudit/Blanc going to be extremely avalanche prone at the moment??

Yes, but the problem is also that the plat spots near the Col de Le Brenva are probably submerged by very wet/sticky/Andes like snow.

>I imagine most of the Mont Blanc massif is!

The frontier ridge (not speaking about the Kuffner here, the whole Italy/France watershed definitely is. The Jorasses look absolutely terryfing!!

In reply to boothy:

What is the snow like up in the Aiguilles Rouges (above Chamonix)?

I found it hard to believe there was so much snow there last year in late June; everything above the Flegere was plastered and the Lac Blanc hut was blancer than blanc!

In reply to Luca Signorelli: Snowy snow, very nice, maybe there will be some ice face and mixed route action when I go in about a month. How's the Ciamarella looking Luca? I'm thinking of trying the petite face nord on the grande casse if it's in, and maybe the ciamarella after that if things go well and this cold weather continues.......

In reply to MattG:


Ciamarella, very good conditions (if a bit avalanchey), the descent is however rather "slow". Should be perfect in a couple of weeks.

In reply to Luca Signorelli: The frontier ridge

At a guess Luca...does it just need a few hot days and clear, cold nights?...or are we talking some time for the snow to settle down? We're looking at sometime after 25th June.

In reply to Nigel Modern:

The ridge is now "dirty", not just a matter of slushy snow etc, but icicles, protuding patches, corniches etc. It need really some wind to clear down properly, and some serious melting/freezing to become safe. If current variability continues (there's another front passing by on Sunday) late June may be too early.

The Frontier Ridge is a typical "guides" route - i.e. the guides are the first to know when things are settles. The traffic up and down the Fourche hut may be a good indicator.

In reply to Luca Signorelli: Ta mate...keeping an eye on things. Thanks for the info

Just checking I'm understanding correct. Frontier ridge = the whole ridge - the border area running either side from around the Torino hut?

In reply to Nigel Modern:

Peoples tends to call "Frontier Ridge" the "big" Kuffner route at the Mt. Maudit (the "little" Kuffner is on the Aiguille des Glaciers). I used this meaning of the term in my last post.

However, the real "frontier ridge" is the main Mt. Blanc range wathershed between Italy and France, this going all the way from Col de la Seigne (on SW) to Col Ferret (on the NE), and passing through the Trelatete subrange, Mt. Blanc proper, the Maudit-Tour ronde ridge until Col du Geant, the Rochefort ridge, the Jorasses and the main Talefre-Triolet-Dolent ridge.

The Domes du Miage, Tacul, Aiguilles des Chamonix, Verte-Drus-Droites-Courtes subrange, and the Argentiere-Chardonet-Tour sector are not part of this "frontier ridge", as they lie entirely in France. This mean also they've a somehow different microclimate.

In reply to Luca Signorelli: In the photos your friends are tied in with a rethreaded figure 8 with no stopper knot...yet clearly they are experienced and competent.

http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13337&highlight=

Do you do it differently in bella Italia?

In reply to Luca Signorelli: OK, so area around Torino hut is currently OK...your friends were up there recently as in the photos...yes?

...and...I'm going to be asking others but...do you know what it's like Argentiere-Chardonet-Tour sector, where we plan to be starting off?

In reply to Nigel Modern:

Just finding my way round the OHM site...found what I wanted

Mise à jour du mardi 10 juin 2008 :
Au vu des conditions météo instables, l'activité reste modeste en haute montagne • secteur Albert 1er : de l'activité sur la voie normale du Tour, le couloir de la Table, Petite Fourche et Tête Blanche. Ces courses sont en bonnes conditions. Il n'y a pas d'activité sur le Chardonnet. En dehors des traces, il faut chausser les raquettes • secteur de l'Aiguille du Midi : l'activité reste concentrée sur les mêmes itinéraires pour l'instant : arête des Cosmiques, traversée de la Vallée Blanche, goulotte Chéré, traversée des Pointes Lachenal.

In reply to Nigel Modern:

It depends. Actually, that's precisely the way I tie in - is easy and safe even if you're not doing it "properly". Guides or people normally climbing in guide-prominent areas like VdA use that set up.

People who have a strong background from one of the big climbing schools like the "Gervasutti" in Turin tends to stick to more complex tie in methods (the bowline etc), but personally I all for the old school approach.

In reply to Luca Signorelli: is easy and safe even if you're not doing it "properly".

It has the advantage of lower bulk and it's simpler...hmmmmm (English for 'I'm thinking')

Thanks for all the info as ever...finding my way around OHM site etc

I owe you a drink sometime

In reply to Nigel Modern:

You may have understood that when it comes to the French areas of MB I'm not exactly Einstein, but my understanding (based on some local buzz) is that (as usual) the NE areas of the range have been relatively spared from snowfall, as the currents were all oriented from SW and (mainly) SE (if you check a map of the MB range you'll see why. However, it's been a full month o bad weather, so "relatively" spared is really a relative term...

In reply to Nigel Modern:

Yes, two days ago.

In reply to Luca Signorelli: Thanks for the ciamarella info, more bad weather for a few weeks I hope......

In reply to Luca Signorelli:

Sorry, are you speaking about Uja di Ciamarella? If yes, would I be crazy to go there next weekend if the weather will be stable? Or will it be a lot of snow?

In reply to boothy: Ok... Half a meter of fresh snow last night from 2600m, so bad news for anybody who doesn't ski.
This has gone on top of all the snow that has been pilling up recently, which had a hard 'crust' on it, so the avalanches are pouring down with unnerving frequency. The mountain service have been blasting avalanches this morning, so that'll give an idea of the extent of the situation.
Even without the avalanche danger, moving about's become very time consuming.
The Aig. Rouges seem to be the only sensible alternative, they are drying fast after bad weather and there's little snow in the approaches and descents, though a layer of 'ball bearings' snow has formed underneath the top layer, so very careful on snow slopes out there.
Just uploaded a few photos where you can have a look at the conditions here http://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/author.html?id=44081
They should go life in a few hours sometime tonight
It's full on winter conditions!!!

In reply to Mr Lopez:
>Half a meter of fresh snow last night from 2600m,<

Sorry, it's more like 2900m...

In reply to chrtur:

Yep, it's the big Uja di Ciamarella in person!

The weather may be stable next weekend (I believe you intend NEXT weekend, i.e. the 21-22, not THIS one), but now it's snowing down to 2500m again near the main Lanzo wathershed. However, a trip up to the Soardi bivy hut and the Sea valley is always worth the effort, not matter what you intend to (not) climb the day after!

There's right now an almost apocalyptic sunset over the Lanzo valleys, as seen from my bedroom... a sign?

I'll post a picture...

In reply to Luca Signorelli: Having just spent the last 4 nights up high here are my thoughts...

The snow is pretty unstable for the moment. Fresh snow has fallen on a nightly basis and due to this there have been very few ascents of any 4000m peaks. There was a line of head-torches heading up form the gouter and the mulet to the mont Blanc but these are ski ascents. Even so I think its dangerous to attempt it but then no-one seems to heed warning when it comes to summiting the mont Blanc- maybe why its the most 'dangerous' mountain on earth.
The Tacul hasnt been summited for a long time and this morning three skiers left to attempt it. Big mistake as they triggered a very large slab avalanche on the right hand side of the face. The fact that they all survived and didnt get carried away with it is a miracle. They spent a good hour and a half just staying perfectly still which would indicate the severity of the situation as well as how scared they were. There has been alot of wind recently so slab conditions are inevitable- please remember that when you start cutting perfect cuts in the crust when on skiis!
Otherwise conditions on the triangle are fine as expected. However dont be too fooled as conditions look better than they are ice-wise. Cosmiques icefall is looking decidedly dodgy and hard but can be still done in the early morning when its still cold. The sun hits it at 10am so be out of there by then.
The Kuffner is not in either. Its coated in some very loose holding snow which makes for some very hard and tiring progress.
The Tour Ronde is pretty good for the moment and one of the only things that is safely summitable. The north face is looking very nice too though I cant comment as we didnt climb it. As Luca has pointed out there is a ton of snow up there and t Jorasses from the Chamonix side is just unbelievably white- I've never seen it that plastered before.
Two parties turned back from the Midi-Plan this morning- I presume a risk of avalanche on the entrance to the Grand envers or anywhere really!
All in all its not great really as conditions are just really dangerous right now. In addition there is a westerly disturbance coming in tomorrow which should bring with it more snow.
jon

In reply to Jon Griffith:


I summited Tacul 6 days ago via the North Triangle and was fine other than the knee deep snow ploding, descended at 7pm and the snow pack was quite safe.
My mate ascended the Diable couloir and skied it down, another guy did the same in the Contamine, and someone else did tha Macho branch in the Quille.

It just comes down to the usual, the conditions are dangerous, use your head!

In reply to Mr Lopez:

The depth of the slab fracture (looked like 1.5m or more), and the fact that it's on the NW slope, suggests that it was the southerly winds and high precipitation of the week before last that created it. The wind over the past few days has generally been a northerly, blowing into the slope. Earlier in the week, we thought that the snowpack seemed fairly saturated, and was consolidating quickly. This seemed to be born out by all the wet snow sticking to the Jorasses and upper half of Tacul east face. But this avalanche certainly proved us wrong. I don't know which part of slope you came down (the slab released at the upper right-hand section of the face, looking at it), but you may have been lucky if it was this section that you descended from (I'm not having a go at you btw!). I suspect that the windslab had been formed for at least a week. It took a group on skis to release it, and they were very lucky to escape with their lives. The area that released was the size of several football fields. There have also been 2 serac avalanches on the left side of the slope over the past 4 days.

This is dangerous slope - give it a good while to settle down and consolidate before going anywhere near it, especially as more snow is forecast over the next few days. If you do climb it, climb it at night ( the sun hits it fairly early in the morning). And be wary that slab can exist on a slope for a long time without consolidating.

In reply to gav p:
I skied the Isolèe Couloir to the Diable Couloir yesterday and the Contamine-Negri five days ago. A 10-20cm layer of moderate density snow is sitting atop an ice layer on steep slopes that is fairly well bonded to both itself and the ice layer. Ski cuts produced occasional minor sluffs. Due to wind-loading a high degree of spatial variability exists in the amount of snow coverage over the ice layer, especially on NNW aspects. Skiing must be done with care, especially in exposed steep sections, as the sneaky ice dragons make holding an edge a delicate affair. You do not want to awaken them and feel their wrath of slippin and sliddin.
Of interest was the release of two small slabs (roughly 15cm crowns, 10m wide) from the debris cone below the rimeye of the Diable, due to the loading of freshly fallen sluffs depositing on the excellent failure-angle slope (40°).
A few days of sun are necessary to allow energy to penetrate the snowpack and promote stabilization and bonding of hard and soft layers. The high sun angle should facilitate this once the clouds part and conditions should become much improved once a melt-freeze cycle is established.
Have fun and be safe.

In reply to Luca Signorelli: Thanks Luca...I've been away 'training' = taking 4 lads between 7 and 13 up scrambling routes in Wales!

Thanks also for the 'Meteo' thread

In reply to boothy: Anyone's got the link where Luca explains the latest in aproaching the Freney face? Been searching but can't seem to find it (the post, no the face...)

In reply to Jon Griffith: Thanks for this report, there's no sustitute for local knowledge. We're out in Chamonix on the 24th, I'm hoping things will be a wee bit more consolidated by then.

In reply to Mr Lopez:

If you mean the Freney-Freney face (the one with the Central pillar) - it's easy...

The most sensible way to get there is via the Monzino hut (this year open and guarded) and the Eccles/Crippa bivy huts. There are mainly two strategies:

1) The classic one is to leave on the afternoon for the Monzino, sleep there, leave early, reach the Eccles/Crippa huts, recon immediately for the best way to reach Col Eccles - via the SW couloir from the Brouillard glacier, (easier and way faster but often not in conditions, and may be dangerous if too snowy) or via the rocky slope above the bivy hut and the exposed traverse below Pic Eccles (can be done in most conditions, but take you one hour more than the previous approach). You leave the Eccles/Crippa huts EARLY (no later than 2 am), aim for the Eccles col, abseil down the upper plateau, and then aim for reaching the Chandelle in the early afternoon and summit later on , or bivy there.

2) The alternative, IF you know the way and if you're climbing in a speedy and efficient fashion, is to leave the Monzino very early (you should do it anyway to profit of the best snow conditions on the Brouillard), not stop at the Eccles-Crippa and aim for a relatively comfortable bivy above the base of the Pillar. This second strategy is used by some guides, and has the advantage that, in settled weather (and the weather must be settled, otherwise you've no business being there!) you'll nicely summit in late morning, early afternoon, avoid the customary afternoon storm on the top, then walk down in all tranquillity. But you really must know what you're doing, particularly, you've not time for a nice recon of the Col Eccles conditions, otherwise you'll waste one or worse two critical hours. Also, this alternative is normally not feasible in hot or unstable conditions, when afternoon storms may be very violent.

I'm posting these information hoping they will not create you problems, and under a general caveat - we're speaking the Freney face, not a semi-craggy line on the Tacul you reach in two hours from the Midi stations. It's a remote place, one of the most committing climbs in Europe (definitely in the top ten!), where retreat may become impossible and rescue come too late. One shouldn't rely on Internet info for these places (for what you know I may be really a 15 years old megalomaniac who's never seen MB once in his lifetime) - there's no substitute for local checks and asking on the right places.

In reply to Mr Lopez:

A mistake I made when approaching the Central Pillar 3 years ago was traversing across the icy slopes and mixed ground (beneath the left side of the face, but above the schrund) to get across to the pillar. We started this traverse after 1, or maybe 2 raps off the Col Eccles. From this position, the traverse looks deceptively short and straightforward. The reality is that is severely foreshortened from this perspective. The traverse was long and awkward, with hard ice and some loose rock, and made us extremely late (by several hours in all!) starting on the Pillar. 2 friends who climbed the Central Pillar last year had exactly the same experience on this traverse, forcing a bivvy beneath the Chandelle when they possibly could have done the route in a day.

I think it is a much better plan to rappel straight down over the bergschrund from the Col Eccles, jog across the upper Freney Glacier, then recross the schrund directly under the start of the pillar. We approached the Col Eccles by a rappel from above and behind the higher of the 2 Eccles huts straight onto the Brouillard Glacier, then after crossing back over the the bergschrund, a rising traverse leftwards to the col. This also proved to be awkward, with hard ice conditions (often the case, I believe). The col can also be approached by climbing the mixed ground directly above the hut, then dropping down to the col. An awkward approach, not to be underestimated!

In reply to boothy: Thanks for the info guys.
Luca, i know your info is accurate, and am planning to be going to the area just to recon the approach beforehand anyway. I won't be getting into more trouble than is strictly necessary. Appreciate the concern/tip.
Cheers

In reply to Luca Signorelli:
> There's right now an almost apocalyptic sunset over the Lanzo valleys, as seen from my bedroom... a sign?
>

If we go (it is the plan if the weather will be good) you will get a nice photoreport

If anyone is interested to do routes on the Brenva/Freney area (when conditions are good) and missing partners, please let me know! I have really difficulties to find interested people for such adventures around Torino.....

In reply to boothy: Attempted Cosmiques arete yesterday there is about 6in fresh snow up there with little sign of stopping; Had a propper white out all day with varying visibility. It is essentially winter conditions at the mo, really hard going in all the powder, we abbed too far down on the first abseil and with little time left gave up and buggered off, but still missed the last cable car down so spent the night in the cosmiques hut.

In reply to gav p:

You may be relieved to know that this (the one above the bergschrund) is precisely the most common way to reach the Pillar base suggested by some guidebook! The thing is, if the snow if settled, solid and temperatures are relatively low, can be a nice choice - of course, this is a south facing area, so you're not likely to find these conditions.

Another problem with this "high traverse" is that it maximized danger of being hit by stonefall coming down from the couloirs between the Central and the Hidden Pillar. On the other hand, if the rimaye/bergschrund is too difficult, and the upper Freney plateau "dry" and too crevassed, there may be no other alternative...

In reply to chrtur:

Going to the Soardi hut Friday or Sunday? Let me know...


Because you're asking to the wrong people! :=)

In reply to boothy:

Shameless self-plug, as I was involved in the preparation of the issue:

Climb Magazine (the online version) has just released the yearly issue of the Mt. Blanc report, detailing new ascents (and interesting repeats) on the MBR in winter and summer 2007. As usual, Lindsay Griffin has edited the whole thing, that includes several beautiful photographic topos. They can be downloaded for free at

http://www.climbmagazine.com/mountain-articles.aspx

the issue is the topmost one, July 2008.

"Cosmiques icefall is looking decidedly dodgy and hard but can be still done in the early morning when its still cold. The sun hits it at 10am so be out of there by then."

Have you actually done the cosmiques icefall, or are you just guessing? We pissed up it yesterday at mid-day. Very stable. Nice easy, enjoyable ice climbing.

In reply to Jonboy1111: Do you know what condition the routes are in that are accessed from the midi station bridge and climb up to the cosmiques ridge.
Cheers

In reply to Jonboy1111: We rapped into it to see and since it was melting around us and ice falling down we decided best not. Glad you got up it

In reply to Rob Adie: Dont do the Vogler it has a whopping cornice overhanging the exit. Cant comment on the Perroux as didnt see it but I'd guess that there would be alot of snow sitting on the route.

In reply to boothy: Hi everyone! Anyone been to the envers hut recently? Are the rock routes still plastered with snow? It looks like temps are rising, thats about the time..

In reply to boothy:

Pictures taken today (again) by Matteo Calca, a user of italian climbing forum Fuorivia.com

http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13527&highlight=

Never seen anything so snowy here in June in at least 20 years...

In reply to Luca Signorelli:

That's insane! It looks like the Andes but scarier!

Has a freeze thaw cycle started yet Luca? It looks like every mountain is about to avalanche. The Jorasses looked really snowed up.

I'm taking my skis this July.

In reply to billy.grant:


Not really. Thermal zero went up to 3800m just today (at least, on this side of MB, don't know about Chamonix), but looks like there's enough thin cloud cover above to keep heat from dispersing in the atmosphere, so I don't know if it will re-freeze decently below 3800 (however, yesterday Helbronner went down to -6 at night)

This said, and outside any rational consideration... I don't like it. I'm prepared to eat my big crow pie and being taken like a fool for saying this, but I wouldn't try anything serious this weekend.

By the way, some people on Internet is bragging about insanely good conditions on NF on the Gran Paradiso area, but apparently someone tried the NF of Ciarforon today, and results were appalling.

In reply to Luca Signorelli:

well it's a good few weeks until I will arrive so I won't have to decide whether to go out or not. I think everything looks a bit too white (from those pictures). Has any ice built up yet or is it just sticky unconsolidated snow?

Cheers for the useful updates!

In reply to billy.grant:

Yes, some, but quite buried up in the snow (it will take a while except for the "usual" places)

This is the Aiguille D'Entreves SW ridge, again by Teo Calca

http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13532&highlight=

In reply to Luca Signorelli:


Conditions on the NF of the Gran Paradiso area are indeed good, as demonstrated by these pictures.

http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=577517

this said, an avalanche almost killed 5 people on the Castore (Monte Rosa), so be prudent.

In reply to boothy: Meant to be in Chamonix on Monday but will probably divert to the Ecrins til things settle.

In reply to boothy: Just got back from 3 days 'avalanche watching' at the Col de la Fourche hut.
There's stuff falling down from literally everywhere, it sounds like being in a warzone.
It took 45 minutes to open track from the col to the hut, and 4 hours to do likewise in the Brenva arette up to the Kuffner.
Snow refreezing was only superficial, and once breaking through the 'crust' is powdery and unstable.
Left the hut today at 2am and seracs were already falling from the col de la Brenva, temperatures felt at around the 0c mark.
Went up the Kuffner and the snow didn't improve higher up, being loosely consolidated and in places very light, ice generally poor and old, though some hard patches inside runnels at around 4200m.
Very crazy mushroom/cornice features topping off the rocks that provide good Cerro Torre training but are a pain in the arse to climb.
Observation with disclaimer... No avalanche activity in the Aiguille Blanche observed the last 3 days, neither avalanche debris in the bottom of the North face. Col Moore is falling apart though...
(Photo uploaded in my gallery of the Brenva arette for conditions purposes, should go life in a few hours)

In reply to boothy:

As it sounds to me its very snowy am heading out in roughly a weeks time for a spell, how snowy is it was planning on mountaineering but is it so snowy that you could catch some good touring still or is it just wading snow !!!

In reply to All: Anyone any idea what the approach to the NF tour ronde is like from the Torino at the moment?

In reply to Ian Black: Nicely tracked

In reply to Mr Lopez: Cheers fur that.

In reply to boothy:

Few interesting photographic reports taken this weekend on the W Alps (all by Fuorivia.com "usual suspects")

Matteo Calca on the Forbes Arete - Chardonnet:
http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13591

(he's saying that because of the lack of night re-freezing, conditions are particularly strenuous)

Francesco on the NF of the Fletschorn (the Wien route):
http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13607

my favourite of the lot - our own Chrtur nowhere else than the mythical NF of the Uja di Ciamarella, one of the most remote ice routes of the Alps:
http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13597

(this is a route you'll never find any crowd!)

In reply to Luca Signorelli:


Ice conditions are excellent though (maybe i should have kept this quiet). North and North west couloirs are in very good condition and, surprisingly, there only was one party in the North couloir.
Ice is reasonably thick and plastic, with first time placements all the way, rock is ice free, and dry.
All routes in the North face are in good nick, bar North Face route itself and the mid arette in Migot's, and maybe the line right of NC, which seemed a bit thin, but i didn't get up close with it, so don't take my word for it...
Snow is ok in the glacier approach and high up in the NC and Migot exits, other than that the lower and west facing slopes are still insuferable wading.
Crevasses are beginning to open in the descent route, loads of 'footholes' showing abiss through.
Had a peek on the Argentiere glacier and the N faces were surprisingly bare, with snow only starting from around half way up, yet again, that was looking from across the glacier, and a close inspection might reveal more ice.
The bettembourg finish to the Couturier looked in awesome condition!!!

In reply to Luca Signorelli: NF of the Uja di Ciamarella - Where is that Luca? It looks like a good adventure.

In reply to boothy:
Photos from 20th June around Aig. de Midi spotted here:
http://www.frostguiding.co.uk/blog.php

In reply to Mr Lopez:

Actually, my phrase above should have read "because of the lack of night re-freezing, conditions on approach and descent are particularly strenuous"

In reply to billy.grant:

It’s at the end of the Sea Valley, one of the last truly wild places of the Alps, in the heart of the Southern Graian Alps (basically, immediately south of the junction between the Gran Paradiso range and the Eastern Vanoise). Just walk in to the Soardi-Fassero bivy hut is almost 10 km long, and there’s another two full hours from the hut to the base of the wall.
The closest village (the place where you leave the car) is called Forno Alpi Graie.

For once you don't get any more info - Sea Valley and the area nearby are possibly my favourite climbing/hiking spot outside the Mt. Blanc range, and part of the fun of being there is having to discover everything by yourself!

In reply to Pierre Maxted:

More snow now than there was in April

http://www.pbase.com/chris_craggs/image/96503436

and it was very snowy then!

Chris

In reply to Luca Signorelli:

Will be in Chamonix next week and a friend invited me to go skiing!

In reply to Luca Signorelli: i'll have to try and get there this season. thanks for the info!

In reply to boothy:

Four climbers (three French and one Italian) have been taken off the Kuffner ridge of Mt. Maudit by Aosta-VdA rescue this afternoon, as snow conditions had become so dangerous (because of a mix of hot weather and lots of snow still there) that their position had become very awkward. I understand that the original rescue request was made to the PGHM, but Chamonix decided to hand it over to their Aosta colleagues. As VdA rescue rules are different than those in Chamonix/France, it would be interesting to see if the four will have to pay (they didn't require hospitalization)...

In reply to Late:

I was there on the 12th -14th of June, we awoke both days to fresh snow, attempted a route but it was wet. Very frustrating-as soon as things dried off on the first day it started snowing. There will have been more snow since we left, but routes do clear quickly there and you should find something to do I reckon.
Sam

In reply to boothy:
There's been another accident this morning on the Kuffner arete of Mt. Maudit, this time (unfortunately) with deadly consequences - a French alpinist has fallen on the first section of the route, possibly because of the snow conditions. His partner is ok, but the VdA rescue is still trying to locate the body of the fallen climber. Conditions high up are still very snowy, this heatwave notwithstanding - be very prudent!

This has been a very busy morning for the VdA rescue, has they had been also active on Monte Rosa and on the Peuterey ridge. Can't imagine how is in Chamonix for the PGHM right now!

In reply to boothy:

Just got back from a quick week in Chamonix.
It's very very hot.I remember past years taking a duvet to the bar in the evenings in summer. It's vest and shorts at midnight at the moment. No wonder the snow is bad.
Managed to solo the Aig du Pelerins. The heat has made sure there is little ice on the rock routes, and the descent was done in less than 2 hours, thanks to the Cresta Run down the descent gully, but the ice axr brake was useless as the pick would have needed to be about 3 foot long to have any effect. A full shaft brake was slightly more useful.

In reply to boothy:

Three interesting MB photo report posted by the usual Matteo Calca on Fuorivia. All routes were climbed this weekend.

Aiguille du Midi - Frendo Spur
http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13700

Traverse Nonne-Eveque on the Moine Ridge of the Aiguille Verte
http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13701

The Arete du Doigt at the Point Perceè, on the Aravis (halfway between Chamonix and Annecy)
http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13699

In reply to boothy:

Temperature are slightly lower than in the previous days. By next weekend, a major influx of colder air is expected from west, with a relative change of conditions.

Another nice photo reports from italian forum Planetmountain.com: Colouir Whymper at the Aiguille Verte, climbed by Franz last weekend. They didn't summit because they felt they were too slow

http://www.forum.planetmountain.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=34581

In reply to Luca Signorelli:
What's with the orange snow in the second last picture?!! Great photos to give you a good idea of the route, can't wait until my trip in 8 weeks time.

In reply to liz j:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=306436 Second to last paragraph, courtesy of Luca Signorelli.

In reply to Mr Lopez:

Ah, thought that was the reason behind the colour. Have just had a look at your pictures of the Gervasutti Pillar, hoping to climb it in august so have a little more insight now.

In reply to boothy:

Perfect July conditions for climbing on the rock routes of the Triolet/Dalmazzi basin, as shown on this photo report by Xee - a lady doctor and very competent climber/skier you may have a chance to meet if you're taken to the Aosta hospital

http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13783&highlight=

In reply to Luca Signorelli:
Having been lucky to have spent 3 perfect days climbing from the Dalmazzi hut, lovely warden and great food, I can thoroughly recommend a visit. We had the place basically to ourselves, bar the ibex.

Well one of my climbing friends is a doctor and she met her boyfriend when he ended up in her care after a climbing accident - he got better, met up with her a few months later and got her into climbing!!!

In reply to Misha: can we substitute the last bit for, "and got into her pants".

That as well I believe.

In a bizarre twist of fate, she then had an accident whilst climbing with him!!!

In reply to boothy:
I have been to several places on the Chamonix side of the Mt. Blanc range, including Ag. de Blatière, Ag. de l’M, Ag. de Peigne and Grande Charmoz, this week and most rock climbs below 3500m are dry after one day of nice weather. Snow fields bigger than usual makes the approaches fast and easy (but bring crampons). Find a good collection of web cams from the Chamonix, Hellbronner and Mont Blanc area at http://www.mountainspirit.info/weather.asp to see how much snow it is in the high mountains =)
Good luck!

In reply to boothy:

Another selection of good recent photo reports posted on Italian climbing forum Fuorivia.com and Planetmountain.com

Frendo Spur, courtesy of our very own Chrtur (who had a great time there)
http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13843

Breithorn Traverse, by brozio1, who reports excellent conditions
http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13836

Titanic, a multipitch rock climb on the Triolet basin, below the Dalmazzi hut (courtesy again of the ubiquitous Chrtur)
http://www.fuorivia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13838

In reply to boothy:

West Ridge of the Jorasses climbed, very snowy and tough conditions reported.

The normal route of the Jorasses is traced.

Innominata ridge climbed, hard snow for most of the route.

Normal route to Mt. Blanc via the Cosmiques traced, two trails near the Tacul, both can be done. There are big snow slabs on the lower slopes, avalanche risk rather high.

The VdA rescue had another field day yesterday, flying multiple rescue missions in the afternoon. Amongst the other, a team was taken out of the Tournette Spur because of exhaustion, and another from the Col de Peuterey (mountain sickness). As usual, a honest evaluation of personal physical conditions is necessary when tackling those big routes on the Italian side of MB.

In reply to boothy: 3 days ago, climbed the Jaeger couloir on Mont Blanc du Tacul, finished the couloir by 7 in the morning.

Quite a lot of fresh snow in the couloir, only just consolidated well enough to climb, wouldn't like to have had to descend it. Good ice whenever it got steep, kicking steps (in sometimes crumbly snow), where it wasn't. Very limited gear (none for 400m), where you could get it on rock, the rock was best avoided as the rock was crumbly to get to placements, and the snow perilous near the rock.

Very cold wind once we left the couloir, also lots of unconsolidated snow on the descent down the voie-Normale of Tacul, different tracks often collapsing and filling with spindrift. Recent days should have improved the consolidation, not sure what today's rain will have done.

Hopefully

In reply to Anonymous:

I did Goulotte Chere on friday. Excellent route and ice quality in those cold and snowy conditions. The Tacul normal route didn't look too good but was traveled by quite a lot parties.

Other parties I saw were on Contamine Grisolle and and the Rebufat on the midi.

You can find a more complete report and pictures at http://www.climbingaround.com