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gran paradiso conditions

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redsonja 19 Jul 2013
does anyone know what conditions are like on gran paradiso? the normal route from vittorrio emanuelle hut? thanks
testagrigia 19 Jul 2013
In reply to redsonja:
A group of friends were up there last weekend. Conditions fine. More snow than usual for this time of year, which is no bad thing on what is mostly a glacier route.
redsonja 19 Jul 2013
In reply to testagrigia: great- thanks for your help
testagrigia 31 Jul 2013
In reply to redsonja:
Did it last weekend. Route conditions perfect. Weather conditions dire: wind and thick cloud. Despite the weather, the route was massively crowded: a long procession up the glacier followed by a scrum at the top with several dozen people clambering over one another to get up to the Madonnina and back down... Didn't bother to do the last 30m as there was nothing to see and I couldn't be doing with all the aggro. Not my idea of mountaineering at all. Loads of other stuff to do round about if you want a more authentic mountain experience... Excellent lunch to be had (at a price) at the Rifugio Tetras Lyre http://www.rifugiotetraslyre.it at the bottom of the path up to Vittorio Emmanuele.
redsonja 31 Jul 2013
In reply to testagrigia: what time did you start?
dylan_the_fox 31 Jul 2013
In reply to testagrigia:

That's such a shame - it's a beautiful mountain in good weather - and yes lots of glacier plod before the summit, but still more than worthwhile. Best to get an early start from whichever hut you're in (rather than the valley) and have a bit of room for manoeuvre on the summit rocks tho - there were a few bodies to clamber over / around when I did it!
 Flashy 31 Jul 2013
In reply to redsonja: Straightforward glacier plods like this route lend themselves well to spring ascents on skis if you really hate crowds but would still like to do the routes. Did this particular route some years ago in March, I think there were 2-3 other parties on the mountain.
 Flashy 31 Jul 2013
In reply to Flashy: And thinking about it there was one roped party with snowshoes so certainly not limited to skiers. It's just colder and you have to stay in the winter room (I know lots of people think that's no bad thing!)

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