UKC

I'm planning to be in Argentiere between Christmas and just after New Year for skiing. How much chance is there likely to be of the icefalls below the Argentiere Glacier being in good climbing condition? I'm wondering whether to book an extra bag with Jet2 to take my climbing gear?

Pretty sure routes like EMHM were ok before xmas but possibly fell down in a warm spell just after. Cogne was good throughout.

In reply to kevin stephens: There is simply no way of telling so far in advance but quite often when Cham is "out" Cogne is "in" and vice versa.

In reply to GridNorth: of course I fully appreciate that; just trying to get a sense of if the venue is only "in" under exceptional conditions as early as Christmas, or often enough to take a punt on paying for the extra baggage

In reply to kevin stephens: I have been a few times to Argentiere at christmas and had lots of fat Ice lots of snow, and other times thin hard ice little snow, and others when you could not wish for better conditions.
but never when I could not do things.the ice festival is usually early jan as well.

In reply to kevin stephens:

I had one excellent new year climbing on them, the following new year we did two routes, one of them very wet and friends of mine who were out for two weeks sacked it off early and drove to Torridon, (Poachers Fall,) and then Skye, (most of the Cullin traverse in a day,) where the climbing was great.

If I were you I'd def' take your ice gear, but have a plan b.

In reply to kevin stephens:

Probably a better chance than in September! http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=562097