UKC

The Office Haute Montagne, Chamonix is publishing regular reports on route conditions in the area on its http://www.chamoniarde.com site, as part of their accident prevention campaign. These are based on communications with various hut wardens and also with their Italian counterparts. The Alpine Club has recently undertaken to provide English translations of these reports which will be made available on the new AC site, (any day now!) and, perhaps, on the Chamoniarde site itself.

It would be brilliant if anybody who has just done a route in the area and has something to add about conditions, could send me a quick email, so that this can be added to the next report.

In reply to cagm:

Hi Gus
this looks very useful.

In reply to cagm:

Chamoniarde are unable to put the translation directly on their site at the moment, but they have put it on their facebook. I will probably build it into my funalps.com site later this evening.

In reply to cagm:

I second the request that people write in the book; it doesn't take long and it helps other folk know what's in.

In reply to cagm:

Hi Gus, great stuff. Very useful. As a quick and related question... have you (or anyone else!) heard if the Grand Couloir crossing to the Gouter Hut is now considered safe? Apparently local guides were refusing to cross last week? Any update appreciated. Cheers Stephen.

In reply to JSTaylor:

Is it ever safe? It's basically a shooting gallery at the best of times...

It's been very (very) warm in Cham, some utter crap snow about and freezing levels have been very high - so it's probably worse than usual. Wandered around most areas, but not that far west in the past week.

In reply to JSTaylor:
The last report concerning the couloir from Chamoniarde was 10th July:
"By the Goûter, regular stonefall in the couloir has been reported day and night. Likely to get worse this (now last) weekend due to rise in temperatures."
Temperatures are foreseen to continue to rise during this week.

N.B I have now added the conditions report from the 12th July onto the www.funalps.com site, under the page "Conditions". Thank you Alex for your contribution from the Gervasutti Pillar.

In reply to ianstevens:

I did mean "safe". Well aware of its usual condition. If anyone knows if Guides are now crossing it that would be appreciated. Cheers.

In reply to cagm:

Thanks Gus.

In reply to JSTaylor:

The Gouter hut is full up and no shortage of guides so they dont seem to be avoiding it. The Grand couloir is very dangerous, eg two Brits were bombarded the other day and felt lucky to get out of it in one piece. Obviously its better in the morning but still a crapshoot. The whole gully looks like it will be completely dry within a week, not sure how/whether that will affect it. Go as early as you can in the day if you really need to do it.

In reply to stuartby:

Ta. Did it on Wednesday. Less than 5 hours hut to summit and back saw us crossing the GC early on the way back. Crossing the day before was 'exciting' and that was early too.

In reply to stuartby:

Somebody was killed by rock fall in the Grand Couloir at 04.30 this morning. A number of companies and their guides are now avoiding Mont Blanc until the temperatures decrease.