UKC

Hi,

Leaving this weekend for a couple of weeks. Has anyone been recently? Looking at making our way up to the Ecrins hut, not sure what routes we are planning from there, but would like to go up the Barre des Ecrins, but judging by the conditions reported in Chamonix, it might be similar in other areas.

Also, as for unplanned routes, any suggestions, up to AD?

Thanks,

Ant

In reply to the ant hill mob:

looking at http://www.camptocamp.org/outings/list/orderby/date/order/desc shows a few routes in Ecrins climbed recently with conditions noted as 'bonnes'

But if the snow is as bad as further north, the arete des Cinéastes is rock & I thought it good fun (but was 20 years ago)

In reply to the ant hill mob:

Yep, second vote for the Cineastas (above the Glacier Blanc Hut). I did it a couple of years ago. The approach is horrible scree and very loose but once you're on the ridge it's very nice.

There are rigged abseils (2 or 3, down a loose gully, back to the snow on the other side of the ridge) before the end-point defined in the Alpine Club Guide and we managed these on a single 50m rope.

It can be done in a day from the valley but also makes a nice route on the way up to the Ecrins Hut. We used it for a bit of acclimatisation and stayed at the Glacier Blanc Hut then went up to the Ecrins Hut the next day to do the Barre the day after that.