UKC

With lots of higher-altitude stuff around France questionable due to both fresh snow + season-long depth, today had a great time on the Barre des Ecrins. 

Started from Refuge Glacier Blanc hut. Snow on the trail above almost immediately. We crossed the gentle glacier and started by climbing up the Barre Noir couloir. Excellent alpine snow for crampons, with useful steps in place. Topped out a long ways below left (E) from summit.

Next a rising traverse R (W) to base of Couloir Coolidge and climbed that to top out a ways E of summit. Surface snow good for crampons and with previous steps. Could dig down 10 cm to reach old hard ice to place a screw.

Next traversed the summit ridge E to W on good snow.

(Then lost a bunch of details due to confusion with the UKC Forum phone interface).

A somewhat-popular route in the Ecrins which is _not_ in condition is

the Traverse of the Aiguille de Sialouze.

What I heard is that most of the rock ridge is OK. The problem is that the abseil anchors in the upper section are hidden under snow.

That's a cracking route - did it from Ailefroid in a day back when I was young and fit!