UKC

Chamonix Conditions

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 joe.91 02 Jun 2014
Heading to Cham in 2 weeks and wondered how are conditions there atm? Hoping to get on things like the frendo and migot spur. Or has there been a massive dump and the big ice routes are still in like the gabarrou albinoi on the tacul?
 smithaldo 02 Jun 2014
In reply to joe.91:

Does the gabarrou alboini ever get done in summer now? Given its aspect I would have thought unless you do it at night you are putting yourself at high risk of getting clouted by debris for quite a long time period.
OP joe.91 02 Jun 2014
In reply to smithaldo:

I wouldn't imagine so, it was just an example!
 Jon Bracey 02 Jun 2014
In reply to smithaldo:

a friend climbed Modica/Noury next to the Albinoni/Gabarrou 3 days ago, ok conditions
 Kai 02 Jun 2014
In reply to smithaldo:

Even if it's in condition, if there's anyone above you on the Albinoni Gabarrou, you're likely to be pegged with debris. It's super skinny, and there's not any room to hide if stuff gets knocked down on you. Start early. Get on the route first.
OP joe.91 03 Jun 2014
In reply to Jon Bracey: Really? Never thought it would be in this time of year! Although I won't be there myself till 14th so still plenty of time to change, still, tempting to put my technical axes in the pack as well!
 Cellinski 04 Jun 2014
In reply to Jon Bracey:

Can somebody tell me if the Bonatti route at the Grand Capucin will be in condition the next weekend? The weather forecast is excellent, hence it might be doable. However, it is very hard for me to say how it is regarding snow that remains on the ledges, or possible run-off. I would appreciate any hint, because it's a pretty long trip to go there and find out that it is hopeless.
 smithaldo 05 Jun 2014
In reply to joe.91:

Charlie boscoe blog refers to people doing the profit perroux route off the midi bridge so def pack the technical axes.
 Alex Buisse 05 Jun 2014
In reply to Cellinski:

I haven't been up in a while but the Bonatti is rarely a good early season option. Even though it's quite steep, there is a fair amount of run off in key places (the traverse on P4 and the crux wall) until all snow has melted.

Forecast is great for the next week or so, though, so if you're very strong at the grade and don't mind getting your rock shoes wet, you may still want to give it a go.
 Cellinski 10 Jun 2014
In reply to Alex Buisse:

Thanks for the advice, Alexandre!

We were there last weekend, and climbed the Swiss Route on Grand Capucin. The schrund and the Couloir des Aguilettes were in perfect nick, and also the route was in good condition and dry. That's at least what I thought on the way up. However, when we were abseiling, there was already a waterfall over all the upper pitches. So it is key to start early and be quick.

From below and on early morning, the Bonatti seemed good as well. However, because it gets sun much earlier, problems with runoff might start much earlier. Also, it is only accessible directly from below, the access via the ledges looked like having a portion of advanced mixed climbing.
 paulmck 10 Jun 2014
In reply to joe.91:
You are probably best almost treating it like a scottish winters day and decide the night before what's safe and what's not. It's boiling hot here at the moment with day time temps in double digits (that's in the mountains) and the freezing level is hovering around 4000m. You can hear stuff falling down all over the place!
Did the Dent du Geant today. Approach was fine with a frozen track but anything to the side of it was soft. By the time we got back down to the bottom of the abeils (10.30 i think) the snow was mush. Temps are due to drop slightly towards the end of the week but I think you will have to assess each route on its own merits.
Have fun but think of august temps, not june. Someone summed it up as "winter conditions with a lot of snow but summer temps".
 Alex Buisse 10 Jun 2014
In reply to Cellinski:

> Also, it is only accessible directly from below, the access via the ledges looked like having a portion of advanced mixed climbing.

Really? I am quite surprised by this, the ledge approach is usually very straightforward once you have exited the couloir (which, along with the bergshrund, is the really sketchy bit).
 HosteDenis 10 Jun 2014
In reply to joe.91:

Conditions in cham seem to be: lots of snow but high temps. Very mushy snow thus, and avalanche danger. I have no idea about the ice, but it seems (if I can trust several blogs) to be climbable.
OP joe.91 11 Jun 2014
In reply to HosteDenis:

thanks for all the info, think I'm going to aim for south facing rock routes, classic alpine stuff and hopefully the north face of the tour ronde but doing it super early in the morning.

Any other recommendation would be welcome!
 JulesV 17 Jun 2014
In reply to joe.91:

Thanks for the info folks.

I'm going over this weekend (21/22 june) hoping to have a crack at Voyages Selon Gulliver on the Grand Capucin. Forecast says there's another dump of snow this week though. Any up to date conditions info greatly appreciated.

Celinski, did you happen to see how Gulliver looked while you were on Swiss Route?

Thanks in advance,
Jules
 Cellinski 17 Jun 2014
In reply to JulesV:

I think it will be good for Gulliver. The weather during the past two weeks was fine and there's nothing to expect than maybe a thundery shower for the next 2-3 days. When we were there (9 days ago), there was still quite a bit of snow left on the ledges between the first pitches which are done over Elixir d'Astaroth and the proper start of the route. Some of that may have melted, and one should almost certainly be able to get around it. Apart from that, the route looked dry and good already when we were there. If you send me a mail, I can send you a 9-day-old picture of Grand Capucin.

Cheers, Marcel
 JulesV 17 Jun 2014
In reply to Cellinski:

Thanks Marcel, sounds like it should be feasible with a bit of luck. A photo would be great! I'll send you my email address. Cheers
 Alex Buisse 17 Jun 2014
In reply to Cellinski:

It's been raining quite heavily in the afternoon in the past 2-3 days, but judging by what the Aiguilles looked like during a brief clearing, it doesn't look like a massive dump up high. A day or two of solid weather (aka this upcoming weekend) should get most south facing routes in great condition.
 scottie390 21 Jun 2014
Anyone got any idea what kinda nick the frendo is in?
 Alex Buisse 21 Jun 2014
In reply to scottie390:

Probably fairly snowy still. It's been done a few times last week, though.
 Alex Buisse 21 Jun 2014
In reply to Alex Buisse:

Just took a good look from route des pècles, it looks surprisingly dry. I don't think you'll climb it in rock shoes, but it looks like really good nick.
saclimber2000 30 Jun 2014
In reply to scottie390:

Yes, did it three days ago. Pretty icy on top with not much snow cover but good screws.
 Tim Davies 01 Jul 2014
In reply to joe.91: kuffner arete in fine condition 27 June with a lowered freezing level.
Approach slopes to biv de la fourche in poor condition. Early approach direct to the main arete from cosmiques/ Torino/ bivouac perhaps better.



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