UKC

hello, I know there's another thread on here but I thought I'd start a Cham specific one

specifically I'm interested in tour ronde north face, chere couloir, frendo spur and cordier pillar. I checked the ohm website, no mention of any of these in the last few weeks.

Hard tobe sure though, their site isn't very mobile friendly!

Someone did do dent du geant last Friday and said to leave it another week.

Anyone got more info on any of the above?

In reply to Stone Muppet:

Just back after 4 days in Chamonix (Tue - Fri). Very unsettled weather with some very heavy rain/ snow higher up. Don't know anything about conditions on Tour Ronde or Tacul, but Frendo looked ok if you can get a long enough window of good weather between thunderstorms. We couldn't (for our liking) and did Voie des Dalles on Le Pouce instead which was great. Cordier Pillar looked fine too.

Hope that helps - good luck.

In reply to markk:

Frendo is dry and good,several parties completed it in a window today. The Chere is always there but the crux pitch is horrendously stepped out and quite rotten at the moment. Tour Ronde north face is quite icy though the regular storms keep bringing it back into nick.

Most routes you have to approach in poor weather to be in position for the mornings when it breaks but you can always find something to get on

Did Tour Ronde's North face today (Sunday). Due to some problems with the Italian cable car, we left Helbronner around 7:30am but caught up/passed a few slower parties who had spent the night at the Torino hut. Conditions ok. Dynamic progress most of the time (2 belays only).
Saw headlights in the Frendo spur when I got up this morning around 5am.
However weather has been real bad and quite unstable since the beginning of July and is not going to improve soon... more snow to come
Many snow/mixed routes can't be done: currently too dangerous! Chamonix guides are not going to Mont Blanc du Tacul, Mont Maudit, Bionnassay ridge, Verte, etc any more...
For the Chèré couloir, you'll have to abseil it: do not pursue to Mont Blanc du Tacul (high risk of avalanche on the descent).
Rock routes to be preferred instead... Weather permitting.
According to today's forecast, rain/snow for the next few days, again...
Thursday and Friday seem to be the next climbing window (to be confirmed). Then bad weather on Saturday...again
I heard about an accident in the Dent du Géant area today (2 dead)... I have no details as yet.

Does that mean the snow/ice pitches on the Frendo are ok as well as the rock not being snowed up? I'm amazed, given the weather! Also (aside) if you do it in two days with a bivi between the rock and ice, is there snow to melt near the bivi?

@Ken does the tour ronde being icy make it harder? and when you say 2 belays only is that because there weren't others or you didn't need them?

Cheers

In reply to Stone Muppet:

You generally only pitch the middle two, crux pitches but in most conditions you can keep moving together even there. Pitching the whole route will take far too long to complete

Thanks. I'm guessing the Tour Ronde is too steep to avalanche?

In reply to Stone Muppet:

Nope both upper and lower slopes of the north face of the tour ronde could avalanche

In reply to Stone Muppet:
Cmaradclife said it all
It was a bit icy in the middle but in good condition otherwise.

I suggest you go check route conditions at the OHM / Bureau des Guides in Chamonix (near the Saint Michel church) as I did in order to find out what is currently feasible in the Mont Blanc range. Conditions change all the time. For info, there's another 10 cms of fresh snow at 4000m since yesterday...

Thanks. Is there a similar service on the Courmayeur side as that's where I'm currently sat?

In reply to Stone Muppet:

Not as well developed but he there is a guides office in Courmayeur that may have some information.

In reply to Stone Muppet: saw people finishing the Frendo today. The rock pitches looked free of snow

In reply to Stone Muppet:

Climbed the Flèche Rousse yesterday, the rock was dry but the snow wasn't frozen which made for very hard going and a long day in knee deep wet snow. http://www.masterplan-mountaineering.co.uk/2014/08/flche-rousse-aiguille-da...

In reply to Stone Muppet:

Can anybody advise on conditions at present for the Gouter route on Mont Blanc. I've got a trip planned for early September, but if it seems likely the route will close early this season, I might make other plans?

Thanks

Chubbs

Had a couple of cragging days in the aig. Rouge wAiting for the promised weather... From the index the Jorasses looked very, very white, as did the sans nom face... Could be a very good autumn.

In reply to Stone Muppet:

Made the most of a weather window today and climbed the north face of the Tour Ronde - http://www.masterplan-mountaineering.co.uk/2014/08/tour-ronde-north-face/

In reply to Stone Muppet:

Hi guys. Anyone know the conditions of the Wymper Couloir right now?