UKC

Hello,

I'm hoping to travel from the US to the alps (primarily Chamonix) this summer, for alpine rock climbing & mountaineering. Currently I'm trying to finalize the timing.

As I understand, it's a very low snow year in Chamonix, so July will be a no-go there. Based on Chamonix, I'd probably time my trip from June 3 - 25 or so.

However, I would also like to climb the Matterhorn via Hornli ridge if at all possible. The Hornli hut opens only Jul 1. I read that there's a "winter room" which sleeps only 15. Seems difficult to be one of the first 15 people there to grab a spot.

Therefore, is it allowed to camp outside the Hornli hut prior to July 1?

Also, how likely is it that the route will be in doable condition in late June? I do have ice and snow experience -- enough to know that late-spring decaying soft snow can make travel dangerous and miserable depending on the route. 

Lastly, if anyone would be interested in climbing the Hornli route with me late June, please email ellenmseb@gmail.com or text +1 650-996-5364 I have plenty of alpine climbing experience in the US & canadian rockies & sierra nevada to make me confident in completing this route safely, conditions allowing - but not soloing it. more about me: https://www.mountainproject.com/user/200967575/ellen-s

Camping/biving on the Matterhorn is very much not allowed and the Swiss will find you. I'd be surprised if all the winter room bunks were taken, however. June is very early for the Hornli

When did this become a thing? 

Do you know when this rule came in? Some years ago I spent some time camping near the Hornli hut and also bivied on the summit without  a problem. All changed now?

Yes all changed since the new hut was built. It's a serious fine (Switzerland after all). I think bivvying above 2500m(?) Is not allowed.

Thanks all for the clear responses that camping is not allowed. 

With the extremely low snow this year, how could I expect conditions to be in June?
(trying to decide whether to spend the independence day holiday in europe or in the US )

It's difficult to say as it may snow throughout May or be a heatwave. However I am in the Alps now and there is very little snow so it's possible ridges will be in condition earlier than normal.  There are endless possibilities around Zermatt (and elsewhere) beyond the Matterhorn so something would certainly be possible. Do note huts tend not to open until mid June, although almost all have winter rooms available.

This post is of interest, as we're considering ascending the rarely climbed Zmutt Ridge early-to-mid June, then down the Hornli. We need the sufficient snow/ice on the North Face to make our crossing beneath it less objectively dangerous, yet dry conditions on the rock ridges. We realise our chances are slim.

I've done the Lion Ridge on the Italian side before, however that was late Sept, the day before the snows came for the descent from the hut. Even that short/easy stretch proved markedly harder in winter conditions, hence we sure won't be attempting the ridges with even moderate snow cover.

it certainly hasn't been a low snow year in the last few weeks!  Snow depths at altitude are greater at the moment in the Valais, Oberland and Haute Savoie than they have been all winter and approaching long term averages.  

https://whiterisk.ch/fr/snow/station/IMIS/GOR2?returnMeasurementParameter=H...

Is that just on the Matterhorn or does it apply to all the Swiss Alps?

It would seem odd to ban bivvying above 2500m but not below it as a general rule, you would expect it to be the other way round.

There is something specific to the Matterhorn that is strictly enforced. I think has an upper limit in fact and is basically there to force people to use the Hornli hut.  Elsewhere in Switzerland I think it varies.

https://www.camptocamp.org/outings/1433352/fr/cervin-arete-du-hornli
 

After a poor first half of the winter, there has been loads of snow since early March. The Mont Blanc massif is now at above average snow levels at altitude, as is much of the Valais.

The Hornli Ridge doesn't go well in the snowy conditions likely in June. It's much more exposed and sketchy, and worth Difficile when like this. Much better to aim at something like the neighbouring Dent Blanche South Ridge, which clears more quickly, goes better in heavy conditions, and is probably a finer route overall.

OK thanks, looks like I don't need to worry about bivvying elsewhere too much then.

Last year, Hornli and many popular guided routes across The Western and Austrian Alps were formally closed throughout July and into August.

You'll no doubt know from what's going on the America's, mountains have lost so much of their glaciers and snowfields with over 100 yrs of melt and recession giving, for example, Switzerland a -6% depreciation of their glacial cover last year.

The now exposed rock is also losing stability from disappearing Permafrost and it is just collapsing everywhere; much more than has been usual in any mountain area. 

At the extreme of this, Cengalo - Breggalia - shed over 3million cubic metres of rock closing access to a vast swathe of the area - https://nhess.copernicus.org/articles/20/505/2020/ 

Best wishes and perhaps you'll come back and Post here about what you get up to, please?