UKC

We’re supposed to be trying the north face of Tour Ronde in a month’s time, obviously a lot can change until then, but would anyone be willing to make a guess about the likely conditions & whether it will be possible?
We were planning to approach the climb without skis.

In reply to alps_p: very snowy if i was to have a guess... approaching on foot might be a bad idea.

May is normally a good time to ski it so watch out for skiers dropping in on you.

In reply to Dave Searle: thanks, I'll better check with the OHM or Torino hut guardians before setting off then. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed though.. Regarding approaches, I sometimes wonder why things like Triangle Tacul are do-able and approachable on foot pretty much year-round, but Tour Ronde isn't?

In reply to Dave Searle: and what alternatives could you recommend, if any, in the area? Dent du Geant I'm thinking, or maybe Chere couloir?

In reply to alps_p:

Tried it at that time of year four-five years back. We had ski, but we didn't need them - lovely firm snow, would have been very easy going on foot.

Doesn't prove anything, mind you.

Y

In reply to alps_p:

looks pretty rotten at the momment

In reply to alps_p:
The Tour Ronde NF is a bit further than the Triangle du Tacul- and I'm not sure that the Triangle du Tacul is approachable without ski's all year round- there can be A LOT of snow up there, and certainly has been this winter- think waist deep waiding when you step off your skis...

HTH

Will

In reply to Will_Thomas_Harris: thanks, do you think that there is any point in assuming the situation will change over the next 4-5 weeks, or should we plan for an alternative destination already?
When deciding on this trip, I was browsing the UKC logbooks as well as various trip reports on the internet, and it seemed like lots of people managed late April or early May ascents. But I guess this year's winter has been different

In reply to alps_p: probably best just asking a bit closer to the time. The chere is usually in climbable condition all year round but there have been some known accidents from avalanches pouring down it. Same can be said for the Tour ronde NF. as for the approach, the snow could be transformed enough in may that walking is viable but you'll only know closer to the time. It needs a few sunny days after a storm to consolidate.

In reply to Dave Searle:

I seriously doubt it, unless we have stable sunny weather for a couple weeks on end, instead of getting pounded by two storms a week... Usual timeframes don't really apply this year, given the amount of snow and the lack of stabilizing good weather.

In reply to Alex Buisse:

+1

Or go skiing.

Or go to Scotland....

In reply to Alex Buisse:

Late march/april is considered the monsoon locally. Those in the know will plan skiing holidays around it wherever possible. However it's usually passes in a 2/3 weeks. So to assume that it'll still be doing it is a bit of a reach. As well as that to assume that conditions today will in anyway directly relate to conditions in 4-6 weeks time is foolhardy. As all it'll take is a couple of days of the Foehn to change everything.

In reply to alps_p:
The chere had a few teams on it last wednesday, I know one team left there skis at the cosmiques hut and snow shoed across, there is lots of snow about but things were still getting climbed, we had a good week and apart from the hard work on approaches some of the climbing was great, that said though i wouldnt want to try anything on an avalanched proned slope, we see a number of large avalanches, one on the glacier leading to maudit and one on the NF of the verte, Weather and conditions in chamonix are never reliable and its always a gamble, unless you live out there or your in a position that you can just up and go whenever its good.

I would speak to the guides office the week before going out and see what they have to say, they are also very helpful in giving some idea on what might be climbable.

Regards

Tommy