UKC

I'm off to the Brenta Dolomites tomorrow, we're heading straight up to a hut so won't have time to sus out the latest weather conditions. We're going to spend a couple of days up there doing some VF. Has anyone been up there in the last week or so? Will we need crampons / axes etc or will we get away with just approach shoes? We'll have all the kit as we're heading up Marmolada later in the week but it would be a lot nicer to travel light especially when doing the VF.

Thanks in advance for any updates

Matt

In reply to mattbell: anyone?

In reply to mattbell:

What about phoning the hut?

In reply to Rob Parsons: i was in sella cortina area and theres snow down to 2000m in some shady areas, only encountered on descents and was soft and slushy so crampons made no difference. also the marmolada vf was still under snow at the time but im 95% it would have cleared in the scorching weather of late

In reply to Matt Schwarz: thanks, one of the huts are saying we'll need crampons etc for bochette

In reply to mattbell:

Been a lot of snow melt over last fortnight, but still patches in places.

In reply to mattbell: My wife had a trip on the Marmolada VF cancelled Wednesday as it was still under snow

In reply to mattbell:

This is possibly too late, but I just posted conditions on the Brenta. I quote (myself):

"Did a route in the Catinaccio yesterday (Sunday) on the Croda di Re Aurino. Approaches are still quite snowy but not a serious problem. Route (W facing) was clear (but very cold in the morning).

However, the Santner Hut (i.e. beer dispenser) where the route finishes tragically was closed. The reason quickly became clear as we set off to descend the via ferrata (Santner) which was about a quarter to a third banked over with neve. Me met a few sad looking ferrata folk heading back down after giving up.

The friend I was with works as a guide in the Brenta Dolomites and he has been doing routes with clients but in nearly winter conditions. He confirmed that the ferratas were overall in the conditions we saw on Sunday, which means climbable but as minor winter routes with a rope and at least an axe (the snow is mostly soft enough for chopping out steps - not too much ice)."

In reply to Erstwhile: thank you, just picked this up at the airport!