UKC

Hi, me and my girlfriend are heading over to Chamonix about the 7th June. We live in New Zealand and have done a fair bit of mountaineering and split boarding. We were hoping to climb mont blanc and had planned to climb the Gouter route and descend the Tres monts (if conditions are safe enough). However, Ive heard there has been a lot of snow and I'm thinking of taking a snowboard each for the descent and snowshoes (I left my split board in NZ). I am only really keen to descend the route we go up (the Gouter) rather than the Grand Mulets as I don't know that route. I know we would have to climb sections on the way down but wondering if it would be worth it and how low we could get? thanks Mont BlancGoûter Route (PD)

In reply to methodman:

I don't know what the Vallee Blanche is like at the moment, but I would expect by June it wouldn't be a good idea to board down it. On that basis, I think you could get to the Aig. du Midi top station, where this webcam is from:

http://panocam.skiline.cc/chamonix/aiguille-du-midi

You can pan L/R and zoom in/out. Mont Blanc is in the middle.

I don't have much experience of the the other routes down so hopefully someone else can comment on them.

In reply to methodman:

I did Mont Blanc on a splitboard two weeks ago via the Grand Mulets there was loads of snow and it's snowed since above about 3000m.

I haven't tried to descend the 3 monts route or the Gouter but I can tell you my thinking as to why I didn't. The snow along the top ridges is all very wind affected and horrible to ski so you're probably better off getting out of that snow as soon as possible. On the Gouter route you'll be on a wind scoured ridge all the way from the Gouter refuge to the summit. Everyone generally leaves skis at the Vallot shelter anyway as you couldn't really ski the summit ridge as it's too narrow and icy. The only reason for carrying them to top is to ski off the north face but then you'd be committed to the Grand Mulets descent.

The mulets route drops off the ridge either right from the top if you ski the north face or just after the Vallots refuge and is the standard ski descent for a reason. The descent is relatively sheltered and gives a pretty consistent slope with little objective danger. The main danger is from seracs breaking off from the dome de Gouter but you're not in the firing line for very long.

Keep an eye on the Chamoniade for general conditions (http://www.chamoniarde.com/) and definitely call the Gouter and Mulets and ask what conditions are like now. Book up early if conditions are halfway decent it will be busy.

In reply to rinch:

thanks for the advice. summited on friday via gouter route. snow was pretty soft in parts but do able. didnt take the snowboard and it woukd have been too heavy walking from the valley floor, still great though!

In reply to methodman:

no snow shoes?