In reply to Pete Houghton:
Thanks Pete. That's pretty much where I thought things were going - the snow a fortnight ago was amazing for November, let alone the rest of last year! Also happy to go touring up high to find decent snow if needed. I will see how things develop and tap you up for some info closer to the time too - much appreciated!
In reply to Frank4short:
> Which Poubelle? Monte/midi/brevant? They all have very different challenges early season.
The one just by the exit from the Bochard bubble. Exit clearly a drama, as with all early season.
> Biggest issue with the Cosmiques/Rond is likely to be the way underneath the midi as it skirts around the Bossons glacier. From what i've been told in low snow scenarios this is extremely challenging and then are numerous recorded instances of people falling into crevasses as they cross from the exit couloir onto the glacier when the glacier hasn't had ample time to fill up. This is why the early season descents and openings are nearly always done by locals. Upper section of the cosmiques can be quite technical and steep when lean but it's always possible to downclimb through the worst of it with spiky things.
Aye, whatever it's looking like, and whatever we do, spiky things will be carried. My concern is mostly the exit; getting down (by whatever means needed if it's a lot worse than initially thought / than it looks on inspection) is easy, getting off the underlying terrain is tough, hence my initial question about exit routes. Technical and steep up high doesn't bother me, but dodgy glacier travel can turn it into an absolute nightmare. Thankfully (with hindsight) in my climbing days, I've spent enough time climbing on that side of the Midi to know what it can be like, but the majority in summer alpinism mode.
> Based on what i'm seeing on the webcams at the moment it's likely that whoever skied the Pas du Chevre had a long walk out. Which probably included some sphincter tightening moments trying to get from the plan down on to the mer du glace (which is quite doable but is likely to have a lot of falling rock when getting down).
Aye, again walk-outs per-se aren't a game-changer, but the objective danger with the warmth down low is one to be mindful of. The snow line is pretty well defined so those low-ish exits are likely to be the sticking point.
We'll see how conditions develop - I've spent enough time on melting Alpine routes to not be in a hurry to be under collapsing bits of mountain!
Post edited at 02:08
