In reply to Dave Williams:
> One of the local guides once advised me to not go near any of the classic grade 3s on Valnontey Rive Gauche (as far up valley as Grand Val) after recent heavy snow. There have been a few fatalities here due to avalanches I believe, as well as many near misses. Seemingly there are vast wind slab slopes and basins high above this side of the valley which cannot be seen from the valley bottom.
If the local guides are advising 'stay away ', then ignoring this would be very unwise.
I was on one of these some years ago and the party on the adjacent route were avalanched off. Two bad injuries one dead, all Brits.
There was a huge amount of snow in November and December. This is sure to make these areas unpredictable.