news blog

Report: 02 March 2022

Some very brief information!

Not much has changed since the last report.

There is still a lot of ski touring happening. All the classic routes are being done daily.

Generally speaking, it’s possible to find "powder snow” on shaded slopes that have not been exposed to the wind. There is spring snow on the southerly slopes. In the high mountains, the wind has worked the snow well but the skiing is still quite pleasant. Ski crampons (couteaux/harscheisen) are becoming more and more useful.

Good snow on the descent between the Brévent and the Pont d'Arlevé. It's not so good in the combe du Pouce (a small gap in the exit canyon).

As is often the case, the traverse between the Col des Crochues and the Col de Bérard is on hard snow especially below the Pointe Alphonse Favre: you need to be a good skier. Very hard snow at the top of Mont Buet, couteaux are recommended.

The Bérard valley is still ok well down to le Buet (some rocks below the Bérard waterfall).

There will be a little bit of portage to go up to Loriaz (the path is quite icy: best to stay on the 4WD path). Same thing to go up to the Aiguillette des Posettes from the le Tour car park.

There is a good track in to go up to the col des Autannes (couteaux and boot crampons useful). The descent from the col de Passon to le Tour is fine. The col supérieur du Tour is fine (50 m of easy mixed climbing at the top).

Some activity around the Aiguille d'Argentière with the Y being done in ascent (a mixed pitch at the bottom), the Barbey couloir (upper third in hard snow/ice then good), the Glacier du Milieu (quite dry above the rimaye with a lot of ice, the narrow bit is fine)

Vallée Blanche: after the wind, there is ice back on the arête: you will need crampons. The quality of the snow is variable but the snow cover is good. There is still some ice in the exit couloir of the Grand Envers which should be avoided. A few patches of ice and skis off in the last few turns before the Planards farm.

Still good general conditions on the brèche Puiseux.

The Cosmiques arête is tracked.

Report translated from La Chamoniarde.

Report: 24 February 2022

The ski touring season is in full swing. Mostly very good conditions. The snow cover is quite good (except under 1700-1800 m where you can hit the ground depending on the sector). The quality of the snow is also good where the sun has not yet warmed it up too much. Let's hope that the wind today and in the next few days does not damage the quality of the snow too much! 

All the classic routes are being done: Contamines, Anterne/Pormenaz, Aiguilles Rouges, Bérard valley, Bel Oiseau, col de la Forclaz (rather thin snow on the path leading to the Giète alpage). 

Good conditions also on the glaciers which are relatively well filled in: col du Passon, 3 Cols, col du Chardonnet, col du Tour Noir, col d'Argentière, brèche Puiseux.  

The Vallée Blanche is also in very good condition. The snow is still a bit sparse at the Salle à Manger and on the Mer de Glace, but it is skiable. At the moment you can ski down to the buvette des Mottets. You will need to take skis off twice on the way to Les Planards down the James Bond track. 

The entry to the glacier Rond needs crampons. There was a "frozen crust" on the upper slope. The exit corridor is well filled. Couloir des Cosmiques skied in good conditions on 24/02. Exit on the right bank of the glacier quite technical, it's narrow between the crevasses and the rock. Maybe better to cross to La Para than go down the right bank of the Bossons glacier (little snow and lots of rocks). 

As a reminder, the Requin and Torino huts are open. The Cosmiques hut opens this Saturday, 26 February. The Argentière hut will open on 6 March. 

On the other hand, we are approaching the end of the season (which has not been exceptional in the valley) for the ice climbing. 

Gully activity is on hold after the snowfalls but it should start again soon. Beware of overcrowding and temperatures: we are moving towards spring and the sun is beating down fast (you will have to think about sleeping in a hut!)

Report translated from La Chamoniarde.

Report: 03 February 2022

Report: 21 January 2022

Some summary information during this (long) high pressure system!

The good weather means that all winter mountain activitiesare feasible.  All the ski touring routes are being done. You will find all sorts of snow. The classic routes on glaciers are also beginning to be done, with decent conditions (the glaciers are on the whole relatively well filled in).

There is also some activity in the gullies (it's generally quite dry) and on icefalls.

Ski touring

Sector Contamines/ Notre Dame de la Gorge : always a lot of people in this sector. The bottom of the Roman road is deteriorating (stones/ice) but nothing dramatic.

Some portage to the chalets of Chailloux, as well as on the Bel Oiseau side.

All the itineraries of the Aiguilles Rouges are tracked, the snow quality is changing!

Access to the Loriaz refuge by ski touring is via the forest road (no portage at the moment).

Less snow in the Trient sector than in the Chamonix valley.

Glacier Skiing

The Aiguille du Midi arete is equipped (on the crest of the arete, Z to come). This should not make you forget that the Vallée Blanche is a high mountain itinerary which requires the appropriate knowledge and skills (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=Qkpf_TRj1es&feature=emb_title). Do not hesitate to call on a professional!

The exit couloir of the Grand Envers is ice, so avoid it.

The Vallée Noire has deteriorated, only for good skiers. The classic valley or the slopes of the Rognon seem to be the most suitable variants at the moment.

The Requin refuge will reopen tomorrow, Friday 22nd January. The Mer de Glace is still not very snowy but you can slide reasonably to Montenvers. It is possible to go down to Chamonix via the Mottets buvette for good skiers (some stones on the James Bond track and in the turns before the Planards farm).

Brèche Puiseux : good route up, good boot track in the couloir, a few dry meters (rock) to reach the col. 2 abseils of 30 m to get onto  the glacier of Mont Mallet which is relatively well filled in.

One team on the Pointe Isabelle side. 

Bassin d'Argentière/ Glacier du Tour: Col du Passon tracked, descent towards Le Tour still not exceptional but good snow conditions. Col du Chardonnet (30m abseiling towards Saleinaz, at the moment!) and Trois Cols frequented, good general conditions. You can ski on the Améthystes glacier, the Tour Noir and the Rouges du Dolent.

Y couloir skied about ten days ago without more information (it must have changed since).

On the N side, it's dry. Some skiers on the Col des Cristaux(hard snow but grippy), dry at the top. One team has baled at the rimaye on the NE face of Les Courtes.

Some activity on the Trient side (glacier des Grands, couloir du Pissoir; in spite of a thin snow cover on the lower part you can descend the cross-country ski trails) or on the Italian side (col d'Entrèves, glacier de Toula, Marbrées without more information; glacier de la Brenva on the other hand not in conditions).

Goulottes

It's quite dry in the high mountains. Activity mainly in the Vallée Blanche sector.

No news from the N face of the Aiguille du Midi. GoulotteChéré ok, some people daily in the Gabarrou-Albinoni (beware of rock falls when it's hot) or in the Modica-Noury. Quite dry conditions in the Pellissier gully. Some ropes on the Super Couloir without more information, as well as on the Valéria and the Lafaille. A bit of activity on the Combe Maudite (Filo D'Arianna...), it goes but it's not very busy. Good conditions on the N face of the Tour Ronde, the Rebuffat goulotte is dry.

Experienced climbers took advantage of the anticyclone to do an expedition on the N face of the Jorasses (No Siesta, Gousseau-Desmaison, Rolling Stones).

In the Argentière basin (there is still wood in the refuge), it's dry. One team in the Lagarde couloir (the mixed section at the top is even drier!). Petit Viking: the lower slope is completely dry. By eye, the Charlet-Couturier (Dolent) is "thin but doable".

It's also dry on the Chardonnet side.

Ice falls

There is a little bit of ice in the valley (be careful with the overcrowding).
  You can climb on the Bérard (please respect the instructions at the bottom), climbing is starting at the Crémerie but it's not very thick or wide.

The waterfalls on the left bank of the Argentière glacier are rather thin and not very attractive (Mur des Dents de la Mer sector). It's better on the right bank.

You can climb around the Armancette, Le Reposoir or Cogne.

Snowshoeing

The routes are now well marked and groomed. Good shoes, poles and small crampons are generally enough to complete the marked routes. Snowshoes are not necessary to go up to Loriaz, it is better to use small crampons.

Report translated from La Chamoniarde.