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Report 20 April 2021

MOUNTAIN CONDITIONS 20 AVRIL 2021

 

A quick update, given that the general situation has not changed much since the bulletin of 13th April
Last week’s weather was fairly atypical, being mainly cold and with some snowfall, which allowed for some nice skiing, but also a cloud cover that was difficult to predict.  


The principal activity is still ski touring. When temperatures allow, valley crag climbing is popular. There is still too much snow on most of the hiking trails. However, the paths along the floor of the valley or the small hikes up to 1500m, (north facing), or 1800m, (south facing), are feasible.

Conditions remain good for ski touring in the Bérard valley, (with a short section of carrying just up to the buvette).

The approach to the Albert 1er hut by the moraine is now possible, (the slopes overlooking the path are dry, only the gully still has snow.) Skiing starts at the level of the EDF water intake. For the descent from the Passon, the skiing ends at the level of the Bisme bridge, (10 mins walking from the carpark.) 

It is still possible to put on skis at the start of the Pierre à Ric. All the classic routes are tracked (Col du Passon, Col du Chardonnet, Aiguille d'Argentière by the Glacier du Milieu, Col du Tour Noir, etc.)  Also, activity at Barbey, Y Couloir, Lagarde couloir, Col des Cristaux and the Courtes NNE (skied on good snow, NNE fairly dry high up as has often been the case in recent years.) 

No change for the approach to the Mer de Glace/Talèfre sector, other than the 4x4 track from Planards to the Mottets/Caillet/Les Bois crossroads is closed by municipal order until 24th May because of work being done on the Montenvers railway.   It is, therefore, necessary to start from Les Bois, which in any case is the better option, (unless you have an electric mountain bike!)

Tracks on the Mallory Porter, no further information.  

Mont Blanc by the Grands Mulets : skiing starts at the level of the old cable car station.  There is a difficult section between the Glaciers station and the glacier.  The Jonction is OK.  It is still icy below the Vallot.  The N face remains unadvisable, the Corridoris very awkward, (rock hard ice, recommended to downclimb.) The possibility to descend by the true left bank of the Bossons glacier is coming to an end,  (lack of snow in the gully above the Plateau des Pyramides).

Activity continues at the Trappier couloir, Pointe Inférieure Tricot, Armancette cwm and the Dômes de Miage.

Enjoy the current situation and do not hesitate to inform Chamoniarde of the conditions you experienced.

 

Report: 13th April 2021

Some brief information for mid-April.

The mountains are unusually quiet!

As a reminder, the Grands Mulets and Requin huts remain open. The Albert 1er hut is open from Fridays to Tuesdays. It is even more important than usual to make a reservation, (by internet or telephone,) because the wardens are organising themselves, (like everybody in these times), from one day to the next.

The Argentière hut closes on 15/04, with the re-opening foreseen for between the 1st and 10th May. Waiting for information for Lognan hut.

The winter rooms remain accessible.

After yet another wintry spell, there was a small amount of fresh snow down to low altitudes between Sunday and Monday.  About 15cms fell at 2000m and 20 to 30 cms  above this in certain sectors, (Aiguilles Rouges and the Mont Blanc massive,) and without wind. However, this will not have improved conditions much in the high mountain as it is not sticking.  The glaciers, however, are well filled in.


Ski touring remains the main activity, though as to be  expected, the snowline is receding.

In the Bérard valley, skis  can be put on at the Berard café.  The main routes are popular, (if you can say that given how few people are about!). It is still possible to start skiing from the col des Montets, or the small parking area just before the Buet village, for the col de l'Encrenaz sector.

As a reminder, access to Charamillon is forbidden due to work being done on the upper station of the new ski lift. Therefore, to get to the Albert 1er hut it is best to go by the col du Passon. The classic descent from the Passon is still in condition, as is the normal route on the Aiguille du Tour. The Migot Spur was done about 10 days ago.

The artificial snow means the Pierre Ric is still OK and provides access to the Argentière sector. Harscheisen, (ski crampons), may be necessary if there has been a hard frost. The classics in this sector remain in condition: col des Grands Montets, col du Chardonnet (start on the true left, right looking up; 60m of fixed rope in place on the Saleina side), Glacier du Milieu ("the narrows are very narrow” this year, for those on ski), col du Tour Noir, col d'Argentière.

For steep skiing, the Barbey couloir and the SE coulior of the Chardonnet (take care with the timing and changes in condition for the latter), are being done regularly. No reliable information for the Y couloir, (a 30m pitch of mixed low down,) which, nonetheless, is OK in ascent. The N faces remain very, (too,) dry.

No info for the Lagarde couloir. The Couturier couloir should be feasible even if it looks to be well purged high up, (take care with the timing for the descent by the Whymper).

 

Mer de Glace/ Valley Blanche sector, A lot of ski carrying. The best option seems to be to start from Les Bois by the Filia path. Skis can be used for the first time where the return from Valley Blanche reaches the Mottets snack bar. Further carrying is needed to reach the Mer de Glace and up to about 300m above the ice caves.

Access to the Talèfre sector is still by the central couloir. Crevasses are appearing at the level of the  Salle à Manger.

The Valley Blanche, (there and back a real challenge!) and the Brèche Puiseux are still in condition. Solitude guaranteed!

The latest news is that the Whymper couloir is just about OK for the time of year, (secondary couloir is very dry, the bergschrund passable on the true left).

The Y couloir was done on 01/04, no information since.  A party did the Naia gully on 04/04 (crux hardly formed but well protectable).

The Pointe Isabelle was said to be in good condition, (the Courtes glacier is without problems, as is the upper section, the bergschrund is impressive but goes OK on the left).  

There has been little activity on the Mallory since the last update. It will be necessary re-track it.

 

For the Mont Blanc by the Grands Mulets, skis can be put on at the old Para lift station. The Junction is OK.  

On the other hand, the N ridge of the Dôme du Goûter remains desperately icy. The slope below the Vallot is like glass and on the Bosses Ridge there are some crevasses not normally seen there, (but passable). The N face remains “complicated”.

The good news is that the recent snowfall without wind means good skiing at the Plateaux and the Para. (It is also possible to go on the true left side of the Bossons glacier by the "Jonction" and the Plateau des Pyramides).

Skiing starts at the Maison Neuve (Les Houches) to access the Rognes/Trappier/Tête Rousse sector.

 

Further west, the snow level is at the Miage chalets for the Plan Glacier sector. This can be linked with a “there and back” to the col de Miage or the Mettrier ridge (good conditions, descent by the Armancette because the top third of the N face of the Dômes is bare ice). 

The Dôme traverse is still in good condition (the ridge is broad and without ice).  It is best to go up the true right side of the Tré la Tête glacier to avoid being exposed to serac fall from the N face of the Aiguille Tré la Tête.

There is no information for the snow quality for descending the Armancette, (some carrying above the lake and then on the return to La Frasse).

Still a little bit of activity, (but with carrying, skiing from about 1400m) in the combe d'Armancette sector, (Chaborgne or Bérangère couloirs,) and starting from  Notre Dame de la Gorge (skis on at the Roman bridge).

 

Very little has changed for hiking since the last update on 30th March. Patience is needed! Nonetheless there are still plenty of possibilities. For example: Miage chalets, Ayères chalets, Chailloux chalets, Mottets snack bar, Floria/Flégère, Loriaz chalets. 

The season is finished for snowshoe trails.

Report: 30th March 2021

Some news from the mountains after a few days of good weather.

It is no surprise that ski touring is still the main activity and most of the routes have been re-tracked since the (small) snowfall at the end of last week. As a reminder, one should  take both ski and normal crampons and respect the time of day.

As for alpinism, the gullies remain dry and it is rare to find good conditions.


It is very important to make a reservation before staying at a hut , guarded or not.

 

The  Bérard valley towards the Mont Buet is popular, as is the Col de l'Encrenaz from the Col des Montets. It is necessary to carry the skis for a bit when going to Loriaz and the Col de la Terrasse from Granges.

The Argentière sector is also popular.  Ski crampons are quasi essential when going up the Pierre à Ric early in the morning.  All the classic cols have been tracked and are generally in good condition. The Col du Passon (care with the timing, especially on the ascent,) the Trois Cols and the Tour Noir are OK. There is no fixed rope in place on the Col du Chardonnet.

Ice has been reported on the Glacier du Milieu and the start of the Y couloir, (mixed).

The Barbey Couloir has been skied but the first 50m were hard snow/ice. The Col des Cristaux and the NE des Courtes face have been tracked.

The N faces are generally dry. No information for the Couturier, the upper part and the dome look to be wind affected. Some parties have been on the Lagarde couloir (Droites) and the Petit Viking (Pré de Bar).

The Whymper couloir on the Verte was tracked on 29/03 in mainly good conditions, but this could change rapidly.

 

Mer de Glace sector : The Requin  hut  is open. The Brèche Puiseux is being done frequently. There is a 50m abseil on the Leschaux side then powder snow down to about 2,800m. As usual, the Mallet glacier is complicated and with few tracks; take care. Some parties have gone up towards the Col de Midi, (descent via the Cosmiques couloir or the Valley Blanche) and the Col d'Entrèves, (descent by the Combe de la Vierge.)

The Sorenson-Eastman above the Requin was very “technical” but the party got up it, (other gullies not in condition). The Valéria on the Petit Capucin is in OK condition. There is no information for the Tacul east face or the Triangle. The Mallory-Porter on the Aiguille du Midi has been tracked in ascent, no further information.

The return by the Mer de Glace to Chamonix is starting to deteriorate and is likely to get worse with the hot weather over the next days .

 

Mont Blanc  is being  climbed, (the Grands Mulets is open); ascend via the Para (some ski carrying), traverse the Jonction and then go up via the Plateaux,  (the N ridge of the Dôme is very icy.)  Most parties leave their skis at the Vallot, (some ice below the observatory). The N face has been skied but it is not really in condition.  The descent by the true left side of the Bossons glacier has been well frequented but a serac collapse has damaged the traverse to the Pyramides plateau.

 

Val Montjoie sector: There is still a lot of activity in the Armancette  basin, (Charborgne, Bérangère) with, for the moment , not too much ski carrying. For the Plan Glacier/Durier starting from Gruvaz,  it is possible to put on skis from about 1500m. The last 200m of the Mettrier and the N face direct of the Dômes de Miage look to be icy.


The Conscrits area is popular (hut open; reservation by email as the phone is not working).  Ski crampons are especially useful on some sections of the ascent; the Mauvais Pas is OK. The traverse of the Dômes de Miage and descent by the Armancette is in OK condition, (no ice). Mont Tondu is tracked.

 

Further afield, the normal route on the Dolent is tracked from La Fouly, (more info in the OHM route book). The Marécottes/Dents du Midi sector is popular!

 

Hikers are reminded  again that  that it is not yet the season for the high paths, such as the Chéserys/Lac Blanc, the Grands Balcons Nord and Sud, Brévent, Bel Lachat , etc. It is necessary to be content with certain routes at the base of the valley.  It is a good idea to contact Chamoniarde for guidance on the best options, which depend on the latest conditions, your experience and your equipment.

Report: 22nd March 2021

 

Though it is officially spring, winter is still with us due to the heavy snowfall, down to the valley floor, at the start of last week, and the recent low temperatures.
 

Ski touring, therefore, remains the main activity. It is possible to put on skis at 1000/1200 m, depending upon the orientation. Practically all the classic  tours, (and less classic,) at mid altitude were done this last weekend. Snow conditions were variable. The NE wind has affected the snow cover in some areas. On slopes facing the sun, the snow is crusty and is being transformed. On shaded slopes, the conditions are either very good or very bad; i.e. either powder or slabby/crusty, (danger of wind slab and risk of knee damage.)  

There has been a lot of activity in areas that are normally quiet/untouched.

Less information is available for the high mountain and the glaciers, where it is assumed the wind effect will have been more important. There has been some ski touring at the Grands/Trient glacier, Tour glacier (Passon, Trois cols), Argentière sector (col du Tour Noir etc.), Dôme de Miage sector (Dôme traverse, descent by the Armancette). 

Due to the  large amounts of fresh snow and the wind, the gullies and alpine routes are not in condition for the moment.

As a reminder, the Conscrits hut opens this Monday.  The Argentière and Trient huts are already open.
 

A proof that winter is still with us, ice climbing is still possible on the true left bank of the Argentière glacier (Déferlante sector).

Snowshoeing remains possible, (the marked trails of Granges to Vallorcine and Barmus to Plaine Joux, as well as up to the Loriaz hut and the Chailloux chalets.)  Snowshoes are becoming less necessary as the snow on the path gets more compacted with use.