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The Club produces a regular English translation of the Chamonix conditions report from La Chamoniarde to help climbers without an understanding of French to access up-to-date information on conditions in the valley. An archive of these reports can be seen below: 

 

Report 2nd March 2018

The very cold conditions at the start of the week gave way to warmer weather together with strong winds and a couple of centimetres of new snow.

On Friday 2nd March about 20cms of fresh snow fell at 2000 / 2500m and 40cms at the Aig du Midi. The wind is still present above 2000m, causing snow drifts.

The new information received since the last update:

Ski touring remains the main activity, with a good cover of snow, though the conditions are now very variable.

 

Brèche Puiseux was in good condition on 26-02.   There is a rope in place at the col.  
Two 60m abseils are necessary to descend from the Col du Tacul to the Capucin glacier.

 

Information on other activities at altitude are anecdotal.

The Aiguille Verte was climbed on 27-02, up the Couturier and down the Whymper.  More information in the OHM route book , in which you are invited to record your own outings.

The gullies remain very dry.  However, the Pellissier on the Pointes Lachenal was done on 27-02, friable ice at the start then sections of dry.  Another party was on M6 Solar, where the conditions were not good.

Claire Chazal was done om 25/02, no further information.  

 

The Valley Blanche is OK but take care as the recent snow will have hidden some of the crevasses.  It is still possible to ski to Chamonix, with only a couple of walking sections on the descent from Les Mottets.

 

Cogne remains popular for ice climbing, the options being limited in the Chamonix valley.

On the Argentière true left bank, (rive gauche), Déferlante is OK but Mini Couloir is “grise mine”, (rock hard grey ice).
The ice climbing venue at Bérard is OK.

 

The snow on Friday will have improved conditions for snow shoeing.  A lot of the trails had become very icy, better suited to crampons than snow shoes!  

 

The Cosmiques hut is now open.  The Simond bivouac is no longer accessible.

The Argentière hut should open on 9th March, the Albert 1er on 17th March and the Grands Mulets on 27th March, to be confirmed, depending on the weather.

Link to the latest   B.E.R.A.

Report 21 February 2018

Latest mountain information :

 

Ski touring remains the main activity despite some bad weather at the end of last week. The snow/rain limit went as high as 2300m, with a lot of fresh snow above this.

 

The avalanche risk remains at 3/5 and not all the classic tours have been retraced yet. Caution is still needed.  The snow remains cold on the north facing slopes but is beginning to transform on those facing south. 

 

 

Argentière Sector : the cols du Passon, du Tour Noir, du Chardonnet (3 Cols) and d'Argentière are tracked.  The Glacier du Milieu is tracked up until the base of the final slopes, (20/02).  No information for the north faces or gullies in this sector.

 

Mer de Glace Sector:  the Valley Blanche has been popular these last few days. Conditions are mainly good but it still for expert skiers only.  The crest of the ridge and the “Z” track are equipped.  Take care selecting the correct way into the “Salle a Manger” area. The descent to Chamonix via Les Mottets is still very good, despite some sections with poor snow cover,

The exit from the Pas de Chevre is awkward, with a lot of stonefall once the sun hits it.  One is advised not to do this route.

.
The Col du Tacul, the Brèche Puiseux and the way up to the Couvercle hut are tracked.
The Talèfre basin looks to be OK. As to be expected, there is a bergschrund at the base of the Whymper.

 

Aiguilles Rouges : a popular sector. The Bérard valley has hard snow/ice but goes OK.  The Buet is tracked.  

 

There has been very little activity concerning “classic” alpinism or the gullies.  Only ascents of the Cosmiques Ridge and the Chéré couloir have been reported.  For the Chéré, the first two pitches are more technical than usual, (difficult to place ice screws due to the ice being too thin or too hard.)  Conditions improve above this.

 

The snow on the marked paths for snow shoers tends to be very hard/icy. Though OK, snow shoes or crampons + poles are essential.

 

 

Report 6th February 2018

Since the last update, there was snowfall on 2nd February of about 30cms at 2000m.

Ski touring has since been very popular in the Argentière, Tour and Aiguilles Rouges sectors.

Chamoniarde has received the following information:

- when descending the true left bank of the Tour Glacier, (e.g. from the Col du Passon), it is best to exit to the right, (below the glacier.)

- Valley Blanche conditions:  the snow quality is bad, (crusty / corrugated).  The wind has caused numerous crevasses to reappear, often partially hidden by “cock’s combs”, (icy ridges.)

- at the entry into the “salle à manger” under the Requin hut, there is a particularly treacherous crevasse, take care! 

- there are now 2 ropes installed on the Aig du Midi ridge and the descent with crampons goes well. The « Z » track is still under construction.

Report 31 January 2018

 

There has been a lot of activity during the recent good weather, which now is due to deteriorate for the next few days.

 

Ski touring conditions have generally been good with most of the classic routes tracked.  Snow quality varies according to altitude and aspect.

 

The cols in the Argentière sector have been done, including the 3 Cols.  (foresee a 30m abseil from the Col du Chardonnet.)
There has also been activity at the Col des Cristaux , Col des Courtes and the NE face of the Courtes.
Tête Blanche was done via the Col du Passon.  The descent to La Tour is good, apart from the lower part where conditions are pretty average.

 

A lot of activity in the Aiguilles Rouges, no further information on the snow quality.

The Buet and Col de la Terrasse are tracked. The climb up to Loriaz is exclusively by the forestry track. The path leading off to the right between Les Granges and la Croix de Loriaz is closed by a council order.
If descending by Tré les Eaux, a rope is needed to cross the torrent.  Bel Oiseau from La Léchère is tracked.

 

The Vallée Blanche is popular. For the moment, only the crest of the ridge is equipped with safety ropes.   Brèche Puiseux and the Col du Tacul are in good condition.
The descent to Chamonix via Les Mottets is good for the moment.  It has been “piste bashed” but care is still needed.

 

No information concerning the alpine gullies; the faces still look very dry.

 

Ice Climbing:  Cogne has the best conditions, though there has been some activity on the Rive Gauche of the Argentière Glacier (EMHM, Mini Couloir, Tequila Stuntman, Crèmerie).

 Snow Shoeing:  Conditions are OK though the snow is fairly hard, crusty or icy depending on the sector and altitude

 

A big thank you to those people who have contributed to the online route book.

 

 

Report 25th January 2018

 

After several weeks of severe weather, things are slowly returning to normal.  To check on the latest situation for the lifts click here. .

 

With the better weather, there is again activity in the mountains.

 

Vallée Blanche: A single fixed rope has been in place on the ridge since 24th January.  The conditions remain variable, requiring a very good ski technique.  The lift from the ice caves back up to Montenvers is still closed, making it necessary to return via les Mottets.

 

As well as damaging the lift installations, the winds have stripped the mountain faces.  The Tacul Triangle, the Tour Ronde and the Grand Jorasses are grey, (bare ice.)

 

At Argentière, the top lift at Grand Montets is still closed for maintenance.  To reach the Argentière glacier one needs to set off from the top of the Herse or the Bochard.  The Cols du Tour Noir and Passon are tracked, no further information.

 

Ice Climbing:   EMHM and Déferlante have been climbed but the Rive Droite still looks out of condition.

 

Ski Touring: Conditions should soon improve, Flégère has only just re-opened and the OHM/Chamoniarde has not received any news about the tours in the Aiguilles Rouges.  

The way up to Loriaz and the Bosse des Charmoz is tracked.  It is necessary to remove the skis to get past some fallen trees. Only the forest track is allowed, the summer path between Granges and La Croix is closed by an arrêté municipal.

 

Snow Shoeing:  The signposted routes are accessible. There are sections of bare ice on the footpaths along the valley floor; hiking poles and maybe small crampons, are advisable.   

 

The Chamoniarde relies on your feedback to create the updates.  Please do not hesitate to write up your outings in the cahier de courses  or give them a phone call. Whether the conditions were good or bad, the information is always useful and most welcome. 

 

 

Report 12 January 2018

At last the good weather has returned!

Be careful along the valley floor, there is hard packed snow with patches of bare ice on the footpaths. This is the case up to about 1800m

 

Ski Touring:   In the Aiguilles rouges the cols Belvédère – Dards – Crochues Bérard are tracked. Depending on altitude and aspect, the snow can be crusted, and becoming heavy below, 2300m.

The cols Cicle and Fenêtre at Contamines are also tracked.

Aiguillette des Posettes by the Ardoisières : take care at the start, hard snow with frozen avalanche debris, (not for beginners.)

Argentière Sector: The top cable car at Grands Montets is still not open (12th January) due to security checks following the storms.  It has been reported that, following 6 days of snow, the cols look to be OK except for the glacier du Milieu. 

Clearly, a lot of other ski tours are now tracked, though we have not received any information for the moment.

 

Vallée Blanche: It is being skied! The ridge is not yet equipped, (some stakes only) and the route has a mountaineering feel to it at the start of this season. The level of snow cover is generally good. The «Salle à Manger » is OK.  The way to the Mottets is tracked.  There is some verglas on the track down to Chamonix.  

 

Ice climbing:  Parties have gone to the Cremerie and Argentiere Rive Gauche, no further information for the moment.

   

Winter Mountaineering and Gullies:  No information for the moment.

 

This update is brief, and is limited by the amount of information received by the OHM.

 

More Articles ...

  1. Report 8th January 2018
  2. Report 30th December 2017
  3. Report 22nd December 2017
  4. Report 8th December 2017
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