Report 12th September 2017

With the series of weather fronts since the start of September, it has been difficult to find a good weather window for the high mountains.

In the last two days about 30cms of snow has fallen at 3500m, with some drifting due to the strong winds. The rocks are plastered, but routes like Cosmiques Ridge or the Aiguilles Marbrées traverse remain feasible.
There is fresh snow down to 2100m and some paths are affected, notably on the multi-day tours, (Aiguilles Rouges, Tour du Mont Blanc...). To remain safe, mountain boots and hiking poles are essential.

The bad conditions, plus the fact that most of the lifts will soon be closed, means some of the huts might bring forward their closure dates.  Check with the hut before leaving the valley.   On a separate topic, be aware that there are unstable blocks on the routes at the “Le Spa”,(Fayet)  dry tooling site.

Several paths in the Chamonix valley are closed for works, details available on the Chamoniarde site.
The Mont Blanc Tramway is closed and you are reminded that it is forbidden to follow the tracks when accessing  the huts on the normal route up Mont Blanc.

There are plenty of options for climbing on the valley crags during the dry spells.

Report 5th September 2017

After a few days of mixed weather, the sun is back again in the mountains.  The rock routes at altitude are generally dry, though some ledges are holding snow and there is a risk of verglas in shaded areas.

- Albert 1er : The normal routes on the Tête Blanche and Petite Fourche have been done recently.  The Aiguille du Tour remains feasible by the Table Ridge and the normal route.  There is a fixed rope to help cross the begschrund.  The cols to cross to and from the Trient glacier are still awkward and some parties have turned back.

- Argentière :  The hut shuts on 7th September.  The access to and from the glacier via Lognan has been affected by the pipelaying works.  At Grand Montets, the Petite Verte is no longer practical but the Belvedere, (East) ridge remains feasible.  Care needed with the bergschrund at the Col du Grand Montets.

- Couvercle : The Moine has dried well.  The normal route and S ridge are feasible even though there is still some snow near the top.  The Contamine route looks more awkward. The Moine Ridge on the Verte seems like it should soon be feasible.  The landline at the hut is not working, please use the mobile number to make a reservation.

- Leschaux : The routes near the hut are dry, but there is still some snow on the W face of the Petites Jorasses.

- Envers des Aiguilles : There is still snow on the upper third of the Aiguilles but, Tour Rouge ,Tour Verte and the Pointes des Nantillons are being climbed.  There is no water at the hut; fill your bottles at the stream a few turns before the hut.  There are some water containers along the path, you can fill them and attach them to the rope, so that they can be hauled up to the hut.

- Requin : The hut is closed.  There are 12 bunks with blankets in the winter room; no gas but there are cooking pots etc.

- Torino : Conditions OK for the traverses of the Rochefort , Entrèves and Marbrées.  No problems for the S facing routes on the Tacul satellites. The Dent du Geant still has snow and verglas, but still some parties managed to climb it today.

- Les Cosmiques : Nobody has done the 3 Monts route up Mont Blanc yet.  This is due to the amount of fresh snow. No problems for the Laurence and Cosmiques ridges.  Conditions for the Pointes Lachenal traverse are temporary better due to the new snow.  Foresee an abseil of 35m.
Frendo Spur and Midi-Plan traverse are not recommended as the conditions are too dry.  

- Goûter / Tête Rousse : The normal route up Mont Blanc was tracked this morning.   The Mont Blanc tramway is closed and it is forbidden to walk along the rail track!!  The approach to the huts is by the Rognes path or the Chalets de l'Are. The Bellevue cable car remains open until 24th September.

- Durier / Conscrits : The Durier is shut but the Conscrits will be open for a few more days yet.  There has been no activity recently due to the recent bad weather. The “there and back” either to the Central or the East Dôme, via the Col des Domes, remains feasible, however, conditions are awkward on the Tré la Tête glacier. The traverse of the Dômes is not in condition.

La Chamoniarde would like to remind you that they are collecting as much information as possible and the more reports they receive about your outings the better their advice will be.

Report 2nd September 2017

A quick update, as Autumn arrives, for the conditions in the mountains following the recent bad weather. It has snowed down to 2500m, with the showers being very localised.

Albert 1^er Hut: 5 cm of snow (the landline phone is not working, please use the mobile: 06 60 33 73 62)

Envers des Aiguilles Hut: only a few cms at the hut and the lower sectors (Tour Verte, Tour Rouge...) should dry quickly.  The Aiguille de la République and the Grépon look to have a lot of snow.

The north side of the Aiguilles de Chamonix: The rock is plastered with snow and patience is needed before climbing in this sector, (Pilier Rouge de Blaitière, Peigne...).

Cosmiques Hut: about 30 cm of new snow, plastering the rocks.  Be aware of a potential avalanche risk (fresh snow and wind) on the 3 Monts route. 

Torino Hut : About 10cms.  The rock routes (Dent du Géant, Tacul satellites) should be dry by the beginning of the week, when the good weather returns.

Goûter Hut: 20 cm. The normal route up Mont-Blanc should be re-tracked in a day or two.

The forecast is for the weather to improve, starting on Sunday with an East wind at altitude until Monday.  Temperatures will remain cool for the time of year.

Report 30th August 2017

No real developments since the last report of 23rd August. However, the conditions are going to change with the bad weather forecasted for the next few days.

We are getting reports of numerous stone falls, sometimes large, from many areas in the Mont Blanc Massive.  Great care is needed in choosing suitable routes and respecting the time of day!

The Charpoua hut is now closed. Some of the other huts and lifts will also close soon.  Please visit the dedicated hut websites and the Company du Mont Blanc site ( www.montblancnaturalresort.com ) for the latest information.  

Because of pipe laying work, it is forbidden to use the path between Lognan and the Argentière glacier viewpoint/Lognan hut.  Access is only possible via the Pierre à Ric and the path that climbs up under the Lognan hut.

It is also forbidden to go up the Mont Blanc Tramway tracks between Bellevue and the Nid d'Aigle. Access to the Tête Rousse is possible by either the Rognes path or the Chalets d’Are.

Report 23rd August 2017

Latest update on conditions. :

Last week it rained up to 4000m and then with the lower temperatures, the snow became very hard/icy. First class cramponning skills are needed.
Otherwise, the dryness continues with the snow bridges on the glaciers becoming ever weaker.  

- Albert 1er : The Petite Fourche, the Aig du Tour, both by the Table Ridge and the normal route, remain popular.  Crossing the Col Supérieur du Tour is very technical and it is better to use the Col du Tour, which itself is more awkward than usual. The bergschrund crossing has collapsed, though it is still possible to get across on the right.

- Argentière : The Petite Aiguille Verte is now bare ice and not feasible.  The bergschrund at the Col des Grands Montets is awkward but passable, (fixed rope.). The Belvédère (East) ridge is dry and popular. The conditions for rock climbing behind the Argentière hut remain excellent.  Parties are also doing the Col du Tour Noir, there and back.

- Charpoua : The storm last Friday resulted in a lot of stone fall in the gullies in this sector and some areas are unstable, notably near Ciao Marco (to be avoided). The Dru traverse is still being done but crossing the glacier is becoming difficult.   

- Couvercle : Do not start the Nonne-Evêque by the gully but  go instead on the left, (looking up.)   A large stride is needed to cross the Moine bergschrund but the normal route and S ridge are still being climbed. On the Verte, there have been some parties on the Grand Montets and the Moine ridges, (time taken very variable between parties.)

- Leschaux : Still a little bit of snow on the Grand Jorasses N face but parties have tried the Walker spur, some successfully, others chosing to turn back.  Be aware of stone fall in this area!
Anouk and Contamine on the Petites Jorasses have been done recently.  The hut can only be contacted by telephone, (internet not working.)

- Envers des Aiguilles : Very little has changed since the last update.  The bergschrund for the République has become more awkward but it is still passable.

- Requin : The hut approach is OK and the rock routes in this sector continue to be climbed. There is some ice on the approach the Aiguille du Requin, but not a problem.  For the Pierre Alain, it is better to return by the normal route, because some of the streams (torrents) are difficult to cross in the afternoon. Virtually nobody going up the Vallee Blanche anymore.

- Torino : No major changes in the access to the Tacul satelittes.  The Aiguilles d'Entrèves traverse is best done in reverse, (i.e. NE to SW,) so that the ice slope is done in ascent.   Ice present on the Rochefort Arete, some parties retreating, others reaching the Canzio bivouac and then the Jorasses traverse. The belays below the Canzio have been damaged, 2 x 50m ropes advisable.

- Cosmiques : The snow is still very hard on the 3 Monts traverse;  good cramponning  technique essential!  There is a fixed rope at Mont Maudit, but also ice.  No information for the Pointes Lachenal. The Laurence and Cosmiques ridges remain in condition.  The snow bridges on the Vallee Blanche crossing are becoming ever more suspect.  

- Goûter : Conditions are becoming increasingly awkward as the end of season approaches ; proper alpine equipment and experience  essential.  You are reminded that due to work on the Tramway, it is forbidden to walk up the track. To reach the Tête Rousse or the Nid d'Aigle it is necessary to go either via the Chalets de l'Are or the Rognes route.

- Conscrits / Durier : The Tré la Tête glacier is very dry but the Central Dôme de Miage and the East Dôme are still being done (there and back)   The traverse to the Durier and  Mont Tondu from the Conscrits hut are also being done.
Conditions are OK for the Bionnassay traverse, though it is more difficult than usual.  

- Monzino : The Brouillard glacier is no longer passable it is now necessary to go via the Pointe Innominata to reach the Eccles bivouac, (an additional 4 hours.)  Some parties on the Peuterey Integral, Freney Pillar, Brouillard Ridge integral and the Pillar Dérobé. Conditions are very dry and some sections can be challenging.  It is also difficult to find snow to melt for drinking/cooking.