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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: 17 August 2023

La Chamoniarde mountain conditions report for 17 August 2023


As in life, things can move very quickly in the mountains... We thought we'd got away with it, but the heatwave has caught up with us.

It's been very hot for a few days now, and conditions on snow routes and on glaciers are deteriorating! Watch out for the quality of the refreeze (fortunately the nights are longer than at the beginning of the summer) and for rock falls in exposed areas!

Here's some brief information sector by sector, bearing in mind that the situation can change very quickly and that a route may no longer be in good condition from one day to the next! We can only recommend that you focus your choice of outings on solid rock without too many complicated glacier approaches!


Le Tour

Little has changed so far, apart from the rimaye on the normal route on the Aiguille du Tour, which is starting to open up.


Charpoua

The Charpoua glacier is still okay low down. Drus traverse and Contamine on the Grand Dru okay. Descend by the right hand abseil line (looking at the mountain) which is shorter and takes you higher up the glacier (it seems obvious NOT to leave crampons and ice axe at the bottom when you go to Les Drus!). There have also been teams on the Evêque (Contamine SW ridge route).


Talèfre Basin

There are no aids (handrails etc) to cross the torrent (below the Aiguille du Moine) on the balcony path leading to the Couvercle hut, so good footwork is essential! 

The classics of the Aiguille du Moine are being done in good conditions (normal route, S ridge, etc.). The rimaye below the Contamine is becoming increasingly tricky to negotiate, you may have to go down inside it.

Nonne and Evêque have been climbed in decent conditions. Pointe Isabelle is still a possibility for very good climbers (crevassed glacier, poor refreezing, icy at the top...)


Leschaux

Few changes here.

The N face of the Jorasses (see photo above) is very dry. Some climbers are currently on the Cassin on the Walker spur: complicated rimaye depending on where you go (we'll see how it develops), dry rock but little snow to make water. The descent via the normal route was still in fairly good conditions on 16/08 (good route but crevasses starting to appear, just a tricky traverse across a slab to reach the Rochers Whymper): to be continued with the hot weather.

Petites Jorasses and Aiguille de Leschaux: Okay approaches and dry faces!


Envers des Aiguilles / Requin

At the Envers all the main rimayes are crossable.

Be careful, you'll need to abseil (on the way down) a minimum of 55m to pass the République Bananière rimaye, otherwise you'll be left hanging!

Most of the routes from the Requin are in good condition, with crowds on the Chapeau à Corne ridge, the Renaudie spur, the Dent du Requin, the Aiguille Pierre-Allain and more. One team failed on Eden de la Mer because of a difficult rimaye. The ascent of the VB is being done, the glacier is mostly dry and fairly easy to read. 


Helbronner

The ascent to the Salle à Manger is completely dry, so take care. A few teams on the Jorasses traverse. There's quite a lot of ice and some poor rock, and beware of the poor refreezing (soft snow) on the Rochefort arête. The rest after the Canzio is better (without crampons until Pointe Croz).

Things are changing a little (snow bridges) on the VB crossing (see the "Lotus Confort" report in the cahier de course on the website) where you should always favour the lower track.

No particular rimaye problems were reported on the Tacul satellites. The high point of a belay (spit) pulled out on the Lifting du Roi route (Roi de Siam) but it was changed today.


Aiguille du Midi Sector

The Aiguille du Midi arête continues to deteriorate. There's ice and a “bloc" to climb over (you can place an ice screw above): not suitable for beginners!

The snow bridge/ramp over Mont Maudit collapsed on 15/08. So it's no longer possible to cross it. You can force your way over, but all the other options are technically very difficult, so the Trois Monts route is no longer really relevant... Mont Blanc du Tacul is seeing daily ascents.


Plan de l'Aiguille

It's not too hot -)

You don't need crampons to climb the red pilllar on the Blaitière!

That's it for the Nantillons!


Mont Blanc via the Aiguille du Goûter

It's hot and dry below the Goûter refuge. For the moment, there have been no major rockfalls in the couloir, but we urge you to get through as soon as possible. Situation to be monitored, but it's not going to get better! 


Miage / Bionnassay

"A bit of ice on the Dômes Traverse, just before the ascent to the Bérangère. Either protect with ice screws or go around it on the rocks. (See photo below).

Otherwise, the rest of the route is still in good condition but the ice is not far away and it can change fast. Watch out for snow bridges on the Tré la Tête glacier if it doesn't refreeze.

Bérangère okay.

Mont Tondu: quite a bit of ice but it's okay for people who are good on their crampons".

A rock fall last night at the abseil on the Dômes de Miage side to access Durier: good bye belay!

Conditions are still fine on the Aiguille de Bionnassay traverse if it refreezes.


Monzino

Still crowded on the Ratti Vitale (the fashionable route for summer 2023!) and on the Croux or Punta Innominata.

No more information other than this report in our cahier de course from the Eccles bivy, a number of roped parties are climbing there today, so more to come!

 

 

Translated with permission from an original report by La Chamoniarde.

Readers are reminded that conditions in mountain environments are prone to (sometimes rapid) change and that they should use their own best judgement when visiting them.

 

 

 

Report: 11 August 2023

La Chamoniarde mountain conditions report for 11 August 2023


Summer is back!

The wind was out in force again this week at altitude and it has dried out the mountains, especially the rock routes!


Le Tour

Not much change, still plenty of people on the classics (Aiguille du Tour, Tête Blanche, Petite Fourche).


Argentière Glacier

There is still no telephone signal at the refuge due to a lightning strike on a relay station at the top of the Grands Montets: book by sending a text message (or come straight up) and bring some cash to pay!

To get to the refuge, follow the red route (image below) at the foot of the ladders.

Climbing is back on the agenda! The Arête du Jardin is an option for good climbers, who can abseil down the "La part des anges" route. The col du Tour Noir still a possibility.


Charpoua / Talèfre / Leschaux

A number of climbers on the Drus traverse, even though there's still a bit of snow on the Grand Dru. The glacier is still going well.

All the rock routes are possible from the Couvercle hut, with quite a bit of activity on the Aiguille du Moine (S ridge, normal route: still a bit of snow at the top, Contamine and MissTique routes on the E face: the rimaye still needs a bit of gymastics to cross). No one on the Moine Arête on the Aiguille Verte. A few teams, however, on the Pointe Isabelle.

Leschaux: the hairdryer worked well: "Hello, following numerous requests and against all expectations the north face of the Jorasses dried very quickly and the Cassin on the Walker spur seems feasible! Otherwise around the Leschaux not only the Grandes Jorasses, Petites Jorasses, Aiguille de Leschaux super conditions glacier still very good! Excellent climbing routes from the Pierre à Joseph and the balcony path! See you soon". 


Envers des Aiguilles / Requin

The sector was well plastered with snow at the start of the week but has gradually dried out.

The République normal route is once again possible. A few teams climbed Grépon Mer de Glace and the Bec d'Oiseau S spur (complicated rimaye). The Nantillons glacier is becoming very problematic (you have to abseil - Abalakov - into the crevasse below the serac, which is getting bigger all the time, and the bottom of the glacier is also in poor condition, with tottering boulders). Teams on 'République Bananière' and 'Le soleil a rdv avec la lune', amongst others.


Helbronner

Access to the Salle à Manger is dry again: you need to be sure-footed and follow the right route (roughly on the spur) or you risk causing rockfalls on other teams.

Arêtes de Rochefort still in good condition (read the outing). Dent du Géant well travelled. A number of teams on the Jorasses traverse (OK visually) now that the wind has died down. Lots of people on the Marbrées and Aiguilles d'Entrèves traverses. The snowfall did not get the Kuffner and the Aiguilles du Diable traverse from getting back into good condition. There’s climbing on the Tacul satellites. Be careful on the crossing of the Vallée Blanche: best to take the lower track between Pointe Adolphe Rey and Helbronner.


Aiguille du Midi

This is the end for the Lachenals (it’s totally ice, it may be possible to do the last point just there and back). Due to unstable boulders and rock falls in the abseiling area, the Compagnie des Guides is no longer selling the Cosmiques Arête.

Midi-Plan, Triangle du Tacul still out of the question, especially with the hot weather forecast. There's still some activity on the normal route on the Tacul (the route has been changed due to the collapse of a snow bridge) and on the Trois Monts for good climbers (most teams descend via the Goûter). There’s climbing on the S face of the aiguille. 


Plan de l'Aiguille

The rock has dried out and it's still a good sector for cool climbing!

There is no more snow to reach the red pillar of the Blaitière.

The Nantillons glacier is no longer in good condition (see above).


Mont Blanc via the Aiguille du Goûter

Perfect conditions for August! Provided you cross the couloir early. To be continued with the hot weather forecast.


Conscrits/Durier

Still good conditions on the traverse of the Dômes de Miage and the Aiguille de Bionnassay.


Monzino

Still climbing: (Aiguille Noire, Aiguille Croux, Punta Innominata, etc.)

Given the weather, there has been no recent activity from the Eccles hut. The ascent to the bivouacs via the glacier goes well. Access to and especially the return from the red pillar of the Brouillard can be a problem (large crevasse, passable by abseiling). No news on access to the Freney pillar.

Some teams are heading for the Intégrale du Brouillard. With a good freeze, the Innominata is certainly a possibility!

 

 

Translated with permission from an original report by La Chamoniarde.

Readers are reminded that conditions in mountain environments are prone to (sometimes rapid) change and that they should use their own best judgement when visiting them.

 

 

 

Report: 6 August 2023

La Chamoniarde mountain conditions report for 6 August 2023

 

It almost feels like Autumn this morning, but it's great to see the mountains looking so beautiful on the 7th of August!


The ground was white this morning up to an altitude of 2000m! Above that, it's plastered and we're seeing between 5 and 40 cm depending on the sector and altitude (10-15cm at the Goûter and Cosmiques, 4cm at the Couvercle, 5cm at the Conscrits and up to 40 cm on the traverse of the Dômes de Miage, 5cm at the Index, 0.5 cm at the Brévent). We estimate around 30-40 cm at 4000m. There has been a lot of wind, with the potential for decent accumulations (watch out for the risk of slides over the next few days).

This nice dusting of snow will no doubt improve the conditions for the snow routes that were still being done (Miages traverse, Bionnassay traverse, Mont Blanc via the Goûter or the Trois Monts, Rochefort Arête, Cosmiques Arête, Pointe Isabelle, Aiguille du Tour etc.) but it won't be enough to restore the conditions for those for which it was already too late. We're going to have a month of August with good conditions on the glaciers and on the snow routes for a summer in the 2020s!

As for the rock, we're going to have to be patient and adapt: it's going to dry out slowly because it's going to stay cool up there with the wind forecast.



Webcams can help you get a feel for the conditions: https://www.chamoniarde.com/montagne/meteo-avalanches-webcams

 

 

Translated with permission from an original report by La Chamoniarde.

Readers are reminded that conditions in mountain environments are prone to (sometimes rapid) change and that they should use their own best judgement when visiting them.

 

 

 

Report: 27 July 2023

La Chamoniarde mountain conditions report for 27 July 2023

 
Just a few bits of info before the weekend.
 
Not much has changed in the high mountains, apart from a small snow fall in the middle of this week (whitened ground up to 2300m, between 10 and 30cm above that depending on altitude and sector). The rock has been plastered and is gradually drying out (at this time of year, it's slower on the N faces) but it could snow again tomorrow, Saturday, with the passage of a new rainstorm. These spells of snow will allow the snow routes that were still being done to continue.
 
Generally speaking, the glaciers and rimayes are still going well, even if it's the end for most of the technical mixed routes.
 
In short, we've had much worse conditions for the end of July, and we are fine about that!
 

Le Tour

All's well except that the 10cm of snow that fell has already melted and we now have to concentrate on Chardonnay (wine) as the Chardonnet (mountain) is finished.
 

Argentière Glacier
 
Access to the hut via the ladders (2 rungs missing but not a problem). Access is possible via the glacier but it's more tricky so only for those who know how to get out of the labyrinth.
 
There’s climbing in the sun up here!
 

Charpoua

Everything's good in this sector! Stay tuned for a possible closure of the refuge for a few days next week due to a technical problem.
 

Talèfre / Leschaux

Normal route and S ridge of the Moine: nothing to report

Some of the rimayes are starting to suffer and you often have to fiddle around and be a bit daring (climb down and back up) to get over them (Contamine, Nonne-Evêque).

No one on the Moine ridge still (apart from some rock-hunters who didn't make it to the summit a fortnight ago). The rimaye is gaping and seems to be the crux of the route.

Pointe Isabelle is still a decent route.

The N face of the Grandes Jorasses is once again quite white...
 

Envers des Aiguilles / Requin

No changes here either.

Most recent feedback (last weekend), you had to pass between the rocks on the descent of the Nantillons glacier. We'll have to keep an eye on this as the temperatures drop, but it doesn't look too good.

The glacier de l'Envers du Plan to climb to the eponymous aiguille is still ok.

 
Helbronner
 
The traverse of the Jorasses can still be considered when weather conditions allow (normal route still in good condition). The Arêtes de Rochefort and Dent du Géant are still being done a lot (take care when accessing the Salle à Manger).

The S faces of the Tacul satellites have dried out, but watch out for the new snow forecast.

Vallée Blanche traverse: OK.
 

Aiguille du Midi

The Trois Monts route was retracked yesterday (around 20cm of fresh snow on Maudit) in conditions unchanged from our 21/07 update.

The S faces are dry, with just a little snow on the ledges.


Plan de l'Aiguille

All's well except for the situation on the Nantillons glacier (see Envers sector), which needs to be monitored. If you are doing the traverse of the Aiguilles you should descend down the Blaitière abseils.

The Grands Mulets refuge has closed for the season a few days early!


Mont Blanc via the Aiguille du Goûter

A burst of snow and a drop in temperature that's reassuring! No abnormal rockfalls in the Goûter couloir. Crampons now stay on for the ascent to the Goûter hut after the snow fall. Good conditions for the end of July!


Miage / Bionnassay

Still great conditions on the traverse of the Dômes and the Aiguille du Bionnassay.


Gonella / Monzino

The Gonella refuge closes on 30/08 (winter room open with mattresses and blankets). For the moment, the Dôme glacier is still a good route to the Piton des Italiens. There is still some activity on the Tournette spur in decent conditions.

The S ridge of the Peuterey Noire is dry. Quite a few people on the Ratti Vitale this year (access is now via the Col de l'Innominata).
 
Access to the Eccles bivi is still OK via the glacier. No one on the “grandes courses" (Innominata, Freney, Intégrale) recently because of the weather.
 
 

Translated with permission from an original report by La Chamoniarde.

Readers are reminded that conditions in mountain environments are prone to (sometimes rapid) change and that they should use their own best judgement when visiting them.

 

 

 

Report: 21 July 2023

La Chamoniarde mountain conditions report for 21 July 2023

As anticipated in our last update, a rather exceptional southwesterly weather system (high temperatures, strong winds, poor refreezing) has been in place over the massif for the past week. This has slowed down activity and dried out the high mountains, particularly the snow routes (given initial feedback, it could have been a lot worse).

Because of the low level of activity, we don't have much recent information and you'll have to ‘go see' when the weather permits to see how a lot of the routes are doing! There's still a bit of wind forecast at altitude over the next few days, and the weather isn't exactly perfect, but there are still some slots up for grabs!

Here's some information sector by sector:

Le Tour

It's still OK for the classics. However, it's the end of the road for the Aiguille du Chardonnet: the descent has become very problematic at the Col Adams Reilly rimaye (several rescues).


Argentière

It's the end of the road for snow routes except for the Col du Tour Noir.

The arête du Jardin (Aiguille d'Argentière) can be considered for experienced climbers if the descent times are respected (bivouac recommended on the arête).

Rock climbing remains the main activity.


Charpoua

The glacier to get to the Drus is still OK (the ascent track is rejoined on the descent after abseiling): one team yesterday on the Contamine.

Unlike last year, the “roture” (gap between snow and rock) on the Evêque is easy to climb.

Access to the Flammes de Pierres via the fixed ropes ("Passage des guides") is not easy this year and it is better to use the 3 pitches on the “roche moutonnee” (https://www.chamoniarde.com/images/files/Acc%C3%A8s-Charpoua-et-Flammes-de-Pierre.pdf). 


Talèfre Basin

As a reminder, access to the Couvercle refuge is only possible via the ladders at the foot of the Moine. The moraine below Les Egralets is very poor.

You can climb on the Moine (normal route, S ridge, Contamine: deep gap between snow and rock), La Nonne, L'Evêque, behind the refuge...

Quite a lot of (soft) snow and big cornices at the top of the Moine arête, which has not been climbed in its entirety.

Curtains for the Droites, the Courtes... Still a few people on the Pointe Isabelle but the end is approaching (the big crevasse is opening up, 10m of ice on the steep bit).


Leschaux

There are still climbers regularly on the Walker on the N face of the Jorasses, which is in good condition, as is the descent via the normal route (a serac fell from the top and cut the track).

The glacier leading to the Petites Jorasses is still easy.

The balcony path is dry.


Envers des Aiguilles / Requin

No particular problems in this sector apart from a major rock fall at the start of the season at the bottom of the 3rd Pointe des Nantillons (route L'homme du Rio Grande").

The rimaye for the République/Grepon Mer de Glace is still going well.

There have been few changes to the descent of Les Nantillons since this report in our cahier de course.


Helbronner

The access to the Salle à Manger is now completely dry. If you stay on the route, it's fine. Otherwise it's very loose. There are still teams on the Dent du Géant and the Rocheforts Arête. A few brave souls on the Jorasses traverse and the Hirondelles Arête (the first 150 metres of the ridge are tricky because of a recent rockfall).

Conditions are no longer good for the Kuffner (overhanging rimaye + dry ridge) and the traverse of the Aiguilles du Diable (dry access couloir + rockfalls).

Nothing to report concerning the rimayes on the satellites, apart from a serac fall that has affected access to the Pyramide du Tacul (ice blocks) but which is still passable.

Traversing the Vallée Blanche is fine. 


Aiguille du Midi

The steep part of the Aiguille du Midi ridge is ice (steps are forming but you need to know how to use crampons well). The rimaye is starting to open up.
 
It's the end for the Triangle du Tacul and Midi-Plan (except for teams leaving early for the Chamonix Aiguilles traverse: descent via the Blaitière abseils).
 
The Cosmiques arête is very dry. Ice on the access to the first peak on the Lachenal traverse.
 
The Tacul is still passable but is not at its best: crevasses are opening up and several seracs have been rather active over the last few weeks (with no consequences for the moment).
 
There is no ice on the Col du Mont Maudit, but two ice axes are handy. On the way down, a 60m abseil is required. It is also possible to go via the summit of Maudit and the finishing ridge of the Kuffner to get back to the normal route lower down (1 step to cross a rimaye, no ice or abseiling).
 
The rimaye on the Contamine route on the S face of Les Lachenal is beginning to open up.


Plan de l'Aiguille
 
You can climb wherever you like.
 
Crampons are still needed for access to the Gendarme rouge on the Peigne (watch out for the “roture” - gap between snow and rock), the Grutter arête, the red pillar on the Blaitière and even the normal route on the Peigne when there is a freeze.

There's climbing around the Cordier pillar (watch out for stuck ropes on the way down). As long as the Nantillons glacier is OK , so is the Charmoz-Grepon!


Mont Blanc via the Grands Mulets
 
Almost no man's land!


Mont Blanc via the Aiguille du Goûter
 
Despite the unusual weather, conditions are holding up for now. There's still a bit of snow in the Goûter couloir and few rockfalls if you go at the right time of day (watch this space). Some slots are opening up on the Dome du Goûter but nothing too serious.


Miage Bionnassay
 
Conditions are still pretty good on the traverse of the Aiguille de Bionnassay (wide arête with snow). A few sections of both rock and ice on the Piton des Italiens.
 
The traverse of the Dômes de Miage is holding up well (no ice on the ridge or on the slope above the Col de la Bérangère). Still some snow patches on the descent between the Bérangère and the Conscrits hut making this easier.
 
The lower slopes are dry but we're still okay on Mont Tondu.


Monzino Sector

You can climb the Aiguille Croux, Punta Innominata, Ratti Vitale to the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey.

Access to the Eccles is still OK with a freeze.

Access to the Pilier Rouge du Brouillard (particularly on the way back if you don't go up to Mont Blanc) is becoming more complicated (watch this space). The most recent info is that the Col Eccles went very well (without abseiling).

It remains to be seen whether the Innominata has withstood the heat. The last feedback was that there is a tricky ice section on the Brouillard ridge, but it could be avoided.
 
 

Most of the footpaths are now dry.

Crampons are less and less useful on the Aiguilles Rouges to access the routes.

Note the opening of the new via ferrata at the Cascade de Bérard!
 
 

Translated with permission from an original report by La Chamoniarde.

Readers are reminded that conditions in mountain environments are prone to (sometimes rapid) change and that they should use their own best judgement when visiting them.

 

 

 

Report: 17 July 2023

La Chamoniarde mountain conditions report for 17 July 2023

An update on conditions up high which are being seriously affected by the strong south-westerly wind.

Even if the sun is shining (except sometimes on the high summits) the wind has been blowing hard since Saturday above 3500m (more than 100 km/h), and is expected to continue until Wednesday inclusive (possible closure of the Midi cable car).

The isotherm is above 4000m.

As a result, refreezing is mediocre below 4000m and there is little activity due to the storm at altitude. It’s advisable to consider rock routes not too high up for the next few days and above all avoid starting on routes where it will be difficult to retreat.

Snow conditions are likely to change quickly and for the worse and may no longer correspond to our report of 13 July. More information is expected when the weather settles down and we can go back up to altitude (we are waiting for your feedback).

Maybe it’s time for crag climbing.

 

 

Translated with permission from an original report by La Chamoniarde.

Readers are reminded that conditions in mountain environments are prone to (sometimes rapid) change and that they should use their own best judgement when visiting them.

 

 

 

More Articles ...

  1. Report: 13 July 2023
  2. Report: 7 July 2023
  3. Report: 30 June 2023
  4. Report: 22 June 2023
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