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La Chamoniarde mountain conditions report for 15 December 2023
 
Here's some news before what promises to be a sunny weekend!
 
After the partial opening of Argentière-Lognan and La Flégère, it's the turn of the Domaine du Brévent to open tomorrow, Saturday 16 December. On the other hand, you'll have to wait and see further up the valley (the road to Le Tour village is closed). There is poor snow cover on the Vallorcine pistes and at Les Houches. The Aiguille du Midi (looking very snowy) will open on Saturday 23 December.
 
The Mont Blanc tunnel is open again from this evening! Here's to pizza and hiking in the Aosta Valley! The Monte Bianco Skyway is open, as is the Courmayeur ski area.
 
The Montenvers train is running. 
IMPORTANT INFO: the new gondola lift is not yet open (due to open in January), which means :
- No access to/from the glacier for non-alpinists.
- The old gondola lift, staircases and ladders have been dismantled/closed/prohibited by municipal by-law.
- The only access between the Mer de Glace and Montenvers is the new route (in yellow on the map below). A sort of via ferrata, it requires mountaineering equipment and techniques.
 
 
The marked up hill ski touring tracks are closed for the time being due to lack of snow. La Trapette at Argentière is just about passable (watch out for the Pierre à Ric home run, which is closed for the time being).
 
The best solution is therefore to take the lifts up to find better snow conditions. If you start in the valley (Le Buet, etc.), you will probably be carrying your skis, particularly on the descent. In the Argentière basin, the classics were tracked today in good conditions: Col  du Passon, Col du Tour Noir, Col d'Argentière. On the way back, it's best to take the right bank or the centre of the Argentière glacier, as the left bank is "acrobatique".
 
There's also been some activity in the Aiguilles Rouges, but we don't have any more information (Index/Lac Blanc sector). We await your feedback!
 
Beware, there has been a lot of snow in the high mountains (above 2200m) and the north wind picked up today (moving snow around).
 
As you can imagine, there's been no activity in the high mountains recently!
 
As far as snowshoeing is concerned, there isn't enough snow at the bottom of the valley, so the signposted snow shoeing routes can be done with good shoes and poles. As for the high-altitude itineraries, they are being prepared and you can check their opening times in the bulletin.
 
 

Translated with kind 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.