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Some complementary information to the last report and route book , (5th July,) for the mid and high mountain.  

 

High Mountain

 

- Conditions still good for the Dômes de Miages traverse and the Aig de Bionnassay.

- Dôme des Glaciers : Lanchettes ridge is still accessible from the behind the hut and by the col des Glaciers ; the Glaciers glacier is feasible.

- Robert Blanc sector : Mont Tondu : the E ridge is dry, Mont Tondu glacier is feasible.  The W face, (above the Jovets lakes) still has some snow. There is 30m of cable missing to reach the Col du Mont Tondu.

- Mont Blanc by the Aiguilles Grises : the Dôme glacier is still good, the ridge after the Piton des Italiens is narrow for about 30m.

- Eccles bivouac is popular, with climbing on the Freney pillar,and Peuterey Integral.  Be aware that the rock quality on the Brouillard ridge is often mediocre.  

- Brenva Spur: More and more ice is appearing on the Gussfeld variant, foresee extra ice screws. 

- Kuffner :  The ridge between the Fourche bivouac and the start is no longer really possible (unstable terrain) and so one needs to start by the direct gully.  The ice is surfacing here and there, (notably on the traverse under the summit of Mont Maudit.)  2 axes and some extra screws recommended.

- The abseil line from the Canzio bivouac has been re-equipped. (30m abseils).

- Mont Blanc by the 3 Monts : the rope which was in place at Col du Mont Maudit is in a very bad state.

- Contamine-Grisolle / Contamine-Mazaud : still feasible if you sleep at the hut, conditions OK but there are sections of black ice.

- Nantillons glacier is still snow.  

- Frendo Spur, feasible with an early start or from a bivouac at the top of the rock section, (stonefall reported higher up.)  Recent parties have used the righthand finish.  

- the approach to Congo Star (Aiguille Pierre Alain) is awkward, (slab difficult to protect,) numerous parties have turned back.  Best avoided until it is « equipped », i.e. bolted.

- Drus traverse popular, still snow on the approach to Flammes de Pierre.

- Courtes normal route in good condition.  For the traverse, the ridge is very dry, and unstable in places, (notably at the level of Aiguille qui Remue.)  A route for very fast parties only.   

- Petite Aiguille Verte in good condition.

- Grands Montets ridge popular, the Segogne slabs are not dry, but can be passed easily.   The Whymper Couloir is still feasible in descent (but maybe not for long).  The Moine Ridge is perhaps the better option, (still quite a lot of snow, crampons all the way.)

- Aiguille d'Argentière : Flèche Rousse ridge still in condition, The upper slope of the descent by the normal route is by abseil from Abalakovs, (check them !), bergschrund OK, Glacier du Milieu OK, (still snow).

- Col du Tour Noir in excellent condition.

- Tête Blanche : the bergschrund on the N face is no longer passable, NE ridge OK.

- Generally good conditions for the Dorées traverse : rock dry, (including the Copt gully), crampons to cross the Copt col and then for the mixed section on the N face  of the Aiguilles Penchées.  50m abseil form a rock spike to cross the bergschrund on the descent.

 

Mid Mountain

 

No major changes, there is still snow in some places.  

- The Col des Fours variant on the TMB is feasible with good boots and hiking poles.  

- Robert Blanc sector: The classic approach to the hut is free of snow up to about 2600m, (at the top of the Lanchettes glacier moraine).  With each day the snow is disappearing higher up and the path, with its yellow markings, becoming more apparent. There are still some steep, exposed snow slopes on the traverse path between Tête Nord des Fours and the Col de la Seigne. Not recommended for the moment.  For the Col d’Enclave, the spur up from the Jovet lakes is free of snow.  There is some snow on the summit and a lot of snow still on the Bellaval Combe side.

- Fenêtre d'Arpette : still snow on the Champex side but not a problem if one is properly equipped. Work in progress on the Trient side and best avoided.  Please respect the workers.

- Crampons still needed for the normal route up Mont Buet and the Salenton Col (Tour des Aiguilles Rouges). The snow is stable and the is a good track.  N ridge of the Buet is dry

- Steep and exposed snow slopes to reach Lac Blanc from the top of the Index chairlift, crampons needed.  A lot of snow on the approach to the Lacs Noirs from the Cornu Col and on the Glière Col, (steep and dangerous snow slopes.)

- the path between the Are chalets and the Nid d'Aigle is in a bad state and  for the “sure footed” hikers only.  

- several bolt hangers have been removed from Label Virginie (Clocher de Planpraz).

- Rockfall on pitch 3 of Martin Ravanel (Jumelles des Crochues):  a bolt is missing and the party turned back.