With flip flops and shorts spotted around town last week could this signal the start of spring or will the new low pressure front bring with it some much needed snow?
Chamonix has experienced a very warm start to March with daytime temperatures reaching the teens in the valley. This warm weather has transformed the snow up high and has been offering up some superb spring skiing. I have been getting out everyday and enjoying all the corn and mixed climbing that the Massif, the Argentiere basin and the Aiguille Rouge has to offer.
After a failed attempt on the Y couloir on the Aiguille d’Argentiere a couple of weeks ago with Tim Oliver when we skied most of the Y in nice snow, I went back on a quick solo mission to ski this classic steep test piece before the sun heated it up too much. A heart pumping 3.5 hours from top bin of Grand Montets brings you to the summit of the Aiguille d’Argentiere. From here there is a short ski down to the start of the couloir where I cut the cornice to get an easier entry. Some firm snow in places higher up but mostly soft corn. Apart from passing a couple of split boarders on the way up the Milieu and two climbers coming up the Y I saw very few people all day. Its nice to get big mountain lines in good condition and all to yourself!
Over to the Aiguille Rouge for another scorching day boot packing up the Col Floria to ski the North Couloir. The hike up with the sun pounding on your back was relentless but worth it for the steep chalky descent in the shade. Finishing back in Buet via the Col Berrard the snow down the Berrard valley is still fairly soft and worth the effort. It is just about possible to ski back to Hotel Buet with some careful rock dodging.
With large crowds gathering at the Aiguille du Midi every sunny day this week, it paid to get there early to collect a number and avoid a long morning wait.
Welcomed down the arête by no wind and clear skies we knew it would be a nice day. I had a couple of friends out from Wales this week and they loved their first trip down the Vallee Blanche. With firm chalky snow down the classic descent it makes easy going for the beginner and intermediate skiers and boarders out there.
To complete my friend’s adventurous trip to Chamonix the next day we headed back up the Midi to have a nice sunny climb on the Cosmiques arête. Perfect conditions awaited us and with only a couple of teams on the climb we made quick work of it. Passing two teams of two we heard that there was going to be a proposal on the arête. Not the best place to be if she said no! Hopefully they both had an amazing day.
Sunday saw increased wind and some cloud, which was a shock after over a week of sunshine. A late start at Grand Montets with Tim Oliver we headed straight around to the North side of the Grand Montets ridge to climb a 300m M4 mixed route. We started the climb at 12 in sunshine and topped out at 5pm in a snow storm. We were stuck behind a couple of other Brits who took their time dispatching the crux which was very thin ice. Overall the conditions on the face are good but some of the narrow corners are running low on ice due to all the traffic they have seen. Even seconding up the M4 crux felt a lot harder than it would have been given better conditions. It was nice to get back on the tools for the first time in 6 months and a welcome change from skiing. There is always something to do in Chamonix.
With the next few days weather looking pretty mixed we will have to wait and see what happens to the snow, fingers crossed for some fresh stuff but the warm temperatures are not promising much.
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NB: Off piste skiing and mountaineering are dangerous. The opinions expressed in these articles are very much time and condition specific and the content is not intended in any way to be a substitute for hiring a mountain guide, undergoing professional mountaineering training and/or the individual's own back country decision making.
