Chamonix High Mountain Report: 27th January 2016

Understandably, much of the resort struggled to open due to the sheer volume and high risk from threatening slopes above certain areas, but what we could ski was pretty much as good as it gets anywhere in the world!

Fast forward a few weeks and things have settled down. Many of the classic ski tours have now been skied such as the Crochues-Berard, Aiguillette des Houches, Mont Buet and Chalets de Loriaz (Aiguilles Rouges). Reports commenting that powder, spring and variable snow conditions can be found. Care does need to be taken when travelling at later parts of the day due to the hot sun and mild temperatures at the moment - as always, timing is everything!

Higher up on the northern side of the valley, the snow has held well and has been relatively undamaged by any wind (for once). Again, many classic ski tours have been skied, such as Col du Tour Noir, Glacier Mileu, Col du Passon and Col du Capucin. Reports back on these has generally been great skiing, although suffer from variable snow and thin cover in parts if they reach lower altitudes (Col du Passon mainly).

Vallee Blanche has been officially opened with the handrails in place from the 21st Jan. All itineraries have been skied and have had some phenomenal conditions. It is possible to ski all the way to town but be aware of the odd rock poking through. It is worth noting that after a VERY hot summer, crevasses are larger than ever, and descents are not carbon copies of previous years. Taking a guide is the safest way to enjoy your day out and they always have secret stashes of snow the rest of us don’t know about - no brainer!

For the most part in the climbing world things have been quiet, as snow generally gets in the way, but the ice in Argentiere has started to form well on both Rive Gauche and Rive Droite. Much of the classics in the Argentiere basin look too thin for now…but there’s no harm in trying. The routes on Grand Monetes ridge have been climbed but can be hard to protect. Classic gullies off the Aiguille du Midi on Pointe Lachenal, Triangle du Tacul and the Tour Ronde will be good options for those who need a thin air fix.

With some snow forecast over the next week, we’ll hopefully see a top up so we can continue long into April!

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Nick is an International Mountain Leader and owner of Eyebright Adventures.
Follow his blog for reports on climbing and skiing.
Twitter: @eyebrightadvchx

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.