31 December 2023, Early Season Chamonix Ski & Climb Conditions

After massive amounts of precipitation this autumn in the Northern Alps, snow volume in the high mountains is good and it’s been a great start to the season in general. Unfortunately several storms came in pretty warm with rain to around 2000m meaning the snow cover on the lower (below 1300m) pistes and meadows is poor to non existent. But in the middle mountains there has been fun skiing to be had with numerous resorts opening early and we have done lots of fun Evasion and Chamonix off piste skiing with our guests at Flegere, Le Tour, Les Grands Montets and Saint Gervais….

Fine early winter – late December – conditions above the Refuge Lognan at Les Grands Montets with Les Aiguilles Rouges beyond.

Yesterday was full blue bird at Les Grands Montets with the theme being good snow cover around the slopes and well skied chalky snow, grippy and fun to ski. A few fresh tracks were still to be had around the Lognan Refuge, which is open, but enjoying the big open slopes of the Montets bowls was the main activity and hoovering up the milage and rewarding responsive skiing on stable skier compacted snow, allowing some fun steeps and little couloirs to be done too.

Hoovering up the chalky grippy snow near the Italian bowl at Les Grands Montets

The previous couple of days we skied with 2 different groups both from New York and we enjoyed some cruising through the back bowls and even had a few fresh tracks both in the powder on the shady side and some lovely juicy spring style warmed snow on the sunny afternoon on the sunny afternoon front face of Le Tour.

Good cover and decent snow in the back bowls at Le Tour with L’Arollette and it’s steep couloirs behind.

Booting up the wind blown ridge to the summit of the Tete de Balme for another backcountry adventure in the back bowls…

Prior to this we had done some fun off piste days at Saint Gervais with good cover in the upper resort and bowls on both the Saint Gervais and Megeve sides of the domaine.

Fun side country below the Epaule on the run down towards Porcherey / St. Nicholas de Veroce

A few short steep off piste turns on the Megeve side of Mont Joly

Cover in the upper Aiguilles Rouges and the Chamonix resort of Flegere was also good and we had multiple fun off piste runs off the Index lift..

Bet cruising the early season powder off the Index lift at Flegere with the north faces of Les Grandes Jorasses (right) Drus (centre) and Aiguille Verte (centre left) beyond

Ski touring activities have been more limited although hundreds of teams have been crossing the Col de Rachasses above the Herse lift at Grands Montets and skiing the Glaciers de Rognons and Argentiere although the latter does not pass very easily with relatively technical skiing on the Rive Gauche.

High altitude glacier powder on the descent of the Glacier des Rognons above the Argentiere Glacier

Numerous teams have also been ascending to the Col du Passon with perhaps most doing the aller retour but a few continuing over the top and down to Le Tour with good snow cover up high and bush combat skiing lower down…Likewise for the classic Berade Valley descent, very lean cover and walking lower down.

Superb position for Peter ski touring in the Aiguilles Rouges, en route to the Breche Berade. Photo Hannah Burrows-Smith. (Previous Photo – not current conditions)

There is also a similar story of good cover up high and poor low down in the Vallée Blanche and glaciers of the Mont Blanc Massif in general. The Col du Midi and start of the VB has been apparently fine but becoming difficult and technical / walking with lean cover below the Salle à Manger and note that there is currently no option to re-ascend to Montenvers to finish the descent by train with the lack of cover lower down.

Ski Touring in the upper Vallee Blanche, Christmas 2018

Conditions for winter climbing and mountaineering around the Mont Blanc Massif have had a similar theme to the skiing. Quite good up high and poor to non existent lower down. So whilst the popular valley cascade venues have not been in condition the high autumn and early winter precipitation and chilly nights has produced some good ice on the middle mountain routes like Mini Blast and the Carrington Rouse in the Chamonix Aiguilles.

Tom enjoying the fine crux section of the last pitch of Home Wet Home. Not current conditions.

The mixed routes above the Bochard lift at Grands Montets have also seemed popular with lightly frosted rock and stiff snow in places…including in most of the cracks apparently! Whilst the Rive Droite of the Argentiere Glacier routes look thin and unappealing there has been activity on the Rive Gauche routes like Deferlante and it’s neighbours.

Fine climbing up the Scottish like lower ice pitch of the mini ice and mixed route between Deferlante and mini Couloir, which has numerous bolts, particularly on the top pitch crux section. Not current conditions.

Teams have also been enjoying some of the classic Midi / Skyway Chamonix routes like the Chere Couloir and traverse of the Aiguilles Marbrees and Entreves.

Thanks to all our guests who have climbed and skied with us in 2023 and we hope to see you again in the mountains in 2024.

Happy New Year and good luck with training and some brilliant sorties in the mountains next year,