It has been a warm dry summer so far. Glaciers receeding fast and much rockfall from any snow/ice faces which have rock on them from low elevation to high elevation ones i.e: Aig Ronde, N Face Eiger, etc. The recent widespread NW Low affecting all central and pre Alps regions has cooled temps significantly and brought 20-40cm a fresh moist snow. Isotherme or freezing level dropped to 2500M in most alpine centers. Some loading has been observed. This puts most rock ridges/spires out of condition for a few days and the snow will melt off fast in the first sunny days. Expect rockfall during this melt.
Conditions:
Chamonix Region: Generally very good conditions. All spires and rock faces good. Beware of afternoon build up and thunder. Caution on known melting perma-frost objectives: Dru, North Faces of higher Argentiere area. Mt. Blanc in excellent shape with double track making passing easy on narrow ridge. Cosmic approach now better due to a large serac fall and new trail. Gouter route good except for continuous rockfall during the short exposure accross the gully leading to the Gouter ridge. Expect heavy traffic! Upper Dome du Gouter crevace bridges getting weaker. Albert 1st hut area in excellent condition for warm up/teaching climbs.
Zermatt Region: Matterhorn and Zenitrothorn rock routes out of condition for a few days but will be back in perfect shape soon. Matterhorn is quite good this season with crampons needed only in the upper 1/4 of the route. Beware of the Zermatt guides pushing and shoving, jockeying for position, it is better to just let them pass you, they think they own the mountain!
Bernese Oberland Grindelwald:
Eiger: North and West faces in very poor conditions. Mittellegi ridge in excellent condition. This season this ridge to the top of the Eiger is free of any snow. Descent is via the connecter ridge to the Monche and then Jungfrau Joch train station. Expect the descent to be longer and a bit harder than the ridge! Hut to summit 3-4 hours, down 3-5 hours. From Eismeer station take last exit door and walk on to glacier. Rapell anchor missing for gully descent to approach Mittellegi hut.
Saas Fee: Heavier snow accumulation here. Rock ridges and rock faces out of condition for a few days. Most mountains are in excellent condition. Weissmeiss from Hoosass hut is nor reccomended. Saw fresh serac fall had swept the track. Also a new 25 meter steeper ice wall has formed higher up allready causing casualties. Mory Hut area and glacier in excellent shape for training/teaching climbs.
Aosta: Grand Paradisio ridge from Vitorio Emanuel and Chabod route good but not normal route as it is icy with rockfall.
Do not hesitate to contact me for specific info, Happy trail, Eric
Eric Dumerac/ Rocky Mountain Vertical
ACMG Aspirant mountain guide, CAA Level II, CSIA Level II ski instructor at your service
France: +33 (0) 6 78 15 45 23 Canada: 403-609-1564