Monday 3 June 2013

June 2nd, and yet more powder

Looking back at this winter, one of the recurring themes has been just how late in the year we've been able to ski powder. Mid April seemed great, late May seemed ridiculous, but surely June 2nd is some sort of record. Best of all, we weren't even skiing the N face of the Midi (although the Glacier Ronde looked incredible judging by the guys we saw skiing it), we were skiing the Petit Envers, bathed in sun. 

The VB is well filled in and we only hit the slush once level with the Requin Hut. Pretty unbelievable all round.


Current conditions at the Plan de L'Aiguille


Sharon in the powder


Me half way down, and still with plenty of powder to come

As far as climbing goes, things are not looking too promising I'm afraid. The quantity of snow up high means that routes will either be plastered, funnels for spindrift, or both, and the approaches are really tough going. The snow level is low too (around 2000m) so even the classic rock climbs at relatively low altitude on the peaks like the Peigne are still weeks away from being dry.

If you've booked a climbing trip here for sometime in the next week I would definitely think about some of the long rock routes in the Arve Valley (the Valley between here and Geneva), or some multi pitch cragging at Barberine, Les Contamines, Gietroz or the Aosta Valley. South racing routes up high may well be accessible in a few days, but for now I would let the mountains dry out and enjoy some sun in the Valley.