Tour du Mont Blanc trail conditions 20th June 2018

We are now nearly a week into our summer season & we have one privately guided group that have nearly completed the route. Conditions are getting better day by day & there are lots of groups out on the trail however there is still a fair amount of snow on the trail.

Descent from the Col du Seigne

The affected area are still:

·       Contamines to Chapieux & Ville des Glaciers via the Col du Bonhomme & the Col de la Croix Bonhomme & Col des Fours if going to Ville des Glaciers. 

·       Chapieux & Ville des Glaciers to Courmayeur via the Col de Seigne

·       Refuge Bonatti or Arnuva to La Fouly via the Grand Col Ferret

·       Champex to Trient via the Fenetre d’Arpette

Routes to be avoided are:

·       Via Col du Fours

·       Via Mont Fauvre Spur to Courmayeur

·       Via Fenetre d’Arpette

Advise on essential kit is still the same crampons can be hired in Chamonix & are readily available however if you are intending using MICROspikes it may be better to purchase these before you arrive if you can as availability might be a problem in Chamonix due to a lot of folk buying these for the trails.

Essential kit:

·       Allkit outlined on our kit list not forgetting good waterproof boots (not trainers or trail shoes), gloves, warm hat, warm layers, waterproof outer layers, sun cream & sunglasses to protect against snow glare.

·       Light weight crampons or MICROspikes & walking poles x 2 per person to aid balance.

·       Gaiters to keep the snow out of your boots when walking through snow. 

Important additional information:

There has been a landslide on the lower part of the road in the Val Veny, this means that the bus service isn’t running & taxis are limited as the only access to La Visialle now is via a 4 wheel drive track. They are trying to get the road back open as soon as possible but if you are intending taking a bus or taxi from La Visialle to Courmayeur you need to be aware of this & add in extra time as you might need to walk down the road to Courmayeur. It is advisable that if you are arranging a taxi for the Val Veny that this will need to be booked in advance as there is no phone signal after you leave Contamines until you reach the Col du Seigne.

Tour du Mont Blanc Current Conditions June 2015

After a very mild winter with not a lot of snow and warm spring there is no better time to experience the Tour du Mont Blanc. Due to early summer conditions accommodation has opened early and the trails are open.

We have our first self guided clients arriving this week so in preparation I have carried out a couple of day recce’s in two of the key parts of the trek, the Col du Bonhomme and the Grand Col Ferret to see for myself what trail conditions are like. There is snow above 2000m but it is passable with care. There are groups out doing the route so the snow patches have been well trodden. Although the snow is soft it is advisable to take walking poles to aid balance & give you stability whilst walking on the snow.

Col du Bonhomme: Continual snow unto the col from about 2150m, snow on the traverse between the Col du Bonhomme & the Col du Crox du Bonhomme, take care whilst traversing as a slip could send you down the slopes into the rocks below.

Grand Col du Ferret: Minimal snow on the Italian side apart from the last section, quite an amount of snow on the Swiss side but the terrain is at an easy angle so it should be easy to cross.

Where there are large snow patches and navigation could be difficult in bad weather they have put wooden stakes with dayglow markings on. If you have bad visibility follow these markers in addition to using your map & compass.

Most other days and area are free of snow, It is advisable to go via Bovine from Champex to Trient rather than Fenetre d’arpmtte where there will be a lot of snow and the terrain is very steep therefore a fall or slip could be serious.

For more information on the services and trekking holidays we offer see our website: www.montblanctreks.com

Sara Haley, UIMLA guide & owner of Mont Blanc Treks

Summer trekking in the Alps 2015

After a very easy winter in terms of snowfall and low temperatures and a very warm spring so far this year we are set for a trouble free start to the season.

This was the winter that never really happened after a disastrous Christmas with no snow it finally arrived in time for New Year. With very sparse snowfall during the rest of the season this years skiing wasn't the best.

And then for the spring... Amazingly warm with temperatures in April of 20 degrees in the Chamonix valley it felt more like summer.

This all spells good news for our forthcoming summer season as it means the snow on the high ground will clear quickly making the Tour du Mont Blanc easily accessible in June and the Walkers Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt doable in early July.

We offer a wide range of guided & self guided options for the Tour du Mont Blanc, Walkers Haute Route & Gran Paradiso from June to the end of September. For more information see www.montblanctreks.com