Snow report Chamonix, 04/09/2017

Snow condition

The snow conditions in the Flegere and Brevent areas are quite poor, and due to the southerly exposure it is getting less and less every day. Most of the variants are no longer worthwhile because they are rutted by wet snow chutes or have carrying passages. On the Aiguelle du Midi or on the glacier and all around it looks pretty good. You have to watch out for ice on the steep sections. The descent through the Vallee Blanche is still doable, at the bottom you have to carry for about 10 minutes to the steps. The crevasses on the glacier are mostly closed, so if you are careful, it's not a big problem.

Snow quality

Due to the different altitudes and different exposures, we really had it all last week! above 2500m you can often still find settled, partly wind-treated powder. On the south side it firns up sooner or later depending on the altitude. But below 2000m it gets deep quite quickly.

The avalanche situation is quite relaxed. The main danger naturally comes from sun-exposed slopes, which tend to come down on a larger scale in the afternoon. You should also be careful if you are traveling under ice and seracs. We were able to observe some major fractures here.

Overall impression

A really great time in Chamonix is coming to an end. Mostly porn weather and really great conditions. Anyone planning a trip to Cham is welcome to get in touch with me. I have some good tips regarding cheap accommodation (cheaper than sleeping in a car), but I don't want to make a big deal of it