Conditions are generally very good for the time of year, though early starts are needed to get the best from the night time freezing, which is not always that good.
- Albert 1er : There are no problems with the normal routes on Tête Blanche, Petite Fourche and Aiguille du Tour, (including the bergschrund on the latter.) The Couloir de la Table is now very dry and not recommended, but the Arete de la Table is in good condition. There is a very large bergschund at the foot of the N face of the Tête Blanche which almost certainly makes access to this climb impossible. The Purtscheller and the Col du Pissoir are being climbed. The Forbes ridge is in good condition. The bergschund on the Migot is awkward but still possible on the left. For the descent from the Chardonnet, 2 ropes of 50m are recommended.
- Argentière : lThe rock routes are in good condition, as are the Glacier du Milieu and the Flèche Rousse Ridge. The Jardin ridge is also being done. The Tournier Spur is dry.
The Tour Noir traverse is very dry and no longer to be recommended.
No problems with the approach to the hut from the Grands Montets.
Petite Aiguille Verte is OK but ice is starting to appear in some places.
- La Charpoua : The rock routes are mostly free of snow. Some parties have done the Drus traverse.
- Le Couvercle : The rock routes are popular. The Whymper is not in condition, but the traverse of the Courtes is. Nobody has been on the Droites for more than a week. The route up to the Pointe Isabelle is becoming more and more awkward. The Grands Montets ridge was done, descending by the Moine Ridge.
- Leschaux : The approach is OK for Anouk and the Contamines on the Petites Jorasses. The abseil points onTonton Daniel have been renewed.
4 parties left for the Walker on the 28th, making rapid progress.
- Boccalatte : The normal route on the Grandes Jorasses is still in good condition, parties passing below the serac without a problem. The rocks at the Reposoir are dry. The traverse from the Canzio bivouac was done recently. Abseilling down the Rochers Whymper is possible with a 60m rope but better with 2x 50m.
- Envers des Aiguilles : The bergschrund for the Grépon has become very awkward, but no problems for the other approaches, except for the Ciseaux. A party went for the Ryan on the 29/07.
- Le Requin : The descent from the Midi-Plan is OK for the moment, as well as the approach to the Pierre-Allain. Nobody has gone for the Renaudie recently. Good conditions in both directions for the Vallee Blanche, on foot.)
- Torino : Generally ggod conditions for this sector. The approach to the Dent du Géant is becoming very dry, danger from stone fall; likewise for the gully on the Aiguillettes au Grand Capucin and for the approach to the Aiguilles du Diable.
Tour Ronde is feasible by the SE ridge “intégrale” and by the Gervasutti Couloir. The N face is OK if there is good freezing.
The approach to the Pyramide du Tacul looks awkward.
- Plan de l’Aiguille : The Frendo Spur is in good condition and is (over)popular, (14 parties in one day !). The left exit has some ice patches.
An important rock fall has been reported at the level of the 2nd abseil on the Epéron des Minettes. Crampons not needed for Lépidoptère. However, crampons still needed for the Pilier Rouge de Blaitière and for the decent of the Peigne snow field.
- Cosmiques : If there is good night time freezing then the Contamines, Grisolle, Negri and Chéré on the Triangle du Tacul are popular. The 3 Monts to Mont Blanc is in condition with just a little ice after the Col du Mont Maudit, ice screws useful.
A party went for the Gervasutti Pillar on 28th.
On the traverse of the Pointes Lachenal there is an unstable zone at the foot of the abseil, but it is easy to avoid.
- Grands Mulets : The traverse of the Jonction is best done by the lower track. The N ridge of the Dôme is in excellent condition but the descent by the Plateaux is not recommended due to a lot of open crevasses. Contact the hut warden for advice on the best route to take.
- Mont Blanc : Good conditions on the Bionnassay Ridge and the normal French and Italian routes. There is stonefall danger in the Grand Couloir in the heat of the day or if there has not been good night time freezing
- Les Conscrits : The approach via the glacier is not recommended. The footbridge path was closed due to damage by storms but should be repaired and re-opened by the 29th July.
The Mont Tondu, the traverse of the Aiguilles de Tré la Tête and the traverse of the Dômes de Miage are being done regularly. Nobody on the Lex Blanche for more than a week.
-Other Areas : The fixed ropes on the Pointe Dufour, Mont Rose have been stripped away by rockfall, foresee two abseils of 40m. (belays in place.)
The Grand Paradiso is in good condition.
Still a lot of snow on the Hornli ridge, Matterhorn making it a bit awkward, (though apparently no problem for Pippa Middleton !).
Hikers are advised to avoid the Col de la Glière and Lacs Noirs sectors as potentially dangerous snow fields remain there. Mont Buet still has snow, so proper equipment is essential.
Emosson sector: there is still a lot of snow in this sector, though the dinosaur tracks are now mostly visible.