Tour / Trient Sector
The descents down to Trient are in good condition (the snow being firstly frozen then crusty then spring snow). It is possible to ski all the way to the ski du fond pistes, (then a further 15 minutes of walking to reach the village).
The Col du Pissoir is good (no ice), as is the Col Supérieur du Tour (hard snow but a good track, carrying the skis for the last 5m.) The Col du Midi des Grands was very dry but should have improved with the latest snowfall.
No information for the normal route on the Aiiguille du Tour which should now be in good condition. The lower part of the Table Couloir is very dry, (a rocky narrow passage of 15/20m) but the upper part has plenty of snow, feasible in ascent.
It is still possible to ski all the way down to La Tour.
Argentière Sector (5 cm of fresh snow this morning, Thursday).
Average amount of snow for the time of year, (crusty).
On the Aiguille d’Argentière, the Glacier du Milieu (the top slope not skiable in descent), and the Y Couloir, (bergschrund and lower band OK) are being done
Nobody on the N faces, except for the Col des Cristaux.
Ski tourers on all the usual cols, (Passon, Chardonnet, Tour Noir, Argentière).
The return by the true left bank of the Argentière glacier remains good.
Talèfre Sector
To reach the Couvercle hut, it is better to use the central couloir, (one passage to walk,) rather than the Pierre à Béranger (feasible if very early.)
There has been nobody on the Whymper since the last snowfall, (party foreseen for Friday12/04). The way across the bergschrund, which had collapsed, looks to have filled in again and is should go on the true right.
The south facing slopes are in good condition, (e.g. col des Droites). The snow is crustier on other aspects.
The Pointe Isabelle is in condition this year (glacier OK, skin up to the shoulder then mixed climbing up the ridge to the summit.)
Aiguille du Midi Sector (4 cm of fresh snow this morning, Thursday)
The Valley Blanche is still in reasonably good condition Some treacherous crevasses in the cwm before the Requin hut and on the traverse to the Salle à Manger. The snow quality is variable, with the crusty snow on the slopes exposed to the sun, (e.g. Grand, Moyen & Petit Envers). The classic route has better conditions.
The Cosmiques couloir (60m abseil then hard snow for 200 m) and the Rond glacier (rope useful at the start) are being done daily, (30 minutes of walking from the old station passing by La Para).
The Cosmiques Ridge is now tracked. The left summit of the Pointe Lachenal is also being done, (no further information.)
The Chéré couloir is popular, though fairly dry and more technical than usual, (black ice above the bergschrund, pitch 2 dry: gravel, rock.) The same is true for the Modica Noury and Gabarrou Albinoni (some belay bolts have been replaced.)
For the moment, the normal route on the Tacul does not look to be in condition, (large bergschrund and threatening seracs.)
Helbronner Sector
The traverses of the Aiguilles Marbrées and the Aiguille d'Entrêves are very popular
For the Tour Ronde, it is still necessary to go via the Col Freshfield. The Gervasutti couloir is being done. No news for the N face which looks to be feasible.
The rocks on the Dent du Géant are covered in snow. Before this last snowfall, the Aiguille de Rochefort was tracked and in good condition.
Goulotte Valeria (Petit Capucin) was done on 10/04, conditions very dry!
Mont Blanc by the Grands-Mulets
The glacier approach is well filled in. The Jonction goes by the lower track, (as shown on the IGN map.)
Mont Blanc was done on 09/04 by the Plateaux. Conditions on the N du Dôme ridge have improved but there is still ice just below a layer of fresh snow. The Bosses ridge is OK, (avoiding the ice with short detours). The N face has been skied on the true left, (good skiers only; 5m of ice in the funnel, rope useful).
Dômes de Miage Sector
Generally good conditions in this sector except for the N faces, (they are holding some snow but not yet enough to fully cover the ice.) About 12cms of snow fell on Wednesday.
It is still possible to start skinning from Plan (30 minutes of walking then again for some short sections.) However, the snow is rapidly melting up as far as Nant du Tour.
Very good conditions for the Dômes de Miage traverse. There are some, avoidable, ice sections to reach the ridge and on the descent to the Col de la Bérangère. The ridge is snow.
Good skiing on the Armancette, walking for 15 minutes above the lake then possible to ski again almost to La Frasse.
Aiguilles Rouges
Pleasant ski touring on all the classics, (variable snow quality). Still possible to ski down the Berard valley all the way to Buet. Some ski carrying is needed for Loriaz, Bel Oiseau and Pointe Ronde.
Grands Paradis
The recent snowfalls have improved conditions though the snow cover is still poor, expect to carry skis at the start.