Winter/Spring 2017/18 mountain conditions

Winter/Spring 2017/18 mountain conditions

The following is a rolling list of the routes & itineraries etc that I’ve skied or climbed as a guide and personally throughout the 17/18 winter and spring season:

November

Mountaineering on the Antarctic Peninsula including Jabet Peak & Spigot Peak

December

Courmayeur Off Piste including Youla and Plan de Gabba

Bellevue Couloirs, Grand Bois to chez moi

Mont Joly NW ridge from summit

Croise Baulet and descent to Gietaz

January

Monday Money WI4 Cogne

Aonach Mor & Aonach Beag ski tour plus a descent of the West Face of Aonach Mor via Bold Rush (Scotland)

Beinn Teallach & Beinn a’ Chaorainn ski tour

Envers du Plan and Petit Envers variations on the Vallee Blanche – currently in good condition to Chamonix (12 Jan)

Catogne Bowls, le Tour Off Piste

Crochue Berard Ski Tour

Vormaine Couloirs and le Tour off piste

Off piste & touring to le Planet and the Prarion (les Houches)

Combe Vierge and Vallée Blanche to Chamonix

Aiguillette des Houches (descent via la Vogealle)

Aiguille Varan, Haut Giffre via the Vellard Combe – spring snow (28/1/18)

Col de Crochue & Col des Dards, Aiguilles Rouges

Montagne de Sulens, Aravis

February

Col d’Entreves and Combe Noire

Gros Rognon & Classique Vallée Blanche

off piste Megeve/Giettaz

Tete de la Combaz

Glacier de Toule and descent via Combe Noire

Grands Montets off piste

Col de Belvedere, Aiguilles Rouges

5 day’s ski touring, hut to hut, in a secret location in the Cerces region of the Haute Alpes.

March

Rognon Vallée Blanche

”Vraie” Vallée Blanche – accessed via petit Envers

Cappello del Vescova & Canale di Dolonne, Courmayeur

ski tour & Combe Noire

Combe Vierge

Canale classico e Spalla variant & the Gabba trees

Couloir Espagnole & vrs Youla/Gabba

Mont Arp Vielle – Grisons

Mont Joly,Communailles etc St Gervais/Megeve off piste

Another 5 days ski touring in the Cerces including the Echaillon, Crete de Baude, Queyrellin & Moutouze.

Vallee Blanche high level ski tour

Patrouille des Glaciers training on the Crochure Berard ski tour

Combe Vierge

Col Fetita, Val d’Aoste

April

8 day ski tour around the Col de Lauteret/Cerces region of France:

Vallon de Combey & Col de Laurichaud, Crete du Chardonnet

Crete de la Casse Blanche

Tour du pain de Sucre

La Recare

Pic du lac Blanc, (a diversion into Nevache to fix skis!)

L’Echaillon & La Gardiole

Le Grand Area and a good old bush whack into civilisation.

5 day ski tour around the Maurienne/Tarentaise – some poor weather and difficult avalanche conditions:

Col Ouille Noire

Glacier du Montet and Plan Sec to Bonneval sur Arc

Averole ski tour

big day crossing to Prariond via Pont d’Ouiletta and Le Pays Desert then col Pers

Col de la Galise and out via the Plates de Vallonnet

7 days on the British Mountain Guide’s Ski Assessment. Off Piste Grands Montets

Col de Crochue and Col des Dards

4 day ski tour around Tre la Tete including:

Dome de Neige (Aig des Glaciers) SW Ridge/glacier

Pointe des Conscrits & Aiguille des Berangere

Pain de Sucre de Mont Tondu and descent via lacs des Jovet

Col de Passon, Fenetre du Tour and Col de Chardonnet day tour.

and that’s it! Due to two cancellations we’ve finished 3 weeks early.

we’re off to rock climb now in Wales, Corsica and Sardinia!

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