 Poster: A snowHead
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Is it possible? Or unlikely to be open? And if that's the case, any recommendations for an alternative day out with a guide in Chamonix? We're on a three day blast, but would like to try something different this year for one of those days.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Normally it would be closed as it needs a fair bit of snow to cover the naughty bits, but this year that area has had an early dump. One of the locals will be along soon and can give you a difinative answer.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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rainman,
I think it is open already which means that the crevasses must have been adequatley filled. Late Jan is normally the time for this so it is indeed an early start. if that is so.
I would expect it to be PD cold so be prepared for that, and keep an eye out for the weather and pick the best/most likely sunniest day. In those very high mounatins the sun might not be visible for as long as it isn't as high in the sky at that time. Even GM can get pretty stark when the sun dips behinds those hills.
If you get to the town early enough on arrival pop by the guides office and ask them what they think. Have a best guess for the weather window and do it. You want good vis because the whole point of doing it is for the scenery.
If the VB isn't viable, ask them what is ...maybe the Pass de Chevre..heads out onto the same bottom part of the glacier.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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JT, I hear that the summer has been unusually snowy and that many of the high routes are open way earlier than normal. Fingers crossed the snow continues (at least to a point. I'd prefer not to witness an ice age directly...)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Wrong, the lift is open the OHM says
"Update of Monday 17 December 2007: The cable car of the Needle of the South is open. The edge is not equipped. The temperatures are very cold. One saw only some traces but we do not have information."
You may well be in luck with the early snow but another dump will most likely be needed before it opens to the many.
If you are out of luck with the VB as said above try the Pass de Chevre it is in any case much better skiing wise (but much harder) and arguably as good for views.
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call me a pedant but isn't the question whether the arrete is equipped or not? you can go down the VB any time you like. whether it is safe to do so is a whole other question
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Its not a good topic for pedantry if its "closed" don't do it, paraphrasing john Cleese I did it once and it was a nightmare.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Fri 21-12-07 17:48; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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jbob, It isn't closed though, is it.
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| snowbunny wrote: |
| jbob, It isn't closed though, is it. |
Its never closed, at the end of WW2 Some Germans with French prisoners were descending the VB and met an english Intelligence officer coming the other way there was a short firefight and the Frenchmen escaped, oh yes, this all happened at night!!!
I am making the assumption that if someone is asking the question and using a guide they needed a straight answer.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've been down the arrete when it was not cut.... You'd probably need crampons, depending on previuos traffic and whatever else you decide to do... but no one will stop you... A guide might ball out a few...as happened to some germans, and he did have a point but all he achieved was to frighten that group sh****ss.
Maybe they should have someone at the bottom stopping or warning any unprepared groups, instead of taking their money first...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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When I did it "closed" a PGHM gendarme fell off the arrete in front of us he had his skis on we were axes and crampons, he fell down a gully on the VB side and was killed. The other party on it that day were two Scandies, they lost a ski down a crevasse we helped them recover it, it took 2 hours. As i said a bit of a mare.
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| jbob wrote: |
| Its not a good topic for pedantry if its "closed" don't do it, paraphrasing john Cleese I did it once and it was a nightmare. |
Arno is correct (and so is the PH.com report) it is never closed nor open, it is a high mountain route which is neither secured nor patrolled. The arete equipment is for the tourists (nothng wrong with that), people ski up there whenever the lift is open and some people even skin up from Montenvers.
I'm not arguing with jbob just saying that you need to put the image of closed and open out of your mind even with apparently debonair routes like the VB.
I'm not sure about the summer being unusually snowy - sounds like something I would read from the wombles of wimbledon but i would agress (and David M would confirm being just a few km north of me) that it was a ver agreable summer, there was certainly sking to be had on Mont Blanc all summer long.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Why not try the Argentiere glacier for a change - I prefer it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry! Been caught up in the last minute Christmas thing!
Thanks all, and yes, I am talking about whether it is a viable tourist trip in mid-Jan, rather than whether it is 'technically' open/ closed, so the pedants have it. Arno is spot on; we would definitely be talking about a guided trip down the standard route. We arrive in town early enough on the Sunday to check with the guides' office, so that looks best bet.
The Pas de Chevre is something I thought was part of the VB route. Can anyone enlighten me as to what it is/ what the skiing's like and why we should do it?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rainman,
The Pas de Chevre starts from the top of the Grand Montet and you head over to the Mer de Glace so end up on the bottom part of the VB. There are a few gullies and the morrain wall to navigate. At this early in the season with snow bridges maybe being the issue, you should talk to the guides office..which you plan to do.
Maybe you can post a mini TR
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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As others have said, it may be "open", it may not. Reports on TGR suggest the arete is not in great shape right now http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21645&page=146 . That said, I'm no expert and it was all up and running by 20th Jan last year iirc.
On the guide front I would not hesitate to recommend Richard M who operates from http://www.mountain-guides.net/. I would drop him a line ahead of time suggesting the kind of thing you're interested in doing and let him or his colleagues suggest some options.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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davidof, Oddly enough, I heard it from the Mountain Penguin  and he'd know having been up Mt Blanc quite a few times over the summer.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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JT, gorilla, thanks chaps (particularly for the guide recom.), I'll definitely report back.
Have agood Christmas all! 
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