Mont Blanc Questions
Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 4:33 pm
Hi,
I want to go to Chamonix in the beginning of August and I have a few questions I hope somebody can answer here.
1. Is there a place where we can deposit some gear in the Valley? We want to climb the 3 monts traverse, descend the Gouter and do some more technical routes afterwards. There would be things like the 2 ice axes, one of our 2 half ropes and rock gear that we would not want to take on the 3 monts.
2. We plan to go all the way down to Nid d'Angle, in case we are too slow will there be some space in the Gouter or Tete Rousse hut or will they just not let you in? Obviously we don't want to make a reservation in advance.
3. Do people usually take technical ice axes for the steep sections of the Tacul N-Face seracs? Is it common to encounter hard ice on any part of the route?
4. What conditions can be expected (beginning of August) on the Frendo Spur. I suppose good conditions would be dry rock, to be climbable with climbing shoes or at least without crampons, but that would probably mean hard ice near the rognon. Is it more preferable to go left or right around it late in the year?
Thanks,
Jupp
I want to go to Chamonix in the beginning of August and I have a few questions I hope somebody can answer here.
1. Is there a place where we can deposit some gear in the Valley? We want to climb the 3 monts traverse, descend the Gouter and do some more technical routes afterwards. There would be things like the 2 ice axes, one of our 2 half ropes and rock gear that we would not want to take on the 3 monts.
2. We plan to go all the way down to Nid d'Angle, in case we are too slow will there be some space in the Gouter or Tete Rousse hut or will they just not let you in? Obviously we don't want to make a reservation in advance.
3. Do people usually take technical ice axes for the steep sections of the Tacul N-Face seracs? Is it common to encounter hard ice on any part of the route?
4. What conditions can be expected (beginning of August) on the Frendo Spur. I suppose good conditions would be dry rock, to be climbable with climbing shoes or at least without crampons, but that would probably mean hard ice near the rognon. Is it more preferable to go left or right around it late in the year?
Thanks,
Jupp