A question to the SP alpine experts:
When is a good time of year to visit the Mont Blanc range to do snow, ice and mixed routes?
François Damilano’s latest Mont Blanc <i>snow, ice and mixed</i> guide book is quite inspirational and I’m thinking of basing myself in the Argentière and/or Talèfre basins for a week or two later this year to give of some of the many routes there a try.
It seems to me that there must be an optimum time of year somewhere between mid-winter (cold, avalance risk, bad weather) and the high summer (melting routes, rock-fall danger, crowds, etc.), but I’m not sure when exactly this would be.
Last year, for example, I visited the Mont Blanc range in late July, only to find many of the classic north face routes out of condition already and with significant rock-fall danger.
What wisdom can you offer on the timing of a trip to have a good chance of getting up some routes?