The Alpine Club, the world’s first mountaineering club, was founded in 1857.  For over 150 years, members have been at the leading edge of worldwide mountaineering development and exploration. 

With membership, experienced and aspiring alpinists benefit from a varied meets programme, regional lectures with notable guest speakers, reduced rates at many alpine huts, opportunity to apply for grants to support expeditions, significant discounts at many UK retailers, extensive networking contacts, access to the AC Library and maps - and more! 

Becoming a Member
 

MOUNTAIN CONDITIONS 26/05/2021

There has been little recent information  on conditions in the high mountain.  It is a case of “go and see” and keeping one’s options open. Chamoniarde is awaiting your feedback!

Skis and snowshoes are currently essential for moving around in the high mountain.

The Aiguille du Midi and Skyway cable cars are open. The Montenvers train will open on Saturday 29th May, (the lift down to the ice cave opens on 5th June.)  Reservations necessary !

The following huts are open: Grands-Mulets, Cosmiques, Torino (from Thursday 27th). Only the winter rooms are open in the other huts. (There is a risk of overcrowding, especially at the Argentière).

Due to the impressive amount of snow at the Emosson dam sector, ski touring is still possible there.  The same is true for the Aiguilles Rouges (Bérard valley), though some ski carrying is necessary.  

Likewise, some ski carrying is needed on the approach to the Albert 1er hut by the moraine and on the lower part of the Pierre à Ric to access the Argentière sector.

The only sector with regular activity is the Aiguille du Midi, thanks to the cable car. All the main, steep skiing  routes on the N and W faces are being done.  There is even a risk of overcrowding.  At this time of the year conditions can change drastically from one day to the next, not least due to the passage of other skiers and the strong May/June sun.  Keep something in reserve when nearing your level.  

There and back to the Col d'Entrèves or into the Maudite Cwm are good ideas for an outing at altitude, to make a few turns and get the red blood cells working.

The ladder down to the Toula glacier is closed and its use forbidden.

The Cosmiques ridge, Pointe Lachenal there and back (or even the traverse,) and the Laurence ridge are feasible. As has often been the case in recent years, the Tacul Triangle looks very bare, (grey ice.) Likewise, the descent by the Tacul normal route does not look inviting. Once the snow cover stabilises it should be OK.  No information on the N face of the Maudit.

The approach to the Grands Mulets hut from the Plan de l'Aiguille was re-traced on Tuesday 25th May.   On Wednesday, there was an attempt on Mont Blanc (probably ended at the Vallot due to the wind)  by the plateaus. (It looks like a serac fall has cut across the track at the level of the little Plateau).  The N ridge of the Dôme is not tracked and does not look good, (still with ice and heavily windblown snow).  From the tunnel, the skiing starts at the old cable car station.

For anyone thinking of doing Mont Blanc by the Goûter, expect winter conditions with a lot of snow. The snow starts at the Bellevue and just above the Are chalets.  The approach to the Tête Rousse hut remains complicated, (in effect an alpine route). The huts plan to open on the 1st June (Tête Rousse) and 2nd June (Goûter).

There has been no change in the options for hikers. Generally, it is necessary to remain below 2000m.  Check this list of suggestions.