Tour du Mont Blanc 2016 Updates
As the Tour du Mont Blanc season begins, we wanted to keep you updated with weather conditions and need to know information. A pre-departure Webinar was hosted on Friday 10th June which covered the most up to date information we had on snow levels, as well as a few of your questions. If you were unable to make the webinar date, it can now be viewed on our YouTube page in its entirety. At the beginning of the season there was a lot more snow than normal, however conditions have been improving day by day. Some of our early season clients have said that conditions have been good and they've had a great time! Here are the up to date conditions, as of the 19th of July: While the snow has disappeared from most parts of the trail, it should be noted that there is still some considerable snow coverage on the Col du Fours route towards the Refuge les Mottets. This variant should only be followed in good weather conditions and as such it is currently strongly recommended that this route be avoided. Instead, we advise that all walkers follow the standard TMB down into Les Chapieux. For those staying in Les Mottets there is a shuttle bus that operates between Les Chapieux and the Refuge, the timetables can be found on the following website: http://www.lesarcs.com/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/Horaires_navettes/ete16/horaires_BF_chapieux_ete_2016.pdf As of 7th July: One of our clients has kindly updated us on the Col du Fours path to Mottets: there is lots of snow there at the moment, so they wouldn't recommend it to those who are faint of heart or inexperienced, crampons were unnecessary but trekking poles with snow saucers were a must. They also recommended GPS as the way down on the trail was harder to find. There is an easier alternative to the Col du Fours (following the normal TMB) which we recommend if you are not too sure about doing the tougher variant. As of July 6th: The high temperatures of this beginning of July are progressively by melting snow also at altitude. Nevertheless, the three high passes of the TMB are still partially covered with snow, but the trails are well marked and obvious; however, pay attention especially in the early morning. Pay attention when crossing the streams: the amount of water is significant, so it is sometimes difficult to cross the rivers without getting wet feet, as in the case of the stream between the refuge Les Mottets and the Col de la Seigne. As of July 4th: High temperatures of these days are melting the snow sometimes still present on the paths. At the main passes (Bonhomme, Croix du Bonhomme, Col de la Seigne, Grand Col Ferret) the snowfields are well-marked but we recommend to be careful if you have to walk there early in the morning when the snow is harder. The variant "Fenêtre d'Arpette" begins to be walked: there is still snow on the side Arpette / Champex where we recommend extreme caution when crossing the snow bridges over the waterways. As of July 1st: Focus Italian side: Val Ferret - the bridge over the stream Arminaz (between Bonatti and Bertone refuges) was placed last week, there are still two snowfields along the section Bonatti - Chalet Val Ferret but do not create any major problems (attention do anyway). Among the Chalet Val Ferret and Elena Hut it is recommended to follow the road to avoid the rather steep snowfields that are on the classical path. The ascent to the Grand Col Ferret is still pretty snowy but the track is quite evident. Val Veny - the Col de La Seigne still has a number of snow-covered areas; the Casermetta Espace Mont Blanc is now open to the public. Refuge Lac Blanc have said that there is still snow on the ground but that it is clearing more and more everyday. As of June 26th: The Office de Haute Montagne have said that it is best to avoid Col de Fours at the moment. As of June 15th: In the area Les Contamines - Col du Bonhomme / Croix du Bonhomme (F) there is still a lot of snow on the way from Jovet Plan (1900m). The whole climb to the pass is on snowfields but the track is quite evident. From the Col du Bonhomme to the Refuge de La Croix du Bonhomme you walk in the snow, but the path is well marked; on the contrary, the variant of the Col des Fours is still difficult and not recommended. Remember to get equipped with good boots, crampons and trekking poles. As of June 13th: The TMB begins to be walked regularly but all the passes are still covered with snowy. Boots, gaiters, sticks and crampons are strongly recommended.IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
1. Early season snow/neve In early season (mid-June to mid-July) there will be snow present on the higher passes this can make the route difficult and dangerous in places. There is currently more snow than we would normally expect at this time of year and as of the 8th of June 2016 the official website reported the trail conditions as follows: "The snow on the path of the TMB is still present in considerable quantity above 1800/2000 meters and some area remains difficult to access." The first trekkers began walking along its paths; however, it is strongly recommended to get equipped (crampons necessary and possibly rope and lightweight ice axe). Focus on the French side: The track on the snow has been made, but we strongly recommend proper footwear, crampons and poles! Focus Swiss side: In the area "Alpage de Bovine", the channel on the side of Trient is still covered with snow, it is advisable to get around it from above. At the Grand Col Ferret there is still a lot of snow, be extremely careful and we do not recommend the way to those unfamiliar with the area." You can check the latest trail conditions online here: http://www.autourdumontblanc.com/en/index.cfm/general-conditions.html At this point we expect conditions to be challenging (considerable snow fields) over the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (2443m), Col de la Seigne (2516m), Grand Col Ferret (2537m) and Fenetre d' Arpete (2665m). We have spoken to various accommodations this week to get an accurate picture of the snow conditions currently on the mountain: Refuge Lac Blanc (2352m) - Hikers do not need crampons, only gaiters and sticks, some snow on the way as there has been lots of snowfall this year. Rifugio Elisabetta (2195m) - Tuesday was the first day of walking on Col de la Seigne, the snow is beginning to melt. Rifugio Bonatti (2025m) - Snow is all gone, there is no more mud and it is dry. The snow is melting quickly. Hotel du Bois (1007m) - There is still quite a lot of snow above 2000m. Col du Trico (Bellevue side) has got some snow left, however there is no snow left on the Chalet du Truc side. Col du Bonhomme has got snow either side as has Col de la seigne. We would strongly recommend guests wear waterproof shoes and light crampons and poles as back up for crossing the pass. Gite Bon Abri (1400m) - There is snow on high altitude but it is warming up at the moment. Here everything is green with hikers coming every day.


INFORMATION TO MAKE YOUR TRIP RUN SMOOTHLY
1. Maps, guidebooks, pre-departure information & self guided trips Please ensure that you take your supplied Cicerone Tour du Mont Blanc guidebook, IGN 1:25 000 maps x 2 - St Gervais & Chamonix (which we suggest that you mark the route on prior to starting) and pre-departure information pack with you to the start of your trip. (If you forget these you can purchase the maps in Chamonix)
As this is a self-guided trip there is no briefing on arrival, we offer only telephone support. Please ask any questions at the above webinar or before you leave home. Guide books, route cards, maps and any additional information supplied by us are for guidance only. When undertaking a self-guided trek you are expected to have a good level of navigational and map reading skills and be able to risk assess and make your own judgment to ensure your own and your groups safety. All information is supplied to the best of our knowledge, times and distances quoted are approximate & based on an average walking pace, they do not make allowances for different walking speeds and stop/rest time. All the information provided is intended as a guide and not as a substitute for mountain experience and navigational skills. 2. Baggage Transfer Baggage transfer is an optional extra on this trip. If you have booked baggage transfer it will be indicated as a line on your confirmation invoice. Please check this in advance of travel and contact us immediately if you would like to book baggage transfer for your group. If you have booked baggage transfer leave your bag (maximum of one 15kg bag per person) clearly marked with your name and the name of the lead booker at your hotel before 9:00AM on the first morning you start walking.
