I’ve booked a guide to do a couple of days alpine climbing around Chamonix, 4th and 5th July.
Can somebody advise though: for summer mountaineering do I need more by the way of clothing than (e.g.) what I’d survive on in UK winter? i.e. down jacket, good fleece, hat, gloves, etc?
If so, anybody fancy lending to me? 
you’ll get it back in Ailefroide. Consider it a sort of courier service, as I’m going down early.
UK winter stuff is more than adequate
Thanks Richard!
See you in Ailfroide
Hi Matt, would be very keen to try north couloir of The Barre (as you put on the spreadsheet). I have experience in snow and ice up high but nothing quite so steep or long so would be pushing my boundaries… if you can lead it I can second. Understand if you feel more comfortable with more experienced company of course.
Great, if it’s in condition it appears pretty straightforward and may even be a matter of moving together, we shall see. I will be bringing some ice screws and a short glacier rope.
Is anyone concerned about the bad weather forecast in Ailefroide? My friend just got back from a trip to France having failed to do any climbing because of rain, so I decided to check… French weather forecast sites are not looking optimistic, but also they don’t quite agree with each other. Anyone knows if they are trustworthy? I was looking at these sites:
http://www.meteofrance.com/previsions-meteo-france/vallouise/05290
https://www.météo.fr/vallouise
Accuweather looking much more positive. I’ve used them before in Spain and Austria and was usually pretty reliable.
Keep the faith.
We will be there tomorrow. Been very hot so far in Massif Central with no rain.
It’s unsettled throughout the Alps at the moment. Not unusual to get thunderstorms for some part of the week, it’s unfortunate that it’s happening the weekend you are heading out.
meteo.fr are usually OK in the short term, but 5 days out it will be very hard to predict a pattern of thunderstorms with any reliability. Basically I don’t think you can call it either way yet, but be prepared for some unsettled weather in the first part of the week.
so does it mean i should pack my puffy jacket even if I’m not planning to do anything alpine? it looks like it may be very stormy end of this week… maybe there is something like Messner’s mountain museum for the rainy day entertainment? or swimming in some lake/river?
Valerie and I in Sector 1 of Ailfroide campsite close to new toilet block and just off road to right
I’m the other side of the Écrins now and weather is very good. Had a thunder storm in the evening yesterday (fairly typical) but no rain in the day so far. Remaining optimistic!
Ok on Ailfroide side too
Superb over in Chamonix these last two days! Thunderstorms in the evening, but who cares about evenings. Next two days unsettled but after that supposed to be ok.
I need to decide which sleeping bag to take - lightweight, medium, or heavyweight - I was presuming the lightweight one, but now I am wondering; can anyone advise?
Reards
Peter
Medium I think Peter. It’s cool at night but not cold
5C comfort if that helps.
@Haszko; Do you mean you are on the right of road between the reception and the shops (as you look uphill)? i.e. the same side of the main river?
@PaulSagar - Paul; assuming it’s not raining the day we arrive - where can you leave my ropes so that we can get at them please? In the porch of a readily identifiable tent? (hint - that Union jack bunting might come in handy)
Packing now - excited!
