I'm plannig to visit Chamonix this year and am wondering when alpine ice routes there come into optimal condition? Is July a good bet?

-- Marcus Donaldson (alpine_66@hotmail.com), December 14, 1999

Answers

You will find that July is too late in the year for ice climbing. I was there this summer in June and some of the north faces were still do able but beging to disappear. You are best to go spring time April or May for good conditions.

-- Sandy Paterson (u03app@abdn.ac.uk), December 17, 1999.