UKH

Does anyone have any information about the current state of this route?  

from UKC logbooks:

Dec 2018

A bit hairy getting onto the glacier with full winter conditions but sheltered sufficiently once on the ridge proper. Still a little choss after the massive rockfall but nothing appeared loose and we downclimbed where the abseils used to be. Finished more to the left side of the ridge up some cool chimneys around Scottish 3. First Chamonix alpine classic and at altitude

Mar 2019

First time since the huge rock fall last year, the front ‘face’ of the chimney abseil has completely gone! The bolts are still on the back face that you abseil from but it’s definitely more exposed now. As this was a winter ascent there is quite a lot of snow, which actually helps where the rock fall was, I think it will be much more difficult in summer when it’s dry.......!

Many thanks for your reply.

I've done the Cosmiques more times than I care to mention so I speak from experience.  I used to use it as an exit from the Vallee Blanche, both roped and solo, in preference to that tedious arete.  On most occasions queues formed at the abseil point but it was always possible to avoid them by traversing right and back left to arrive just after the bottom of the abseil.  I would be surprised if this option was affected by any rockfall.

Al

The ab is in the same place as before but 1.5m below and same length. From someone who does it all the time, ex Pghm".

As mentioned above the huge block that made up the lower portion of the abseil chimney has gone and left a small and currently chossy ledge. The first lower/rap/downclimb is the same as before to the flat of the ridge and there is currently a red fixed rope in place from a large rope sling on a block to a lower bolted anchor (2 unlinked bolts with maillons) to rap from. (Old anchor visible 3m above) The rope sling on the block is showing signs of wear already and is worth checking. Two weeks ago when snowy this traverse was straightforward without the rope. Last week the ridge was dry here and the short traverse to the rap point is quite chossy and requires care. There is a maillon from the rope sling but a rappel from here (20-25m) takes you over a chossy ledge and would be ill-advised. From the new rappel point a short easy rap takes you into the snow gully as per the original. Currently with snow cover a 30m rope is fine, later in the season when this gully dries out a longer rope would be beneficial. Given the popularity of the route i expect it will clean up pretty fast. Cheers.

Thanks for all the helpful replies