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In the previous diary I mentioned a weather front that was due do bring some snow. The front didn't disappoint and I had a fantastic week towards the end of February. So, what might happen in an average week after snow?
It can take a while for the various ski stations in the Chamonix Valley to get up and running after receiving some fresh snow - previous and current weather and many other considerations all playing a part. We often have to play a combined waiting and guessing game - what will open when? Where is everyone else going to be heading and jamming the lifts? To be honest, it can be a real pain... |
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I'm really lucky that I seem to hang out with people who generally guess right! So my great week began on Sunday with a couple of runs from the mid station of the Brevent area right down to town. The snow cover down to the Valley floor is rarely sufficient or in such good condition. In these first two shots, Dan and Al are on our second run. The weather was still pretty grotty - so getting amongst the trees is always the way to go.
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Powder smiles all round. Damon, in the middle, is over in Geneva for a while; he normally skis Whistler - so it was nice to be able to show him some decent Chamonix conditions - especially considering how poor January panned out to be. Dan and Christine, over from the UK, couldn't have timed a long week end trip here any better. |
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With the wind showing no sign of settling the telecabine operators decided to not let any more people onto the mountain - I guess worried about getting the people already up there back down at the end of the day. So it was off to the other end of the valley and an afternoon at Le Tour. With everyone else saving their legs for the days ahead, myself and Mark met up with some others at Le Tour. Again with limited options on the upper area we hit some of the mid station to base off piste areas - as with Brevent, rarely in such great condition.
Mark, "Exuberant" Dave, Sally, Wayne and Philippe check our options - left, right or straight on? You can just about make out Chamonix back down the valley. |
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Exuberant just getting into the nice sections of the front side down to the base of Le Tour. Dave is an occasional Cham-boy after deciding a career in the UK was more important... |
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Monday, and the weather was picking up nicely. After some debate of what might open and to the best advantage, we headed back to Le Tour in the hope that the "backside chair" would open. It certainly did and I'm afraid for the first hour or two we were too busy grabbing freshies to take too many photos. Once we'd settled down a bit, out came the camera - Clare cruising in with Les Drus behind in the centre of the shot. |
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Mark having fun. Although still really fresh, you can see the snow is already fairly consolidated - this side of Le Tour is always pretty wind-affected. As you go further round to the leeward areas and into the trees below, the snow was still nice and deep :) |
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What did you get up to on your weekend? Dan checking a few options as we get into the trees. You can see the Emosson Dam behind - "the one James Bond bungied off". |
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Tuesday - a true blue sky day and a great ski down the Pas de Chevre. Figuring that most of the easily accessible stuff around the valley would be fairly tracked by now we decided on something a bit more adventurous. We haven't even got going and the smiles are large - good days. Great to have Breezy along with us - while being lucky to have lots of people to ski and ride with, the down side is there are a lot of them I don't get to enjoy the mountains with often enough. |
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There are three main routes down the Pas de Chevre - the Classique, the Central Couloir and the Rectiligne Couloir - we elected to ski the Classic. All three have interesting sections which usually involve negotiating steep, narrow and rocky pitches. Christine and Dan look on as Breezy heads into the first of these on the Classique route. You can see Chamonix way down below us. |
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After getting through the more interesting sections it was time for some great skiing - a real pleasure to watch each other go. |
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The Pas de Chevre exits onto the Mer de Glace, where you can either catch the Montenvers Tram back to town or ski out when the track out is in condition. One way out to the track includes passing through an interesting wind carved ice cave. |
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Wednesday - and another blue sky. Another friend, Rob, had the day off from ski instructing and was keen to escape the February crowds and get some exercise that didn't involve side stepping up a beginner's slope... It was back to the Brevent and a short tour up the Aiguille Pourrie. Its possible to boot pack up the whole way - but as we had them with us, we decided to throw on the skins for the first part of the climb. |
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But the skinning didn't last long and it was skis on the shoulder or pack not long after reaching the Col du Cornu. Rob and Christine on the early part of the boot pack with a snow covered Lac Cornu below. |
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After negotiating the steep entry off the Aiguille we were treated to some fantastic skiing - the snow on the predominately north facing slope in great condition. Given the turns we'd had earlier in the week we were happy enough to let Rob get first tracks - he's already safely out in the Combe as Mark heads down. |
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Really like this shot. Rob was keen to see what lay over the back of where they are approaching - not much as it turned out - but what a view. The Grand Montets with the Aiguille Verte capped in cloud but the Drus clear above the guys. |
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On Thursday it was time for a real tour. A hugely popular excursion is from various points out of the Flegere area and over into the Berard valley and various routes down. One of the most popular routes is the Col de Berard. I much prefer a slight deviation that eventually brings you to the Breche de l'Aiguille de Berard. Al is only a couple of switch backs away from the Breche and as you can see - another beautiful day to be up in the mountains. |
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I have to say, this was the highlight of an awesome week - fresh tracks all the way down the valley. Pitch... |
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...after pitch... |
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...after pitch ;) |
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After a break on Friday it was back up and beyond the Col du Cornu with Al and Rob for more of exercise and an explore than anything else. This shot is looking back along our route from almost our furthest point. |
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Rob breaking trail with Al behind - never looks as exposed on a photo... |
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Both Al and I more than happy to let Rob get some exercise. Unfortunately the boot pack didn't really lead anywhere without needing some extra kit and so it was back the way we had come. |
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Al scopes out the options part way into our decent. I think we came in off the Col des Lacs Noirs. |
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As we didn't get quite to where we'd vaguely planned, the snow we ended up skiing had been fairly sun affected - but wasn't terrible and not a bad end to a fantastic week. |
