Trip: Chamonix, Sun, Snow & Touring

Chamonix at its best, sun snow and big scenery. Jo in the Vallee Blanche

The Haute Savoi delivered as ever, Jo and I had a quick break in search of snow heading to the Chamonix area. We timed it perfectly arriving after a good top up of snow and a week of sunshine and clear skies forecast. Staying in St Gervais Les Bains just down the valley we picked and chose some great days. Here are a couple of the highlights.

Coming down through the Sera's Du Geant area on the VB

Vallee Blanche from the Italian side and the Skyway:

Although a route we have done before the Vallee Blanche offers such a good descent through awe inspiring terrain we had to have another run, especially given the good snow and blue sky day. We headed up to the Italian side accesing the run from the spectacular Skyway Monti Bianco lift. We had planned on a coffee at Torino hut with its superb views across the Italian side of Mont Blanc but it was shut for now so it was straight to it. Although a descent there are numerous options and each time we have gone down we have done a similar thing skiing to just below the Gross Rognon and then putting skins on and heading back up. This time back up the other side to the Col du Midi on the French side. We stopped just by the Point Lachenel. From there its down through the icefall and big ice blocks of the Sera’s Du Geant and across the Salle a Manager. This drops you onto the glacier Tacul and out on to the Mer Du Glace.

It was fairly steep and mogul’y through here but as ever a spectacular back drop with the icefall tipping away to your side and being ever conscious of whats under the snow below you with regard holes. Of which Jo spotted the perfect trap as we came through the chutes at bottom shouting crevasse. Two small holes at the foot of a mogul suggested something deep lay just below, perhaps just one hard turn on top might send you to an unpleasant end. I would imagine its often misjudged and with so many heading through that its not to serious. While it appears tracked and plenty of people passing through people do seem to regularly fall into crevasses. I think there is a common misconception that its an easy ski. While the easiest and probably most popular line isn’t that steep there is a long way to go and over pretty varied terrain snow types and not always friendly ones. Then there are the hidden dangers lurking below your feet and also from above with regard avalanches. So although you can get access pretty easily if a little expensive you do need a remit of skills from mountaineering ones to good skiing ability along with the legs for a long day of turns. My one top change from this descent I shall make is to not make the detour to the Requin hut as by the time you have traversed out to it and then back into the icefall you miss quite a bit of fun atmospheric skiing by the Geant Icefall and yo save quite a bit of cash to.

As ever though a super run and holds a high reputation for being one of the best ski descents in the world and rightly so.

Jo coming through the worryingly named 'Combe Du Mort' with the Col and Monastery above

Col Grand San Bernard Monastery Tour

Being out of the valley and also with an awkward flight time at the end we decided to hire a car which was well worth it as it means flexibility and some further afield options. Its often easy to get caught up in the Chamonix effect that you should be on the higher obvious things like the Grand Montet but that would be to miss some great other things around and out of the valley. I have often seen people doing a day tour to the Col Grand Saint Bernard Monastery over in Switzerland. The col sits between Switzerland and Italy which in the summer months is a popular high drive but in the winter completely snows and the road line more or less becomes the ski route.

Parking before the tunnel we headed up the old summer road although you might not tell there was a road at times. This is also a perfect avalanche trap and you can see where the name ‘Combe des Mort’ comes from winding up through it. A steep sided valley flanked by steep slopes and perfect slab building terrain. A slightly Scottish feel to the day with a strong headwind met us as we wound up past the odd building and up to the monastery. We had an explore around the top of the col and over to the Italian side before heading into the immaculate monastery for coffee and cake. Although on a day trip you can stay here overnight and certainly looking around the hills and map there would be some good touring higher up and fun descents to and from the col. The descent was a little rough with flat light and choppy snow but certainly a quick rattle back to the car with a strong following wind. I would highly recommend this tour.

Night touring with some golden hour light on Mont Blanc

Night tour at Les Communailles, Mont Joux

Being in a new area Jo had done a little research into different things on offer in the area and one was some evening ski rando (touring) options at the Les Communailles area above Saint Gervais. This involved using some piste and side country making a loop on Mont Joux. Its very much not allowed to be on the Alpine piste after the lifts shut as thats when the piste machines get on with the grooming and has some hidden dangers if you ignore this which I once did having a very lucky escape. A long time ago a friend Jim and I went up the Grand Montet on ski’s descending below the Petit Verte from the lift with the intention of climbing the Frendo Ravenel on the Grand Montet Ridge. We failed on it a couple of pitches in but not wanting to come away empty handed we did the much easier Chevalier Couloir and descended to our skis just as dark was approaching and continued down to the glacier and out to the pistes. I was coming down the Pierre Ric which brings you to the bottom in the dark when I rounded the main big bend I could see the piste machine and swung out to give it plenty of space when loads of shouting and beeping kicked off and in the light of my head torch I saw a cable. I crashed to the ground before I hit it and slid under it and off the side of the piste. After much more shouting from the machine and pretty and rightly so angry shouting I carried on. The machines attach to ground anchors and a cable and then work down the steep slopes grooming and you would chop your head off if you hit them. Although I wasn’t aware of this serious danger at the time I am now its pretty much forbidden in law to be on the piste after the lifts shut.

However we where allowed on this one which is open twice a week from five till nine for tourers to get out and enjoy. Winding up the sun was setting and the backdrop of Mont Blanch was spectacular giving views across the whole range. From the top of Mont Joux the views where pretty huge across the Mont Blanc and Travis range. The snow was a little patchy and I think must have got quite wet during the day as it was a pretty icy run down.

Clear skies and good snow at the head of the Chamonix Valley

We had some other tours around the back bowls at Le Tour and also a really nice short morning above Megeve. Coming down though in the sun the snow was getting pretty wet and heavy. It could do with a top up for the resorts but high up the snow is great and with plenty of it for the high touring season. As ever it's always sad to leave but I am sure we shall be back again. A smooth run back to Inverness and passing through Drumochter it doesn’t look like there will be much late season ski ‘rando’ in the Cairngorms this spring. There is always next year though. We shall now be getting set for the spring and hopefully dry rock and scrambling in the mountains soon.

Until next time............