Skiing the Vallee Blanche, Chamonix
The Vallee Blanche is a renowned high altitude off-piste ski decent, in the middle of the French Alps. I was on a guided tour with Chamonix Guides. Stepping off the Aiguille du Midi cable car at 3,778m, a panoramic banquet blows you away. A short trek with crampons and your away into the Mount Blanc massif itself...
Olivier Larios - our Mountain Guide for the day
Lunch break with views
After a quick assessment of our skiing, Olivier led us down a more challenging decent initially before re-joining the Classic Route, continuing with forays into blue ice canyons, mini-challenges and a rest break at a mountain hut... in hot sunshine!! Caught up with Rob, (whom we'd met ice climbing in Cogne before Xmas), also enjoying refreshments at les Mottets hut.
Having shredded my legs the previous day skiing Grande Montets hard, the phrase 'skiing the Vallee Blanche' can be taken as 'descended the Vallee Blanche as best as I was able' : )
We had a great group of folk (much more experienced than me), to whom i'm much indebted.
We had a great group of folk (much more experienced than me), to whom i'm much indebted.
Skiing right down into Chamonix itself (a 2800m descent over 23km) finishing with the narrow forest challenge in mid-afternoon baking sunshine. Only a few of those breathtaking views are pictured here... we passed world class ice falls, crevasses, snowcapped peaks and untouched slopes... this trip has (literally) burnt a real desire to return even fitter and discover more of the 'high mountains'.
Looking forward to the next challenge!!
K
so many friendly folk, so many like minded people
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