US Skier looking for Guide/Partners in Mid-May (17 or 18)

A snowHead

Hello fellow UK pow-hounds,

After a dismal snow season here in Northern CA the highlight of my 2013 skis season
looks like it will be the few Pow days I got earlier this year and the possibility of an
ascent of some amazing route on Mont blanc.

I will be in the valley from May 16-19, and I'm looking for a group to join or form for May 17 or 18.

I think that I need to try and tag onto a group in order to keep the cost within my
budget. I'm amazed that people pay ~350 EU for a private guide to take them down the Vallee
Blanche. I'm not complaining, just amazed, nor will this deter me from getting my ski fix while in
valley, but I figured I should continue to use the resources available to try and reduce the cost and form/find
a group if I can.

More general questions:

I'm coming the week after lifts close, I'm interested in what Cham will be like,
does it turn into a ghost town? will it be mostly locals?

If for some MAGICAL reason it dumps the week the lifts close, do they keep open longer
after the May 12 close day?

Who do I have to buy beer/bribe to take me down the Vallee Blanche out of the kindness of their heart?
(had this happen in Jackson Hole WY when my guide decided he "liked" me)

Which rental outfit has the best gear? Big fan of Scarpa ski boots

Lastly;

Who wants to ski with a Yankee who can give you all the beta you need when you decide
to make the venture across the pond? I've skied in almost every state in the US with skiing available,
I'm from "NEW" England, I thrash pillows and eat gnar for breakfast, and maple syrup runs thick
through my veins. Who wants to have pint after a kick ass run? I love the mountains and I want
to meet people over in Cham who have the same mindset.

Cheers

-James

me having some fun in my element

A snowHead

Hi James,

First off, the reason for the 350€ here in Europe to be a guide you need to be qualified, unlike in the USA where most guides are NOT qualified - to put it in Perspective, when I did and AMGA ski guide course I was the only person who hadn't been working for years as a guide before starting to gain qualifications - the same was true on my level 2 Avalanche Course! Getting qualified takes years and in many countries costs $50K+ so 350€ is not unjustified in any way.

When the Ski areas closed Chamonix does not become a ghost town, it is a real town first, sightseeing destination second, Mountaineering Mecca third and Ski resort is probably forth - To most of us living here the 12th means if you want to ski in Argentiere you have to walk further, the Aiguille du Midi gets busier overnight for obvious reasons.

No unfortunately they are too lazy to keep the lifts open any longer - Courmayeur is closing this coming weekend - When they have the best snow of their season!

For the vallee blanch you Could stick your neck out and just follow the hoards or join one of the many groups - will cost you €60-€70 euros instead of €350, Depends on the days conditions how dangerous making it up as you go along is.

Rental gear, depends on what you need - at that time of year there will be less choice but for High end gear (or at least higher costs) Snell Sports (www.cham3s.com) for cheap and cheerful Technique Extreme

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Thank you so much Idris!

By no means am I downplaying the training or experience of registered guides. I think my question/comment was poorly stated and over emphasized the cost (as I would assume most Americans do when talking on this subject). I'm more interested in the price scheme. 320-350 seems to be a standard price across all the guiding companies in the valley and i wonder why there appears to be less competition in pricing, especially to do the vallee blanche? I apologize and feel contrite for even bringing it up, please don't take any offense, I respect the mountains and the people who make their living from taking people safely up and down.

I have also never had an uncertified/unqualified guide here in the US for the tours I've done outside of my home mtns here in CA, and I hope you have not experienced that either, and I apologize if you have. Shady practices like that are not condoned and in the end hurt people who are responsibly guiding and the people looking to go outside the gates safely.

The cost of the adventure is of no matter to me. How to effectively achieve the experience and life-long dream of skiing/climbing on Mont Blanc is what I am here trying to get information about.

My wife on the other hand is the budget master of our trip, so through her requests I've been trying to nail down what this adventure potentially will cost. Which as I learn more and more about seems to vary widely from possibly being 200 EU to all the way up to 700 EU

Could you please elaborate further on: "or join one of the many groups - will cost you €60-€70 euros instead of €350"
are you saying if I ride the cable car up and stand at the boundary gate and just ask as groups/guides pass I might be able to jump in with a group for 60-70 EU?

Thank you so much for your help

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Guides listed here.

http://www.chamonet.com/ski/guides.html

You will need to arrange the guide in advance, they will provide any specialised kit, eg transceiver, harness. In addition to the guides fee of 50-60 euro you need to budget for the lift pass at aprox 52 euro.

More info here

http://www.chamonet.com/ski/area/vallee-blanche-ski-area.html

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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^^ Funsponge.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Jamezmc, are you on acid, ecstacy, or crystal meth, or is their some new Californian hallucinogenic we ought to be watching out for?

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Jamezmc, the dates you are going all the lifts but the midi will be closed down. The midi is quite different from almost anything in the world. You arrive right on the top of the mountain, a rocky peak. Access to the skiing which is all on a glacier and therefore potentially dangerous is via an airy arête. Once you get on the lift you are on your own, a guide must be arranged in advance. The 50 v 350 is achieved because the guide will put a group together of 6 or more skiers, HOWEVER you will be out of season so many operations will be closed down. I would strongly advise you to sort the guide out well in advance if you can. I would also urge you to do it as its fantastic and well worth the cost of a couple of meals out.

PS Welcome to snowheads and don't worry if the folk on here take the pi55 it means they like you, you could go easy on the awesomes and the dudes, but I wouldn't bother. Very Happy

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Crikey, give the poor chap a break. He's only asking some questions.

James, if I was out, I'd have love to help but, a. I'm neither an expert skier nor an expert on Chamonix and b. you're one of them boarder dudes. wink

Chamonix is special and much as I hate all the walking around, when I hit the snow, there's always a big smile on my face. aWhatever happens, I hope you have a great time.

snow reports

Ha I'm loving this forum, plus you can't rile me with snarky comments, I'm weathered enough to take the crit

"aiiight yo" here's some more photos for Rishie, and pay closer attention, the top photo of me I'm on skis crushing a nice 10 foot drop (the look on my face is hilarious) and the second is me riding down Mt Hood on my snowboard after snow shoeing up right below the summit. After that run and trek I immediately decided ski touring was a much better approach to backcountry than snowshoeing with a board on my back, but I do both. I'll def be on skis in Cham

mid November this year at Kirkwood in pre-season pow (yes, the myth of Kirkwood's pow is true)

another AMAZING backcountry day on Mt Tallac

A loaded face I saw and purposely cut with a run out of over 75 feet

The look on my face

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Jamezmc, good skills chap. Thought they looked like skis but wasn't sure and anyway, what sort of fool skis and boards??? wink

Jokes aside, remember you're coming over at the end of the season so the snow might not be as great as you expect it to be.

A snowHead

There are a number of different routes down the Aiguille du Midi - the basic one is beautiful but very easy. So if you want an exciting skiing experience you need to jon a more advanced group. If they don't already know your standard this might be slightly more of a problem.
Sorry, I've only skied Chamonix with individual guides and our own group rather than a guiding company who put groups together so I can't help. Might it be worth emailing the tourist office or the guides' office and asking advice?

By the way, €360 would be a normal rate to hire a guide for a day - though demand for the Vallee Blanche may have hiked that up to being for one descent. A good skier could easily fit in 2 Vallee Blanche descents in a day, though few do.

Demand for the lift up means it has to be booked in advance (a guide would normally do this for you).
At that time of year you will be very unlikely to be able to ski right down to the village: you will ski to the stairs & lift tower on the left near the bottom of the glacier and then take the cog railway down.

If the other lifts are closed (I know nothing about what will be open) do you have skins to walk up at Argentierre (the best ski area of the valley)?

A snowHead

Jamezmc,

There are loads of clips on youtube ...... here are just a few. Others here know far more about French skiing/resorts than I ever will but everywhere offpiste in Europe is out of bounds and there are no lawyers to protect people from their own risk taking or stupidty. If you are doing a proper (difficult) route in difficult conditions (esp if visibility is limited) you are best getting a proper fully qualified guide.

http://youtube.com/v/FECQTK2he70

http://youtube.com/v/dDyeYA4chQY

http://youtube.com/v/mSEmYkirBoE

http://youtube.com/v/bipxH48EIUk

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

GREAT beta from everyone period.

Rishie No worries on the snow quality, I know theres a lot up there right now but there could quite a bit less before I roll into town. Thanks for the compliments!

Snowball your info is well received, yes I will certainly be renting skins, and your comment is making me wonder if Argentierre should be a goal or destination rather than the Valle Blanche? (heheh more internet research) If I was to start at the bottom of the lift at Argentierre would I be able to make an easy ascent of the main slope and take a run? I'd love to take my intermediate level wife on an easy tour (there's no way she can handle the exposure on the arete entering in the vallee blanche even though I keep hearing the slope is quite gentle, she would need to see it before she would decide to do it)

DB Thanks for the eye candy, deterring me from work and making me drool even further over the keyboard at the thought of potential lines down the hill

Some more from the archives Smile

Kirkwood dropping in on the "wave"

Grand Targhee ID (right over the pass from J-Hole) ANOTHER HIDDEN GEM

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

James, I've only been down the VB twice, once 'following the hordes', once guided. What I can say, is that I would pay the €350, take the wife and go for an easy cruise. It's an amazingly beautiful place and you wife will thank you for ever for including her.

There is plenty of GNAR, but relative to the vertical, the beauty and the effort to get out, it's not what I would seek in May. Your down on the tongue of the glacier in no time if you take a direct route and have a long hike over increasingly stony ice until you reach an exit. As Snowball says, a guide will need to witness your ability before taking you on the steeper routes and you may be lucky to find an 'advanced' group that late.

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You should have come to Chamonix in the Winter or early spring man. Get a guide or join a guided group for 1 run down VB at least maybe then consider a following the hordes approach. Its a dangerous place, loads of crevasses, terrain traps, sluff and slide spots and potential for hard falls onto rocks & ice. It doesn't matter how experienced or proficient you are, mountain sense is king there and there is always an element of risk even for guides. So ski carefully and arrive in season in future.

Your other option would be maybe to join a ski tour for a few days e.g. haute route, maybe even climb MB & ski down or other itineries. it would get you on the mountain each day anyway Smile

)

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Ah - just checked the OP's dates. I was working on a recollection of mid-April. It's mid-May... There ain't no resorts open. Go touring. Hope your wife likes mountain huts... Happy

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The irony of skimottaret criticising someone for being merkin is not entirely lost on me wink

Good stuff esp the U know my steez Targhee pic.

BTW mandatory colour schemes this side of the pond are bag o'skittles don't bring any of that shades if grey tedium if u want to sex up your subsequent TR.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

All you guys THANK YOU,

This is great info that is keeping me on track to figuring this all out. I also appreciate all the love for my photos, here's more. fatbob thats my old suit, I've gota little more pop now, just nothing worth showing you all from this season. I've got the guides info lined up and plan on using either;

www.chamonix-aventure.com
or
www.odyssee-montagne.fr

anyone had any experience with either of these co.s?

BOTTOMLESS

snow reports

Jamezmc, welcome to snowheads. Like your photos!! I have been skiing with a guy from colorado for a few months this season. Very good skier. Take a lookat the photos in my Les Arcs Winter facebook page if you are interested in seeing what we get up to over this side of the pond. I may well be in Cham at some point towards the end of the season or in May. Very Happy

Jamezmc, We've used Patrick at Chamonix Aventure for both winter and summer guiding in Chamonix and the Monte Rosa. We can speak very highly of his guiding skills. He's a really nice guy and it has certainly helped that he seems to know everyone on the lifts, in the huts, other guides etc. If you decide to use him I'm sure he will give you a really great experience but also make sure you stay safe. Here's wishing you an awesome holiday.

You know it makes sense.

Jamezmc, any chance you can get out a little earlier, GM is open until the 12th!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Op depending on your wife's ability you may find the valley blanche allittle timid, maybe get a guide for a day and do a quick run in thevb before lunch with a view to doing something steeper after lunch if conditions allow it? Alternatively join a group to minimize the cost for the vb then if conditions are good consider getting a private guide fora day for some other routes?

Will all depend on conditions I think

A snowHead

The main skiing in the Chamonix valley is at Argentierre but hardly any of it is easy. Most is above the first lift, but I can't see why you couldn't skin up the pistes if the lifts have stopped.
Shuttle buses go up and down the valley between the various areas. I don't know when they stop running the lifts at Argentierre. The various versions of the Pas de Chevre off piste run is the classic there, but even more than the basic Vallee Blanche needs a guide (you risk being stranded above a cliff lower down - quite apart from any avalanche risk at the top).
The main Vallee Blanche route is very easy off piste and when it hasn't snowed for quite a while becomes like a piste (but there can be one or two cravasses to avoid). Walking down the arete at the start is scary but if you have a guide he will rope you all together, so it isn't actually dangerous (perhaps he might even be persuaded to carry your wife's skis).

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I'm getting confused about SnowHeads - half the time people are recommending dropping off/into stuff I wouldn't touch with a bargepole and the rest they are calmly declaring anyone skiing down the VB without a guide is a sandwich or two short of a picnic.

1.) VB is a valley - it's a bit difficult to get lost
2.) everytime I have been up there it is manifestly clear which way everyone has been

I grant you it's good to get a guide due to the crevasse risk but at the end of the day it's no more dangerous than most off piste runs and a damn site safer than many. Why is it I have to argue like a loon about teams of twonks getting lost and 'travelling' head first down via ferrata in foul weather but as soon as someone hints about doing the VB without a guide it's like they suggested everybody has to learn snowboarding naked in January??

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On a sunny day with tracks you would be ok, provided you didn't get unlucky and fall into a crevasse, in which case no-one might see you, or care. Or presumably there's a risk you might follow the wrong tracks and end up going down the North face or something.

If the weather came in while you were there you could get in real trouble real easy. Its a high mountain environment, unless you're self sufficient in that environment you shouldn't go there without a guide. Plus avalanche risk etc.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

RattytheSnowRat, well, there are a very wide variety of skiers on Snowheads.

I'd certainly do the classic route without a guide but not most of the others.

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RattytheSnowRat, the OP made it clear he is not familiar with off-piste in the Alps. And he had in mind to engage local guide (either professional or otherwise). I think that makes the difference on the kind of advices given.

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Help!!

US Skier looking for Guide/Partners in Mid-May (17 or 18)

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