UCPA Chamonix Evasion Vallee Blanche - Ski Level?

A snowHead

Hi all,

I'm wondering if anybody had done this course or knew what the UCPA standard 'Advanced' is like? Almost all of their off-piste courses are listed as 'expert', however this seems to be a little lower.

Copied from the AO site;

"Level Required:
Advanced
You are a competent and confident skier. You can ski all pistes, changing your technique between large carved turns and smaller, tight turns when required. You are perhaps less comfortable in more difficult conditions such as deep powder, bumps or very icy conditions. You should have experience skiing off piste and are comfortable pushing your skiing and trying more difficult off piste areas.
The Vallee Blanche is 20km of unpisted descent on a glacier. It requires skiers to have a good level of fitness and strength as well as a good level of skiing on and off piste. It is not a very steep or technical descent however snow conditions can make it more challenging and being on a glacier the group must be able to follow a precise line only stopping in places outlined safe by the guide."

I'm thinking of doing this on the 28th of Feb - is anybody considering the same?

Thanks!

A snowHead

Just to add - I have not done an off piste course previously, but find myself doing small runs down from pistes on most trips, and am comfortable on all but tricky blacks. I am fit and adventurous.

Do you think this trip sounds about right?

Many thanks.

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

@capability, it does say you should be comfortable with more difficult off piste. It sounds like they expect a high standard including tricky blacks.

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Perhaps, however the VB, I have heard, is a pretty easy run that most red run skiers can do successfully? When I say tricky blacks, I guess I mainly mean icy, which is what they list as 'you finding less comfortable'.

It is a tricky decision, I don't want to be put off by the wording that perhaps may be there to deter people who really aren't ready for such a thing, on the other hand, I don't want to be chucked into a course with some pretty extreme routes.

From seeing footage of the VB, I personally would not call it extreme, and would be totally comfortable. So if the rest of the course is at that level then I think I'd be fine.

Thanks

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

As long as you can handle the "rope-together" walk at the start, the Vallee Blanche is fine. But it is long and starts very high - beware of oxygen debt, because the cable car travels up an amazing distance from Cham.

Make sure your group has enough time to acclimatise (sp?) at the top of A du M - and adjust to the altitude before setting off. And never hesitate to call the group to a halt if you need a break.

Lastly - save an energy gel or a mars bar for the exit - a bit of a climb out - tiring at the end of a big day.

Above all, savour it! Enjoy

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

A great help guys! Thanks.

I assume that the rest of the week would be of a similar difficulty, therefore I am going to book! Very Happy

Very excited!

After all it is free

If you are booking with AO try changing the currency to euros on the booking page. You may be pleasantly surprised and of course don't forget the discount code. If that doesn't work look at UCPA's own website.

As for level, it sounds like the old off piste guided week which used to include a couple of descents of the VB. Standard can be variable it just depends on who has booked that week, sometimes it is very high, sometimes fairly mediocre and they used to have 2 or 3 groups so they can put similar ability people together. On the Monday they assess everyone and a few get bumped down and some get lifted up so I would say go for it, the worst that will happen is the walk of shame on Monday morning. If in doubt speak to the people at AO, they are very friendly and helpful.

One word of warning, when I did UCPA guided descents of VB we did the harder variants so don't assume it will be the easy classic route. It may be a bit more challenging than you think but the guide will take you down the route that he knows you are capable of.

@Dorset Andy, brilliant tip on the euro thing, I saw that in another thread, it may have been yours(?). I saved about £100 by doing this!! Didn't know there was a discount code though Sad

That's possible with the standard. I did contemplate the worst case scenario that you kindly reminded me of Wink

Sometimes you've just got to do things though I guess. We'll see!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Valley Blanche (the main variant) is not a difficult descent at all. I was an intermediate skier when I did it the first time and it was my first "proper" off-piste experience. The main challenge there is following someone's tracks and not stoping when you want to but only when/where you are told to. And arete the first time was frankly scary, even walking on crampons with a good grip on snow the drop is very dramatic. A very good day out. Other variants are more challenging but I don't think guides will take you somewhere where they think you'll have a problem.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I'm glad you saw my previous post about paying in euros. I got a bit battered by some of the grumpier snowheads and was regretting posting it. The discount code is only 12 euros so no great loss.

You will have a great time.

snow reports

Sounds like you will be fine, and as others have said there is 'harmonisation' on day 1 anyway.

@alex99 +1
There a 2 shortish pitches (one near the start, and one near the alpage where you can get lunch), which are simlilar to an easy red.
The vast majority is like a nice blue, and there is a long straight flattish bit before you get to the and of the classic section.
The only hard bit after that is hiking up 10 minutes if you decide to ski all the way back to Cham instead of taking the train.

You know it makes sense.

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

Sorry to crash your thread, but I have read a few others on the Vallee Blanche here through genuine curiosity and I can't get my head around the Arete. Ok crevasses and seracs (not), but that thing just shouts NO at me.

A snowHead

It's not that bad. Roped and everything.

A snowHead

I always thought it would be useful to have an online video with samples of the skiing for different levels. Peoples assessment of their own levels varies mildly and ones persons modest 'im not bad' is often far better than anothers fully 'Jack Wills'd' geared up ' yah, im bloody amazing'

I remember that i have seen a video at Action Outdoors / UCPA centres of the levels that they show on the arrival day to help people work out their level. It was really useful and no amount of words could give the same info. Maybe that is available online somewhere ! Smile

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ACTION OUTDOORS £10 DISCOUNT CODE 2015 - DLC2015. Its not a lot but it all helps Little Angel

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

The arrete really is not that bad. Its scariness is frankly over-hyped on here and some other forums.

The classic VB is scary if you think of the crevasses but not difficult at all. The last few km is very flat - so flat that if you stop you may have to walk / pole along for a fair way.

Great scenic run, though.

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Old thread but just to contribute to information accumulation: I've skied with quite UCPA a lot. The advanced group is normally just right for me, but I would say that the standard at Argentiere, and closely followed by Chamomix is generally a little higher than elsewhere. Depends on the group of course, but those two centres are pretty popular with the swedes, deity-like skiers with huge kahunas. If you're a little uncertain, the next group is normally doing pretty similar stuff but at a more relaxed pace and with a little more time spent on technique. People often get shuffled about as mentioned about too.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Hi all.

Sorry to pick up on an old thread but it was the most recent that I could find relating to the VB.

Three of us are very keen to ski it in December this year - the questions that I had are (i) do we need to book in advance and (ii) is there any choice of who to book with (and if so who would you all recommend!)?

All thoughts gratefully received.

Thanks in advance!

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Hi @Hurtygenou, December is a risky month for a trip to the VB - I would not book anything now - if it snows lots you will be fine and should be able to pick up a guide and cable car tickets without too much problem. For what it's worth I would hang fire much closer to the time.

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

I'd definitely recommend waiting, I ended up cancelling flights to Geneva last December and going to Andorra due to lack of snow in France.

After all it is free

Thanks for the quick replies!

The rationale behind looking to book was that we are already staying in Combloux between Christmas and New Year and looking for something to do. We were concerned that, if we left it too last minute, we might find that (if there is only one place you can hire guides from) they might all be booked out...

Sounds like that should not be too much of an issue though!

@Hurtygenou, it may be busy just because of dates. Biggest problem is that conditions, i.e. snow bridge formation might not be up to "opening" it.

but if you booked a guide now, they'll certainly find you something fun to do on the day.

Help!!

UCPA Chamonix Evasion Vallee Blanche - Ski Level?

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