 Poster: A snowHead
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Back from a road trip from barren Serre Che staying in Les Houches to meet up with friends there.
We skied Flégère in the morning and La Tour the afternoon on Tuesday after the recent heavy snowfall and scored good inter piste off piste.
Game plan was to be at the lift at 09:00 but faffing etc and we were not in the queue till 09:20 and still not on the actual lift till 10:10 I think - what happens when you ski with non powder hounds, they just don't get it. If we'd been there at 08:30 as I would normally have aimed for we would have scored 2hrs of untracked.
Then yesterday, Wednesday we planned a tour/hike as our friends have the sister of one of our dogs.
Our friends got nervous in that had no adequate insurance for ski touring, especially after an accident last season, so they opted for snow-shoeing.
I'd already identified a possible route from opposite Les Houches starting in Le Betty and climbing to Aiguillette des Houches.
The thing was I did not have my IGN mapping for the area on my phone so was having to deal with Open map software, was not really a problem as all the trails were clearly signposted and well-trodden by snow-shoes.
Our friends wisely left us and headed towards Chalets de Chailloux and game plan was to meet them there.
The climb was through the forest which did have us wondering how much skiing we'd get, but Google Earth (can't always trust maps) showed some good open country, the proof would be in the pudding.
We climbed up to Pierre Blanche and then the trail stopped, luckily two younger ski tourers came past and broke trail though they were not too sure of the exact route and in the forest, I'd lost my GPS signal so between us we went off route and probably made it harder for ourselves.
We eventually joined the route on the ridge and went into transition a couple of hundred mts below the summit as dogs were struggling and snow (S facing) was looking heavy, plus there was no way I was going to traverse to where our friends were as that would have been even less skiing.
As it happened snow was not too bad and the terrain was interesting with some nice rollers in the trees before descending into a wide gulley where there was cold snow due to the aspect.
And sure enough, which maps and Google earth do not show is that for the final part of the descent it was pretty intense combat skiing. I had to take my skis off once to crawl through some bushes/trees and OH went into freefall a couple of times getting skis caught, but she does bounce well 
We then rejoined the walking trail and that was interesting but luckily not too steep and snow soft and enough escape areas to the side if too much out of control.
Once back at the parking there was a group of six or seven Brit snowboarders who had ended up there having come off Brevent, they all live in Chamonix and along with another couple of Brit ski tourers/dog walkers (who only went to the Chalet), think at one point there were seven dogs in the parking, they were quite impressed as to the route and climb that we did.
Given the extra time it would have been great to get to the summit, but no complaints, just glad that our friends opted for snowshoes as skiing would have been way too tough for them, but I have been there seen it done it on snowboards.
There are not too many obvious "easy" ski tour routes in Chamonix valley if you look at a map, though obviously many an off the back, glacier etc if you know the area well or are with a guide.
Some pics
Before we went our separate ways
On our own
Nearing the transition
Not a bad line to be had
Getting a little difficult now, and having snowboarded for many a year did ask the snowboarders how they liked the bushes 
Time maybe to take skis off
Strava route here
https://www.strava.com/activities/2082721324
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
There are not too many obvious "easy" ski tour routes in Chamonix valley if you look at a map, though obviously many an off the back, glacier etc if you know the area well or are with a guide.
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Looks like a good day out.
That's the thing about Chamonix - it's bloody steep which is not ideal for EASY touring. Better options round the corner in Les Contamines.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| jedster wrote: |
| .....That's the thing about Chamonix - it's bloody steep which is not ideal for EASY touring. Better options round the corner in Les Contamines. |
That's what I said afterwards, in that with our friends we could have skied again together, at least we didn't shell out for lift passes as well!
My mate went with a guide over Les Contamines day before, going off the back and then had to skin back up after the relevant lift broke down, and they were having to take people up the hill in a piste basher. Eventually got the lift working at 17:30 just as they'd skinned to the top.
Sometimes wish my mate would record some of these tours but he doesn't have the confidence to do them on his own.
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@Weathercam,
if you are ever in the vicinity when I'm there I'd be more than happy to have some company and show you a couple of routes
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