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TR : Mid April Mont Blanc Area Touring
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

Spent the middle week of April before last riding a couple of the classics in the Mt Blanc Area

The weather wasn't that kind to us, with ridiculous freezing levels by the end of the week and a howling Foehn blowing up from Africa - making the snow conditions interesting to say the least!

My friend Paul (now Vancouver based) was over taking a respite from the BC coastal weather to enjoy the sunshine of the French Alps!

Day 1: Warm up day around Flaine- 2 of the local favorites.

Paul climbing the Tete du Colonney


Nearing the top


Me arriving at the top


A pretty nice ski down



Second climb of the day, The Ajuon


We had to downclimb and traverse here to access the face we wanted to ski


Axes out as a fall would have meant a big ride over a 50m cliff, luckily the snow bonded well and axe placements were secure..


The ski down was above a pretty big cliff - exciting times!



Day 2: Les Contamines (1100m) to Refuge des Conscrits (2650m)
6 hours of slogging uphill in the heat across footpaths, rock bands and Glaciers and we eventually arrived at the refuge! Thank god they had beer on tap...........


A long hot slog up the Glacier Tre la Tete


Finally arriving at the Refuge 6 hours later!



Day 3 : Pan du Sucre des Mt Tondu (3200m)
An early start from the refuge and we were off

Fantastic views all round


On the summit


Me on the first steep pitch, which had the best snow of the week

Paul skiing the glacier


Me ripping down with incredible views out ahead!

Paul coming out of the steep gulley at the bottom

Profile of our run


Chilling on the refuge balcony in the afternoon

Sunset


Day 4: Dome du Miage (3650m)
A cold and crunchy dawn start

Nearing the top

Crampons out and roped up as there was a 1000m metre drop off one side!

Nearing the summit and the views across the Alps were spectacular!


We were looking forward to a 2500m north facing descent, but due to the heat and alot of refrozen ski tracks it was not nice - and was a survival skiing situation in most places....

You could say the views made up for it!



Back at the car exhausted but happy!


Day 5: Attempt at the Aiguille du Argentiere (3902m)
We got within 100m of the top but the wind was howling over the summit, with visibility in and out we decided to not summit and live another day!

Skiing off the back of the Grand Montets is always funky!

Paul climbing the Millieu Glacier

Belaying up the steep section, it was at this point we turned around


Interesting Terrain!



Spooky Weather


Thats me done for the season...........


Hopefully Europe will produce next winter -
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

very nice! lots of good stuff around the conscrits snowHead
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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?

norris, looks fantastic. Any cruisey blue runs there for me to try? wink
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norris,

Great TR...some spectacular shots....
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

The skiing isn't actually that hard on any of these runs! Its getting to the top thats the hard bit!! NehNeh
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.

A man on teles & a Prior owner - you guys know what's what. Nice TR thanks
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Surperb pictures and account we need more post like this and less of the rubbish that is posted on some other topics
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!

norris, that looks absolutely fantastic!!! I do quite a bit of summer climbing so must get into winter mountaineering and ski touring!!
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.

It makes the climbing so much more worthwhile when you can ski/ride back down .....hopefully in powder!
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads

norris, a fantastic report and pics. Thanks for sharing I really enjoyed it, superb. snowHead
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Great report!

I hope that i might get into ski-touring one day, because those pictures look really incredible Very Happy
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.

Markus wrote:
Great report!

I hope that i might get into ski-touring one day, because those pictures look really incredible Very Happy


You will be hooked once you do.. wink
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much

WOW Toofy Grin Toofy Grin Toofy Grin
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.

norris

Sssssh! don't tell too many people...
That area is one of the better kept 'secrets' around the Mt Blanc area. Did a similar hit last spring with the g/f except we stayed tre-la-tete first night, then pain de sucre to conscrits, and up and over the following day; avoids the super-long slog on day 1. Either way its a great trip!!, keen to go back for some of the steeper N.Facing stuff round there...
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