 Poster: A snowHead
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Has anyone else got any (many) of the Vamos dual French /English Off Piste guidebooks for individual resorts? Generally about 30 or so routes described, often with a photo of the mountainside and a line drawn on it, but no maps (you have to buy the relevant 1:25,000 map(s) to go with them.
The English translations are terrible (couloirs are "corridors"), and sometimes ambiguous (eg "Pass the rock on the left". Does this mean the rock is to the left or you are?).
There are similar Austrian and Italian guides (eg. The Arlberg area and Monte Rosa area).
Has anyone else actually used them (occasionally) to ski routes?
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 24-11-04 14:43; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've got four of them - Chamonix, 3 Valleys, Alp D'Huez, and Val d'Isere/Tignes.
I have followed a few routes in all of them but have mainly used the Val d'Isere/Tignes one. I did a season in Tignes about 10 years ago and used the book in a rather 'trainspotter-ish' way to try to do all the routes. Nearly did it, just 4 left to do, but probably the most difficult, most dangerous ones. Yes, the route descriptions can be worse than useless - it took us many attempts to get the right route for some of the runs. They do give a nice idea of what is available though.
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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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Yep, got all the Vamos ones (Chamonix, 3V, EK, AlpedHuez/L2A/LaGrave) and a few others as well - Arlberg, plus various ski mountaineering or ski touring type books. You definitely do have to be careful with some of the Vamos translations, if in doubt use the original French, and obviously use the local OS maps if necessary.
I got my first Vamos one about 12 seasons ago and I've done about 2/3 of the EK & 3V routes, all the routes which aren't either extreme or so low there's never enough snow cover, plus a few in the other areas, and they've transformed skiing for me - the best ever day piste-skiing is still crap compared to an OK day away from the crowds!
And before anyone says....yes skiing off piste without a guide may be dangerous, but we always take (and know how to use) tranceiver/probe/shovel and avoid very high risk days. The only serious avalanche scare I've had was while skiing with a qualified guide who'd spent 12 seasons in that resort.... you basically have to take responsibility for yourself....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yes, I have used them to do a few routes in the 3 valleys and Tignes/Val d'Isere and one or two at Chamonix. But I usually ski with a guide and more often retrace some of the routes we do with them. But I tend to play safe with regard to avalanche danger.
I bought the Monte Rosa book during an SCGB holiday to Alagna and the Arlberg one at the end of a holiday in St Anton, and have not had a chance to use either (though I am going to St Anton this season). The descriptions are rather short in the Italian. The formats are very similar but the Arlberg one is in much better, clearer English and has better photos.
It is absolutely essential to buy the 1:25,000 maps, though, and work out the route on the map from the description. I would never just use the book.
I have had one serious scare on my own, before I had any idea what I was doing and was simply following instructions how to get somewhere from a very misguided rep, I have been in one proper avalanche and that was with a guide at Saint Foy.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 24-11-04 15:16; edited 3 times in total
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I haven't bought the La Grave etc one yet. Largely because I have only skied there on SCGB holidays and it is very awkward to do the 2-extra-days-by-going-by-train-overnight thing (though it is possible, I did it once) so I have only had 2 days without a guide to do it. I'll buy a copy next time I go to La Grave (I think I know most of it by now but the ski pornography factor would be high!)
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| Quote: |
Has anyone else actually used them (occasionally) to ski routes?
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Not usually, but have on occasion used the 3V and Tignes/VDI one. Managed to miss the early traverse on the Vallon de Sache route to avoid the gorge. We climbed out before it got to steep. The guide book said the gorge was skiable; I'm not sure I would have skied it, not even with a guide. A map is definitely an essential accompaniment.
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