 Poster: A snowHead
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I quite like the idea of doing the VB but have heard its just a long slog on one edge a lot of the time. If that's the case then I'll give it a miss. Or was it just the route they did or the conditions? Any pearls of wisdom from someone who's done it before?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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seconded
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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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If you've never been into the backcounrty (I have'nt done a lot) and worn harnesses and trancievers you'll get a buzz out of it because it feels so extreme!
However it is'nt the most exciting run once your past the crevases but just being in that valley with such high mountains around you is very humbling! I'd do it again if I'd got the chance and got the money but then I'd also take a trip up to montevers up on the train again.
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If you do one of the steep options such as the Envers du Plan, then yes it's fantastic. Even the steeper variations to the normal run are great (such as the Rognons variant). The tourist trail is dull, dull, dull.
They all have a very long, flat run-out though. Really not a problem at all (there's no need to bring telescopic poles like many muppets will tell you).
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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've done the "standard" run on skis, very flat run out on what is usually the top of the glacier ice, so you'd need to be a pretty confident boarder to carry enough speed to get across that without walking a bit. To be fair I skied it late season in a fairly average year, it is probably in much better shape at the moment. And besides, snowboard boots are dead comfy so why worry about a bit of walking?! Go for it, I say.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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My mate did it on a board and he's not that experienced. He loved it.
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Bring a pole. You may well not need it, depending on conditions, but there have been fatal accidents when boarders have taken their board off to walk a section or climb back up to the track, and gone through the snow into a crevasse.
This thread is maybe useful
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=49630&highlight=
I was talking to a guide the other day who was saying that he's seen guides towing boarders along the flat to get them going this year, because they don't want them taking the boards off - they're getting very careful about it.
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Thanks for the input everyone. Sounds like the variants are more worthwhile. Its not so much that I mind a walk, as long as there are some others walking too, not just a group of skiers twindling their thumbs waiting for me. Its more the idea of burning calves after 5 minutes of toe edging, repeated ad nauseam.
Any others out there who have done it?
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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.
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I would also love to do it but I think I would (please don't hurt me) do it on skis.
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BTW, the run-out is pretty much flat, so you're free to change edges more or less as you like. Foot pain is more of an issue than burning calves!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Only done it once, but to put your mind at rest I don't remember walking at any point!
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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.
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larry duff, you do not want to be walking on a glacier (unless roped). As an aside someone in front of us took their board off on the Col du Lac at La Grave the other day, while passing we noticed a rather large deep crack a couple of feet above the track line 
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You know it makes sense.
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I may be in Cham for a long weekend in mid April, and if conditions are right I'm quite keen on doing it.
Do any of the guide conmpanies provide you/loan/rent you retractable poles (and other eqp't you need, transceivers etc) ?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
Do any of the guide conmpanies provide you/loan/rent you retractable poles (and other eqp't you need, transceivers etc) ?
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Most of them should. Maybe not poles, get them from a rental shop although I've never needed them (done the VB 5 or 6 times).
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Poster: A snowHead
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So are you saying you didn't need them as you could hold sufficient speed to clear the flats, or did you have to walk or skate ?
What sort of distance flat are we talking ?
I can blat down the long flat bits on the very long green that winds it way round the back of the tignes glacier and straight line it enough to just hold enough speed over the long flats without havnig to skate (get's uphill at the end as you merge with the link back from val d'isere). Obvisuoly this is entirely different as it's piste, but is this the kind of speed/distance coverage we are talking about ?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Gazzza, we did the petite envers option last week and if it wasn't flat it was a traverse and if it wasn't a traverse it was moguls.
We did the longest continuous side slip I've ever done over very steep refrozen icy s**t, not a turn in sight.
Then after a hike up were faced with the ski down to Chamonix which was a massively rutted track, that is until the snow ran out and we walked a bit, then skied/walked our way out.
I can only remember one short section of half decent snow all the way down.
Had a great day though  , well worth doing.
How long the flat sections are depends on what route you take but I'd guess we we're talking a couple of kilometers on the route we did.
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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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Did the Valle Noir route (I think that's right) on Sunday and didn't have to skate at any point so I don't see why anyone should have too much trouble on a board. Retractable pole sounds like a good idea just in case, why not just buy one in the UK before you go? I'm sure the one I've got for walking was only a tenner.
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midgetbiker, forgot to say we also didn't have to use poles at any point but stowing one in pack is a good idea.
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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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| Gazzza wrote: |
So are you saying you didn't need them as you could hold sufficient speed to clear the flats, or did you have to walk or skate ?
What sort of distance flat are we talking ?
I can blat down the long flat bits on the very long green that winds it way round the back of the tignes glacier and straight line it enough to just hold enough speed over the long flats without havnig to skate (get's uphill at the end as you merge with the link back from val d'isere). Obvisuoly this is entirely different as it's piste, but is this the kind of speed/distance coverage we are talking about ?
Cheers |
Didn't need them because I could carry enough speed.
The end of the Vallee Blanche is the longest "flat" run-out you've ever seen, by a very long way. However, there shouldn't be any need to skate/push/pole as it's not actually flat, it's slightly downhill all the way.
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OK cheers for the info.
WIll have to see what conditions are like and make a call. I'll only be out there for 4 days from 17 april.
Not 100% i'll go to cham yet, but if I do, I'm pretty damn keen to do it, the photo's speak for themselves.
Got Geneva flights and car hire booked but prob. going to keep options open and leave it till a few days before and see what conditions are like before deciding where to go.
By the way, I'd have thought a walking pole would just sink into the snow if you push hard with them as they don't have those cups on the bottom like ski poles.
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Ok so I''ve definately decided on Chamonix and I've now booked accomodation for 17-21 April.
Realistically this gives me a 2 day window to do the VB if conditions turn out to be right, either Sunday 19th or Mon 20th.
(mainly as the saturday 18th i'll be just getting into the swing of things, and tuesday21st i'll be checking out so the early start might not be practical and I don't want to risk getting delayed in the vallee and missing my evening flight).
Is it recommended to book up now, or should i get there first, and see what conditions are like on the saturday, check out the weather forecasts, and then walk into one of the the guides offices and book ?
Ta.
G
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I'd wait, it's a pretty quiet time of year and it's pointless doing it if there's no visibility. Anything you need can probably be rented at Snell sports. They might even rent retractable poles actually. They do snowshoeing stuff, so it seems probable.
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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.
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