First GM day of 2010 yesterday. Very cold. Thick cloud hanging around 1500m but blue skies above that... Check out the first 2 tracks on the Pas de Chevre
Thinned out later on
Mont Blanc
Wide open crevasses on the glacier
Snow wind blown higher up
Tim takes a tumble in the couloir. Spot the ski!
Silky powder lower down and in the forest
Looking down on Pas de Chevre tracks through the Poubelle couloir
Perfect day for Rockers
Last run of the day down the front of the glacier
Pendant bowl
Lets go home
Another great day in Cham. Blue skies, great snow, hardly any people.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
bobinch, Great pics!
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?
Lovely winter day on the 10th and great pics. I put the first tracks in Pas de Chevre =) then skied Petit Enverse from the Midi. Still quite open on the glaciers (even Grands Montets backside), and the Grand Enverse had slid to the bottom ice (so don't go there). I really enjoy the quite times in Chamonix in January when you have a lot of big areas to your self.
F++++++ AWESOME!! Heading there Feb 27-Mar 6. SO Pumped!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thanks for the pics.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Eskil, we're planning a Pas de Chevre followed by Aiguille du Midi on Saturday. I did the Grand Envers and "vraie" vallée blanche at the end of last season but have not done the Petit. Can you confirm which of the 2 "Petit" options you took from the photo - I'm guessing the lower one? Or if you have more up to date information on the route in best condition following the recent snow? Many thanks in advance
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.
bobinch, would you be able to do a quick trip report after you've done the vallee? I'm going back to Chamonix on monday and if my ski partner gets his 'pass' then I wouldn't mind a crack at one of the Envers routes if they're in half decent nick.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
bobinch, before the last snow fall (sunday 17th Jan) I also skied the Grand Envers in good condition. The snow on the 17th was wind blown (about 50cm on the east side of the Midi) and got heavy in the afternoon. A lot of steeper slopes slid then (the Glacier Ronde among others), and I presume that the Grand Envers did too, but I'm not sure.
The day after (18th of jan) it was cold in the morning and the snow had settles well over night. We skied in between the 2 lines above drawn for Petit Envers. I always took the Grand Envers exit couloirs though because they offer great skiing =). On the Petit Envers the lower line is more skied and maybe slightly less crevassed. But all itineraries on the Vallee Blanche involves crossing crevasses on narrow snow bridges and a lot of gaping holes everywhere. So I recommend you to only bring expert skiers up there.
Note that: In the current conditions Mountain Spirit Guides do not take groups of skiers to any variation of Vallee Blanche, but likely in a few weeks time we will. Above mentioned ski routes I have skied only for private pleasure. At the moment we prefer to guide off-piste skiing in Chamonix other places, such as the Toule glacier (Helbronner), Grands Montets, Le Tour etc.
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.
midgetbiker, no problem. We'll only go if the weather is good but if we do I'll do a TR with some pictures. Have a look at Eva's Twitter photos. They are superb!
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
midgetbiker, envers du plan in great condition. Crevasses are visible and no traps so in good viz you will be fine. We did the petit. The grand envers and the Rognin were also well tracked. I'll post done pictures tomorrow.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Some pictures
Pas de Chevre, central couloir
View of Vallee Blanche - you can see the Envers du plan tracks
Les Drus
Exit to the Mer de Glace
Very rare.... the liftie told us that earlier in the day a woman had slipped and fallen down the front side of the glacier from the Arete. She was very lucky and was stopped by the lip of the first crevasse, visible below the cable
Her ski still on the face
Arette with fixed ropes. No need for crampons (unless you were that woman...).
Vallee Blanche from Hellbroner (Courmayeur). Looked in great condition and not heavilly tracked
Big crevasses but visible and no traps
Excellent snow. Better than on Pas de Chevre. Knee deep for the top half
Hot dogs to refuel after the hike out...
Great day
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Wonderful!!!!
chilling pic of the ski, she was very lucky.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Apparently a French skier died yesterday near the Salle a Manger
firebug, the liftie said he was only aware of it happening twice in 5 years or so of him working there..... But she was vey lucky. If she hadn't got caught by that lip she was going down 1500m to her death
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?
Yes, I remember a belgian lady died a few years back but it's very very rare. Honestly just looking at that pic of the ski is giving me the creeps thinking about how she would have felt.
Hey post number 1000! And every one a well crafted gem of insight
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I am envious now with all these superb pics. Did my last day on Grands Montets on 12 May and can't wait to get back - just a little bit of work in the way. The women that fell off the Arete will probably not sleep well at night for a little while although have heard that some mad ones have skied down that face...
XPeak, last year was rare in that the great snow conditions allowed quite a lot of descents. It is currently mainly blue ice and rock!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
firebug wrote:
Yes, I remember a belgian lady died a few years back but it's very very rare. Honestly just looking at that pic of the ski is giving me the creeps thinking about how she would have felt.
Can I link to it? I's an amazing pic.
Sure
After all it is free
After all it is free
I saw a guy fall from the arette down a gully right near the top into the VB side, there was no rope and it was "officially" shut. He was PGHM and tried to ski from near the top, I was told later he died.
It was about 20 years ago and I have used crampons ever since.
Two years ago the VB was averaging about one a week mainly in holes!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
