Here are more photos from 7 days (last 4) in Chamonix. Enjoy.
The weather was perfect for skiing off the Aguille de Midi, so we seized the opportunity to do:
- Grand Envers du Plan (2nd time) and Petit Envers du Plan (1, 2) :)
- Upper Vallée Blanche skin up to Point Hellbronner (250m vertical) to descend the Glacier de Toule with a return via the Combe de la Noire
- Glacier Rond off the Aguille de Midi with 45-50 degrees for 800m) and back to the Plan mid station
- Attempt on the Gervasutti Couloir on the Tour Rond that turned into some 45 degree powder :cool: skiing off a bergshrund -- the Gervasutti Couloir was low on snow, conditions were hard, and the bergshrund wide.... :eek:
Every descent is about 2000m with at least 35-40º skiing. This terrain is awesome!!! That's all there is to say.
The funny thing is that the little Chamonix Hors Piste/Off Piste guide book gives the Grand Envers TD for its 5 sections of 40-45 degree skiing. But, the real extreme skiing guide book by Anselme Baud rates it AD. The Couloir Sud Ouest gets a solid D. That means the Couloir Sud Ouest is an example of intermediate skiing!!
For those that are wondering, the Couloir Sud Ouest is rated the same difficulty as the Couloir des Cosmiques, but it does not require a rap. As it turned out, we down climbed about 30' rather than skid down some 50 degree rocks and chew up our skis. The crux was carving out a platform in the 50 degree snow where we could put our skis back on!
Caveat emptor
Below is a selection of photos.
Parapent overtakes snow boarder on the 1st steep snow field of the Grand Envers, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-01.jpg
Skiing in the Vallée Blanche relies on snow bridges over huge crevasses, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-02.jpg
Skiers descending below the Séracs du Géant on the Vraie Vallée Blanche, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-03.jpg
Skiers thread major cravasses on the Petit Envers du Plan, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-04.jpg
4000 skiers per day ride the télépherique and descend the Vallée Blanche, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-05.jpg
The upper Vallée Blanche with the Aguille de Midi in the background, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-06.jpg
Approaching the Glacier Toule with the Aguille Noire of the Peuterey Ridge behind, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...-0811-08-1.jpg
Steep headwall above the Glacier de Toule, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-12.jpg
Skiers crossing the upper Glacier de Toule heading for the Glacier d'Entrèves, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-09.jpg
Joy riding on the Glacier de Toule with the Aguille Noire de Peuterey behind, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-10.jpg
Approaching the Pavillon télépherique station from the Glacier de Toule, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-11.jpg
Descending the Combe de la Vierge (left) and Combe de la Noire (right), Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-13.jpg
Skiers on the mid section of the Vallée Blanche (3 dots on lower left), Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-14.jpg
Descending the East side of the Séracs du Géant, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-15.jpg
The 45-50º Glacier Suspendu starting off the Glacier Rond, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-17.jpg
Above the couloir to escape off the hanging glacier on the Glacier Rond, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-16.jpg
Looking up the Glacier Rond from the Bossons Glacier, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-18.jpg
Seracs on the Bossons glacier below the Glacier Rond, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-19.jpg
The Tour Rond with Mont Blanc in the background, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-07.jpg
Gervasutti Couloir on the Tour Rond, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-20.jpg
45º powder slope next to the Gervasutti Couloir on La Tour Rond, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-21.jpg
Skiers on the Vallée Blanche below the Séracs du Géant, Chamonix, France
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...04-0811-22.jpg