Skiing the Valle Blanche

Skiing the Vallee Blanche, Chamonix France

After completing the Haute route the previous day with Pete Keane and John Race we took the train back from Zermatt Swizterland to Chamonix France getting into town around 9:30pm.  Olivia Cussen had just arrived earlier that day. John was going to spend the day with her while Pete Keane took four new clients down the Valle Blanche while I shadowed.

 The L'Aiguille du Midi Tram station in Chamonix 3395ft (1035 M). This tram will take us up to the top of the Aiguille du Midi 12,604ft (3842m) a rise of around 9,200ft, more than the Elevation gain it takes to climb Mt. Rainier from Paradise. All this takes about 25 minutes. 

 Looking up toward the Aiguille Du Midi with the Frendo Spur front and center. The Frendo Spur is another one of Gaston Rebuffat's routes in his mega classic book The Mont Blanc Massif, the hundred finest routes, basically the European equivalent to the 50 classic climbs of North America. The Second tram you take up to the top of the Aiguille du Midi is the longest stretch of cable car/chair lift/tram/ with out a support post. You go up very steeply 5000ft vertical feet. That is basically like going up Whistler in one go with no posts.

 Me after getting of the Cable car on the Aiguille du Midi at 12,604ft (3840m) with Mont Blanc in the background.

 Looking down the Arete Du Pain on the Aiguille du Midi with the Agiulle du Plan in the background

 Looking up the Arete du Pain to the tram station and bridge on the Aiguille De Midi

 The South Face of the Aiguille Du Midi and some of the finest rock in the Alps. The Rebuffat route starts just under the roof on the right side and passes the roof on the left and diaganols to the top. Its #55 in the 100 finest routes of the Mont Blanc range book The route is about 700ft tall and checks in around 6a (5.10a/b). Because this face gets so much sun there where 3 parties on it even in early April.

Our group skiing down the Upper Valle Blanche, the striking peak in the background is Deant du Geant with the Grand Jorasses just coming into view

Same spot again skiing down the top of the Valle Blanche,  You can also see more of the famous North face of the Grand Jorasse. You can see the Telecabine Valle Blanche a free hanging tram that goes from the top of the Aiguille Du Midi to the Col Du Geant. Crazy!!!

Dropping into the first of four ice falls we skiied through with an amazing back drop. In the distance I believe you can see the Aiguilles Rouge.

Looking down to where the Glacier du Geant meats with the Valle Blanche

Pete Keane and the Crew.

 We are skiing descent corn, but the views are what makes this 8000ft descent so amazing.

Does skiing down and looking up at the Deant du Geant and the Grand Jorasse ever get old?

More great corner skiing, it was hot, I skied down in light gloves and a base layer.

Skiing furher down the Valle Blanche

 This is the final ice fall, where the d'Evers du Plan, the Valle Blanche and the Glacier du Geant all come together to form the Glacier du Tacul which turns into the famous Mer De Glace. Nearly all the skiers mearge back to this point from many higher variations. Its crazy to see older people and kids younger than 12 skiing through this. Lots of skiers in down hill gear and no backpacks. Its awesome how "normal" skiing down a glacier can be.

Skiing down the Glacier du Tacul with the Mer De Glace visible below.

Pete Keane point up through the ice fall pointing out where we skied. While the skiing was hardly extreme, there were a couple "No-Fall" side slip zones, it hardly looked or felt like the jumbled looking ice fall above us.

Taking a lunch break on the moraine on the side of the Mer De Glacer. Class bread, meat and cheese.

Starting down the nearly never ending 7km green occasional blue ski run. It was down hill enough you nearly never had to pole or skate.

Ripping down the Mer de Glace a few Km further down the glacier. The West Face of the Petit Dru is starting to come into view. This is where the American Direct is.

Taking another break, where the Glacier de Leschaux runs into Mer De Glace

Another couple Kilometers down the glacier with the Petit Dru high above us.

Looking back up the Mer de Glace from where we skied. We skied down through the ice fall on the ridge side of the page. The Deant Du Geant is the strking slender summit on the left.

 Skiing farther down the Mer de Glace, You can just barely make out the profile of one of the three great North faces of the Alps with the North Face of the Grand Jorasse just barely visible.

Nearly to the bottom of the Mer de Glace. This glacer used to be 300ft thicker here 40 years ago. This is pretty much where everyone stops this time of year. Earlier in the Winter you can drain this valley all the way to Chamonix.

You hike up a stair case to a tram, why hike 300ft up a stair case to a tram. because when the tram was built it was on the surface of the glacier, now its a 15 minute walk up a staircase bolted into a glacially polished slab.

Hiking up the staircase, there are tourist who take the tram the other way and hike down to the glacier

The stair case is really quite impressive.

One of the signs that tells you the elevation of the glacier, its crazy to see how much it ha shrank. They have photos of the tram when it was built on the surface of the glacier which now seams impossible.

Looking back up the Mer De Glace where we came from.

All the famous and amazing peaks surrounding us and our ski descent.

After getting off the tram we catch a train the goes steeply down hill to Chamonix. luckily we had good timing and only had to wait about 10 minutes. The best view yet of the West face of the Petit Dru home to Royal Robbins and G. Hemming 1962 route the American Direct.

Everyone getting on the train with skis, ice tools everything you can imagine. They pack the train tight!!!

The view from the train going down to Chamonix.

Me in "Swiss guide mode" as referred to by an unnamed source because of the headband/buff lock.

Back in the Hotel room after skiing the Valle Blanche, Nick Pope had arrived so there was a total of 6 people and 8 pairs of skis hanging out in this tiny little apartment. Make sure I packed the correct (not someone else's) stuff was challenging. After packing in a hour I walked around town and bought Rebecca and Apron before getting on a shuttle to start the journey home.

On the flight home looking over Iceland, what a crazy seven days