Chamonix Snow Report: 10th April 2015
A quick trip up the midi to do the beautiful Vallee Blanche
Well, it was supposed to be a quick trip...but when you combine the 2 cable cars it takes to get up there, the long glacial descent, the 430 steps to climb from the ice caves to the gondola, the gondola to the train station and then finally the train from Montenvers back down in to Chamonix...well, it's a long morning that's for sure!
But well worth it, for the views at least, maybe not for the snow. If you are looking to chase down that last bits of powder in the high mountains this weekend then the classic Vallee Blanche is probably not the place to look. Luckily we were just looking for a lovely few hours out with friends, and for one of our group it was their first trip down the Vallee Blanche, a cherry that has now been well and truly popped!
With an early start to catch our pre-booked bin we were surprised by the lack of people at the Aiguille du Midi cable car. A good sign for those who have chosen a late season ski holiday! And with plenty of breathing space in the cable car we had a pleasant journey to the top. Even the walk down the arête was relatively fuss free with only a few groups roped up rather than the usual train. This walk is probably the most daunting part of the entire trip, with steep, icy slopes directly beside you, this is not a place you want to fall. But the ropes are still in place and the zigzag track down is wide and in really good condition at the moment so it was fairly easy going.
Once we had strapped on snowboards and clipped in skis we were ready to tackle the first mogul challenge of the day, followed nicely by the flattish traverse across the plateau. The good thing about having the path so well worn is that the flatter sections remain quick which is important for snowboarders, although it does mean that you have to concentrate a fair bit and we perhaps didn't make the most of the stunning scenery around us. Making our way down the beginning of the 'classic' Vallee Blanche route the snow was somewhat cement like, or rather a bit more concrete in places! It was challenging skiing and a real thigh burner as we traversed to cut in slightly higher to somewhere between the classic and the Gros Rognon. This turned out to be the best decision as we found a lovely long slope of soft spring powder that was relatively untracked. Heaven!
However, after this section we were mostly skiing either moguls or tracked pathways. Luckily this is also the part where you get the most spectacular views of the glacier, especially since we have had a very low-snow year, much of the glacier is exposed and very dramatic. The crevasses here are also very visible, with a few cracks in places that had literally appeared overnight. (One of our group had been up yesterday)
Making our way through the fast roller coaster tracks of the area known as the 'salle a manger', as it is a popular spot for people to stop for lunch, we finally hit the home run and the long straight back to the ice caves. The track here, again, is pretty fast so it was full concentration and forget the views for a short time. Then you need to dodge a few rocks at the very end where the track comes down to meet the bottom of the stairs that lead to the ice caves, but to be honest I was surprised at how decent the cover way after the last few days of sunshine and heat.
Finally we began the dreaded 430 steps up to the gondola...good for the gluteus maximus but hard work after a long ski and with the sun beating down on us. We were in time for the noon train down from Montenvers, a 3 hour trip so far, it took an additional 20 minutes to reach Chamonix and the end of our amazing morning out in the mountains!
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NB: Off piste skiing and mountaineering are dangerous. The opinions expressed in these articles are very much time and condition specific and the content is not intended in any way to be a substitute for hiring a mountain guide, undergoing professional mountaineering training and/or the individual's own back country decision making.
