To put it bluntly, it beggars belief how many skiers and snowboarders seem to venture off-piste without a ski Mountain Guide with little or no knowledge or training in respect of off-piste conditions and terrain. Some seem just oblivious to the risk, others seem to think that by following someone's tracks it must be safe!
Off piste skiing is inherent with dangers that are related to route planning, these include getting lost, taking a route that leads to a cliff edge, crevasses when skiing on glaciers, avalanche risk, and injury if skiing solo with no piste patrol.
The only thing to mitigate this risk is therefore to hire a Ski Mountain Guide. These guys (and I use guys meaning men and women) are trained over several years to keep your butt safe. 300 Euros (the rate for off-piste skiing Chamonix) might seem a lot, but its peanuts in view of the training and expertise they bring. They will also, well the good ones anyway, ensure you are properly equipped and trained on how to use the off-piste equipment they supply.
Some, unless you really do know what you are doing, and you're going off-piste, book a Qualified Ski Mountain Guide and stay safe!
Wednesday 17 February 2010
Friday 12 February 2010
Vallee Blanche Chamonix
After all the snow, one of our guests decided today to go and ski the Vallee Blanche. 17km long, and starting at 3,842m, this is probably the most famous off-piste itinerary routes to ski. As soon as you step on to the second cable car, heading towards l'Aiguille du Midi, you kind of get that feeling this isn't a normal off-piste route!
Stepping out the cable car and walking through the rocks and ice tunnel, first timers will be forgiven for the occasional tummy rumble. But this is what in many respects skiing Chamonix is really all about. The guide, and this being a high altitude glacier route, a good Ski Mountain Guide is essential, and at this point you will be roped in for the Arrete. This is probably the most spectacular part of the journey in some respects as you have the Valley Blanche on one side, and a sheer drop into Chamonix on the other, so yes, a head for heights is not a bad thing!
Once off the Arrete, the real fun starts, skiing between seracs and across glaciers. To quote today's guest, "when you said it would be memorable I did to be honest think it would be like just any other mountains, but it was just something else".
I guess I could therefore wax lyrical about skiing in between seracs, across snow bridges, peak jetting up like needs, the glistening blue of the glacier, untracked powder, etc - but unless you do it yourself, your never quite know how good i is!
Take a camera!!
Stepping out the cable car and walking through the rocks and ice tunnel, first timers will be forgiven for the occasional tummy rumble. But this is what in many respects skiing Chamonix is really all about. The guide, and this being a high altitude glacier route, a good Ski Mountain Guide is essential, and at this point you will be roped in for the Arrete. This is probably the most spectacular part of the journey in some respects as you have the Valley Blanche on one side, and a sheer drop into Chamonix on the other, so yes, a head for heights is not a bad thing!
Once off the Arrete, the real fun starts, skiing between seracs and across glaciers. To quote today's guest, "when you said it would be memorable I did to be honest think it would be like just any other mountains, but it was just something else".
I guess I could therefore wax lyrical about skiing in between seracs, across snow bridges, peak jetting up like needs, the glistening blue of the glacier, untracked powder, etc - but unless you do it yourself, your never quite know how good i is!
Take a camera!!
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Ski Off Piste
If you are going to start a blog on off piste skiing, I guess the first blog really should be about Chamonix. Anyone interested in off piste won't need an introduction to this resort, as Chamonix is the self styled alpine capital of the world and attracts skiers worldwide.
Such a popular resort can however bring large crowds to the slopes and also the better known off piste itineraries. It is therefore sometimes difficult to get away from the masses unless you are in the know. And hence why the best guides will often head away from the obvious off piste itineraries and focuses on Chamonix’s best kept secrets in terms of tranquility and fresh tracks. Examples include the Plan l’Aiguille, and the Balne Area. There are many more that are easily accessible and with some touring, these multiply considerably. Where touch on these in later blogs.
In terms of the most famous, and yes this does indeed attract the crowds, the Vallee Blanche has to be mentioned. There are a number of routes that skiers can take here, and always with a qualified mountain guide in our view, varying from the relatively easy, to the steep and deep. The Vallee blanche is the simplest and less techical route, and most confident intermediates should be able to cope with this route, assuming they can scale the Arrete at the start, and then there is the Real Vallee Blanche which takes a more direct, steeper line. The journey itself is about 17km and involves circa 2,800m of descent, so take a picnic and some water! but the views and scenery are breathtaking, mountain peaks jutting up from the floor and peaking like needles, seracs crafted beautifully by nature, and the spectacular glacier terrain. Whilst the latter is beautiful, glaciers have crevasses and sadly far too many people die in them, either falling to their death, or surviving the fall, but being found to late and dying of hypothermia - so take a good qualified Chamonix mountain guide.
Such a popular resort can however bring large crowds to the slopes and also the better known off piste itineraries. It is therefore sometimes difficult to get away from the masses unless you are in the know. And hence why the best guides will often head away from the obvious off piste itineraries and focuses on Chamonix’s best kept secrets in terms of tranquility and fresh tracks. Examples include the Plan l’Aiguille, and the Balne Area. There are many more that are easily accessible and with some touring, these multiply considerably. Where touch on these in later blogs.
In terms of the most famous, and yes this does indeed attract the crowds, the Vallee Blanche has to be mentioned. There are a number of routes that skiers can take here, and always with a qualified mountain guide in our view, varying from the relatively easy, to the steep and deep. The Vallee blanche is the simplest and less techical route, and most confident intermediates should be able to cope with this route, assuming they can scale the Arrete at the start, and then there is the Real Vallee Blanche which takes a more direct, steeper line. The journey itself is about 17km and involves circa 2,800m of descent, so take a picnic and some water! but the views and scenery are breathtaking, mountain peaks jutting up from the floor and peaking like needles, seracs crafted beautifully by nature, and the spectacular glacier terrain. Whilst the latter is beautiful, glaciers have crevasses and sadly far too many people die in them, either falling to their death, or surviving the fall, but being found to late and dying of hypothermia - so take a good qualified Chamonix mountain guide.
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