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Balcons du Savoy, Chamonix
The train
train at chamonix station.
Bosson Glacier
Hi
I was just wondering if anyone has any experiences with guided tours of Valleé Blanche. We are 5 relatively proficient skiers and are not sure if we need a guide at all, but any tips would be welcome. Also, tips on companies in Chamonix who provide such tours would be great. We are in Chamonix at the end of January 2010 and hope that weather conditions at this time of year are ok for such a tour.
Thanks.
i would contact the companie des guides de chamonix. or le club alpin de chamonix.
Hi there,
I'd definately take a guide when you go skiing the Vallée Blanche. There are many dangerous "gorges" underneath the snow, which you can hardly see. Even if you're a talented, experienced skier... go for the guide and enjoy!
Anneke
The Chamonix tourism site lists a number of qualified mountain guide companies. The Compagnie des Guides is the oldest, but there are many others. The reason you want a guide is to avoid dying on the glacier - crevasses and snow bridge collapse are a couple of the common reasons for people to die on this route. It is not a normal 'ski tour' since it crosses a high mountain range on a broken glacier (several actually). There are at least 5 main ways down the 'Vallée Blanche' and a number of ways to NOT go, as they end in cliffs. I strongly recommend a guide if you do not have any good friends in the area who have strong mountain skills (ie training to pull you out of a crevasse themselves if you fall in) and know the routes very very well. The equipment to take to do this on your own includes the following - touring rope at least 30m long, ice axe, crampons, climbing harness (you ski in this) with crevasse rescue kit attached (carabiners, pulleys and ice screws), shovel, snow probe and avalanche beacon. If you do not have all of this stuff and understand very well how to use it, regardless of your ski ability you are silly to not take a mountain guide.
The tourist office website is http://www.chamonix.com . If you want a guide who will take you down a route which is not the typical 'tourist route' then he will need to know your ski levels before you go (too risky to find out after you are already on the route that you do not have the level!!) and thus it is wise to hire the guide for a day of off piste adventure a day or two before you want to do the Vallée Blanche and then he can take you down a more interesting way than the normal 'tourist route'.
Have fun.
This page I created for another web site has a great set of links to all things Chamonix as well as the surrounding valley and towns within 1/2 hour drive/train ride from Chamonix. I spent some time putting this together and it has a lot of great internet information that will not fit onto one tip.
Chamonix Area Links
A small backpack for daytrips in the mountains or a larger backpack for longer trips. Hiking boots and trekking poles.
Foresee also winter clothes in Summer. The weather is unpredictable. You can buy all the gear you need in Chamonix. But your credit card might get overheated!
This is a very do-able mountain to start out on. It takes only a few hours to climb, and has great views of the area and you get to over 4000 meters of altitude.
Stay at the Couvercle Hut for a real mountaineering experience. Watch for crevasses!! Many new and giant ones opened up during the summer of 2003. Check with the Chamonix tourist office or Maison du Montagne (across the street) for current conditions on this mountain.
We did see some people who were very lucky and fell into one. Why were they lucky? If they had not fallen into the crevasse when they slipped, they would have ended up where their packs did - hundreds of meters down the side of the mountain/glacier and perhaps seriously injured or worse.....
Only attempt this mountain if you are experienced, or with other experienced climbers or a guide! Be sure to have the proper equipment - crampons, ice axes, ropes, harnesses, gloves, warm boots and layers of warm clothing.
This peak is one of the 'Trois Mont Blancs' - a set of 3 mountains often climbed together culminating in the highest one. They are: Mont Blanc du Tacul, (4248'), Mont Maudit (4465') and Mont Blanc itself (4808' or 4810' depending on who you ask!). At the maison de montagne office you can find the weather conditions and forecast posted in english each day or go to www.chamonix.net for the english version on line.
Snell Sports, Coquoz Sports and Alpine Land (and others) in town will rent gear such as crampons, ice axes & mountain boots. If you have never crossed a glacier before, do yourselves a favor and hire a mountain guide. A list of guides (english and french speaking) can be found on http://www.chamonix.net/english/mountain_guides/guide_intro.htm
On skis!! Chamonix not only caters for downhill-skiers in the winter but also 'Ski du Fond' or cross-country ski-ing. It was a wonderful crisp sunny winters day, with glorious scenery. We were complete novices and decided to try this for half a day - thinking it couldn't be too difficult to shuffle along in pre-prepared tracks. How wrong we were. The mulled wine at the end of the session was warming and invigorating, temporarily dulling any aches but I could hardly move my legs the next day!
There are multiple options to hike around Le brevent.
We walked from the midstation (Planpraz) to the top (Le Brevent). A 525m climb over a steep path (good shoes required). Walking time about 2.5 hours. On Brevent (on good weather) you have a magnificent view across the valley and on Mt Blanc.
It is possible to extend the walk to Lac Brevent (2.5h extra). Taking the cable car down is the easy way down (see also my "multipass" travel tip)
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We've found that other people looking for this hotel also know it by these names:
Address: 165, avenue Michel Croz,, Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, 74400, France
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