Chamoinx Ski areas are diverse and offer the skiing public some of tmost varied on and off piste available in Europe. Luxury catered chalet in Chamonix are a popular options but genuinely few and far between.
The authors view on Chamoinx ski areas for 2007/08 season.
Le Tour
The Domaine de Balme is the furthest ski area from our chalet at 15mins but is an area to spend your first days warming up. Excellent beginner facilities in the ‘la Vormaine’ area with 3 easy drag lifts and huge wide open gentle pistes. This is the best intermediate area in the valley with lots of interesting terrain both on and off piste. A great secret powder spot is the back side heading down towards Vallorcine. Great lunch tip is to head down to Vallorcine and eat local food at ‘les trois Ours’.
Chamoinx Brevent Flegere
Always in the sun! This classic area is the closest to Chamonix town centre with direct access via the Plan Praz telecabine. The pisted area is best suited to the intermediate at mid altitude and the higher you go the more challenging it becomes. The Charles Bozon piste from the top of the Brévent lift at 2500m is on of our favourites. For powder hungry folk head over to the Flégère area and hit the Index lift. The rolling and ever changing terrain from here down to the ‘le Trappe’ chair is truly awesome. For beginners ‘Plan Praz’ and ‘le Trappe’ areas are best to cut those first few turns.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Climbing Mt Blanc with French guides
Guided Mont Blanc Ascent
Working directly with our high mountain partner company, with over 20yrs experience of Mont Blanc summits and global expeditions, Ice and Orange offer the physically challenging yet immensely satisfying Mont Blanc ascent package.
This 7 day course is divided between our Chamonix chalet and the mountain huts of the Mont Blanc Massif, spending the first part of the week learning and honing skills and techniques on snow and ice before a summit bid on Mont Blanc 4810m. After an initiation day to the necessary skill set on the Mere de Glace you will take a 3 day acclimatisation trip via the Albert 1ere and Trient huts to climb the Tête Blanche 3429m. Your summit attempt will either be via the Goûter route or the 3 Mont Blanc route depending on weather conditions. All our guides are English speaking UIAGM qualified.
Trip itinerary (Typically Sat - Sat, June - September):
Day 1:
Arrive Geneva airport, minibus transfer to Chalet Tissières. Lunch and then trip briefing with our mountain leaders. Rental of any necessary equipment. Perhaps a relaxing day in our alpine garden or take a trip into Chamonix. 3 course dinner and overnight in the chalet.
Day 2:
Breakfast and equipment check with guide before heading up to the Montenvers station above the Mer de Glace. Descend to glacier and spend the day learning or refining ice skills. Back to Chalet for dinner and overnight.
Day 3:
Breakfast and then transport to Le Tour for a cable car ascent to upper mountain paths leading to the Albert 1ere hut. Climb to hut and spend afternoon preparing for early morning start.
Day 4:
Early morning ascent of the Tête Blanche 3429m. Traverse to the Trient hut for late afternoon arrival and acclimatisation evening.
Day 5:
Return back via one of the many peaks (Aiguille du Pissoir 3441m) in the area and past the Albert 1ere hut once again. Decend to Le Tour and transfer back to Chalet.
Day 6:
Depending on the route chosen, changeable due to weather conditions, you will either ascent via the Goûter route or the 3 Mont Blanc route.
Goûter route:
Depart Chamonix Chalet early, normally 7am for Bellevue cable car Les Houches. Ascend and then take tramway du Mont Blanc. Climb past Tête Rousse hut and traverse the grand couloirs on your way up to the Goûter hut. Over night stay with preparations for early morning departure.
Day 7:
Early morning start with head torch ascent up the Goûter ridge for summit bid at 4810m. Return back past Goûter hut and grand couloirs. Tramway du Mont Blanc decent back to Les Houches and return to Chalet for rest, relaxation and celebration dinner! Overnight in Chalet Tissières.
Day 8:
Breakfast and minibus transfer to Geneva airport. Return UK or other.
Working directly with our high mountain partner company, with over 20yrs experience of Mont Blanc summits and global expeditions, Ice and Orange offer the physically challenging yet immensely satisfying Mont Blanc ascent package.
This 7 day course is divided between our Chamonix chalet and the mountain huts of the Mont Blanc Massif, spending the first part of the week learning and honing skills and techniques on snow and ice before a summit bid on Mont Blanc 4810m. After an initiation day to the necessary skill set on the Mere de Glace you will take a 3 day acclimatisation trip via the Albert 1ere and Trient huts to climb the Tête Blanche 3429m. Your summit attempt will either be via the Goûter route or the 3 Mont Blanc route depending on weather conditions. All our guides are English speaking UIAGM qualified.
Trip itinerary (Typically Sat - Sat, June - September):
Day 1:
Arrive Geneva airport, minibus transfer to Chalet Tissières. Lunch and then trip briefing with our mountain leaders. Rental of any necessary equipment. Perhaps a relaxing day in our alpine garden or take a trip into Chamonix. 3 course dinner and overnight in the chalet.
Day 2:
Breakfast and equipment check with guide before heading up to the Montenvers station above the Mer de Glace. Descend to glacier and spend the day learning or refining ice skills. Back to Chalet for dinner and overnight.
Day 3:
Breakfast and then transport to Le Tour for a cable car ascent to upper mountain paths leading to the Albert 1ere hut. Climb to hut and spend afternoon preparing for early morning start.
Day 4:
Early morning ascent of the Tête Blanche 3429m. Traverse to the Trient hut for late afternoon arrival and acclimatisation evening.
Day 5:
Return back via one of the many peaks (Aiguille du Pissoir 3441m) in the area and past the Albert 1ere hut once again. Decend to Le Tour and transfer back to Chalet.
Day 6:
Depending on the route chosen, changeable due to weather conditions, you will either ascent via the Goûter route or the 3 Mont Blanc route.
Goûter route:
Depart Chamonix Chalet early, normally 7am for Bellevue cable car Les Houches. Ascend and then take tramway du Mont Blanc. Climb past Tête Rousse hut and traverse the grand couloirs on your way up to the Goûter hut. Over night stay with preparations for early morning departure.
Day 7:
Early morning start with head torch ascent up the Goûter ridge for summit bid at 4810m. Return back past Goûter hut and grand couloirs. Tramway du Mont Blanc decent back to Les Houches and return to Chalet for rest, relaxation and celebration dinner! Overnight in Chalet Tissières.
Day 8:
Breakfast and minibus transfer to Geneva airport. Return UK or other.
3 foot of fresh snow in the chamonix valley
Well chamfolk, this is refreshing turn up for the books. Seems as though the snow gods have once again smiled on our beautiful valley. We all woke up this morning to 2 ft of fresh light airy powder in the valley and possibly up to 3+ ft above 1500m.
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