backcountry journal
March - April 2007
29 March - Austria
Toured on a long gentle section of the glacier. Very unchallenging (boring) riding for me, but by far the longest single powder run Mio has ever done. Almost 2km of untouched perfect sparkling dry powder, between 30cm and 10cm deep depending on altitude. As for the previous day we used an unpopular resort run to get off the glacier and back down into the valley (rather than take the funicular down). Both today and yesterday gave us uninterrupted vertical descent of 2000m. Unfortunately half of that was on or next to a resort trail. We had cancelled our planned visit to the St Moritz area for the benefit of the great snow in Austria, but it was time to move on. After a full morning of touring we boarded our campervan, left Austria, crossed Switzerland and headed for Chamonix. After a 6+ hour drive we rolled in to Chamonix, France.
Toured on a long gentle section of the glacier. Very unchallenging (boring) riding for me, but by far the longest single powder run Mio has ever done. Almost 2km of untouched perfect sparkling dry powder, between 30cm and 10cm deep depending on altitude. As for the previous day we used an unpopular resort run to get off the glacier and back down into the valley (rather than take the funicular down). Both today and yesterday gave us uninterrupted vertical descent of 2000m. Unfortunately half of that was on or next to a resort trail. We had cancelled our planned visit to the St Moritz area for the benefit of the great snow in Austria, but it was time to move on. After a full morning of touring we boarded our campervan, left Austria, crossed Switzerland and headed for Chamonix. After a 6+ hour drive we rolled in to Chamonix, France.
We went waaay up there in the higher back ground. No steep or exciting terrain. Just a stunning glacier full of dry powder
30 March - Chamonix
We were a little worn out and snow was forecast for the afternoon so we opted for a day off and went shopping for gear instead. And of course ate the second best hamburgers in the world at Poco Loco. In the afternoon the snow arrived. Not much in the valley, plenty higher up.
We were a little worn out and snow was forecast for the afternoon so we opted for a day off and went shopping for gear instead. And of course ate the second best hamburgers in the world at Poco Loco. In the afternoon the snow arrived. Not much in the valley, plenty higher up.
31 March - Chamonix
I took Mio for her first trip down the Valley Blanch - Mer de Glace area. It was the weekend and busy. I cant stand this area, it is a tiring waste of time in a tourist trap - unless you are riding one of the better routes associated with the Mer de Glace route. We were not riding one iof the better routes (which were mostly tracked out like a ski resort by midday anyway - such is Chamonix). The fresh snow was pretty good: 30cm+ of fresh dry powder. Clouds rolled in, creating some nice scenery. We forgot to take our touring poles and so Mio got caught of the horribly long flat stretch of the Mer de Glace. This was tiring and upsetting for her (normally you keep momentum going by pushing with your poles). My temperament had deteriorated due to impatience and frustration at not being on the incredibly good couloirs that a lucky few had enjoyed that day.
I took Mio for her first trip down the Valley Blanch - Mer de Glace area. It was the weekend and busy. I cant stand this area, it is a tiring waste of time in a tourist trap - unless you are riding one of the better routes associated with the Mer de Glace route. We were not riding one iof the better routes (which were mostly tracked out like a ski resort by midday anyway - such is Chamonix). The fresh snow was pretty good: 30cm+ of fresh dry powder. Clouds rolled in, creating some nice scenery. We forgot to take our touring poles and so Mio got caught of the horribly long flat stretch of the Mer de Glace. This was tiring and upsetting for her (normally you keep momentum going by pushing with your poles). My temperament had deteriorated due to impatience and frustration at not being on the incredibly good couloirs that a lucky few had enjoyed that day.
One of Chamonix's greatest couloirs. It will be some time before I ride it (if ever) and would consider carefully and respectfully the losses that it has inflicted in the past.
Another classic in ok form that I had intended on riding during our visit. Unfortunately I had to miss out due to a lack of partners.
Clouds rolling in.
1April - Chamonix
With some extra effort and risk the opportunity to access less crowded north facing quality snow was there, but with the recent death of a friend to a crevasse fall Mio and I decided to stick to safer (glaciated) terrain. I also wanted to run her through some of the Chamonix classic routes so that she could also live the introductory Chamonix experience that I had a few seasons ago. So today we set out for the Amethysts Glacier, a significant tributary glacier to the grand Argentière Glacier. It was the second time we had attempted this quite long tour together. Mio is not super fast and by 3pm we were still 45 minutes from the top and the clouds and closed in and windy snow arrived. It was time to be safe and turn around for the campervan in the valley. A full tour description of the Amethysts Glacier route is (will be) HERE. The snow higher up was reasonable good, but also reasonably tracked out.
With some extra effort and risk the opportunity to access less crowded north facing quality snow was there, but with the recent death of a friend to a crevasse fall Mio and I decided to stick to safer (glaciated) terrain. I also wanted to run her through some of the Chamonix classic routes so that she could also live the introductory Chamonix experience that I had a few seasons ago. So today we set out for the Amethysts Glacier, a significant tributary glacier to the grand Argentière Glacier. It was the second time we had attempted this quite long tour together. Mio is not super fast and by 3pm we were still 45 minutes from the top and the clouds and closed in and windy snow arrived. It was time to be safe and turn around for the campervan in the valley. A full tour description of the Amethysts Glacier route is (will be) HERE. The snow higher up was reasonable good, but also reasonably tracked out.
The Amethyst Glacier is the one to the right of the obvious glacier in the central dominant peak. Picture taken last season.
2 April - Chamonix
A hot sunny spring day. We headed for the classic col du Passon route again via the Argentière Glacier. All was going well, Mio was feeling strong and we were being ambitious with a short cut skin track on the approach to the couloir climb. Then, as I know all to well, the condition of the sunny spring snow under our skins changed. The pitch had steepened and the snow had transformed into deadly 'slide for life' corn on ice. Oh dear, how did I ever let this happen?! I know better than this, but our continued momentum was consuming and we walked our way into a bad situation. A lesson that should not have been needed was well taught. Mio's skins slipped and she took a slide that she luckily managed to arrest after about 15m. It was enough to shake her and remove a substantial amount of skin layers and area from her arm, which I bandaged with my first aid kit. There was some blood but Mio was amazingly stoic. She switched into ski crampons and we tried to claim the last ridiculously short distance to a big flat and safe bench. We should have simply descended 100m and joined the normal route. Mio struggled up and across the increasingly steep terrain feature. We were so close to getting off this incredibly slippery slope. I continued up and set up a small rope belay to give her some comfort on a delicate and risky switch-back. After that turn I became very concerned for our situation. It was hot and our packs were loaded with ropes and glacier gear. I belayed Mio a little further and then we made the far too late decision for her to switch into boot crampons. After that Mio followed my hard-boot kick steps out of trouble. The area where we hit all this hassle is nothing special, but spring corn is dangerous stuff, especially when combined with the easy-going fair weather mindset that develops on a nice morning of touring.
It was getting late and we were feeling very drained so after a relaxing break, thermos coffee and some food we decided to turn back. The couloir climb was still ahead of us (it would take Mio a solid 45 minutes to complete it) and after that we had a decent glaciated descent to tackle (its not a complicated one, but alertness is required). Going back down we not unsurprisingly rode perfect corn to the Argentière Glacier and crossed the soggy snow roped-up and rode back down to the campervan. Mio bought some creams and wound dressings and I bought her a new light weight ice axe as a reward for her effort that day. The descent on the le Tour Glacier via the col du Passon would have to wait for another time (I have completed it on several occasions whilst Mio has not).
A hot sunny spring day. We headed for the classic col du Passon route again via the Argentière Glacier. All was going well, Mio was feeling strong and we were being ambitious with a short cut skin track on the approach to the couloir climb. Then, as I know all to well, the condition of the sunny spring snow under our skins changed. The pitch had steepened and the snow had transformed into deadly 'slide for life' corn on ice. Oh dear, how did I ever let this happen?! I know better than this, but our continued momentum was consuming and we walked our way into a bad situation. A lesson that should not have been needed was well taught. Mio's skins slipped and she took a slide that she luckily managed to arrest after about 15m. It was enough to shake her and remove a substantial amount of skin layers and area from her arm, which I bandaged with my first aid kit. There was some blood but Mio was amazingly stoic. She switched into ski crampons and we tried to claim the last ridiculously short distance to a big flat and safe bench. We should have simply descended 100m and joined the normal route. Mio struggled up and across the increasingly steep terrain feature. We were so close to getting off this incredibly slippery slope. I continued up and set up a small rope belay to give her some comfort on a delicate and risky switch-back. After that turn I became very concerned for our situation. It was hot and our packs were loaded with ropes and glacier gear. I belayed Mio a little further and then we made the far too late decision for her to switch into boot crampons. After that Mio followed my hard-boot kick steps out of trouble. The area where we hit all this hassle is nothing special, but spring corn is dangerous stuff, especially when combined with the easy-going fair weather mindset that develops on a nice morning of touring.
It was getting late and we were feeling very drained so after a relaxing break, thermos coffee and some food we decided to turn back. The couloir climb was still ahead of us (it would take Mio a solid 45 minutes to complete it) and after that we had a decent glaciated descent to tackle (its not a complicated one, but alertness is required). Going back down we not unsurprisingly rode perfect corn to the Argentière Glacier and crossed the soggy snow roped-up and rode back down to the campervan. Mio bought some creams and wound dressings and I bought her a new light weight ice axe as a reward for her effort that day. The descent on the le Tour Glacier via the col du Passon would have to wait for another time (I have completed it on several occasions whilst Mio has not).
The terrain leading up to col du Passon on the left hand side of the picture
The sunny area in this picture shows the terrain on le Your Glacier that we missed out on due to our silly mistake resulting in Mio's injury. It would have been good.