The sunny stable mountain weather and relatively snow pack combined to give a big day of activity for teams ski touring around the Chamonix Aiguilles Rouges today. There was an almost spring like feel to the mountains with warm temperatures in the sun and great views of the impressive snow cover around the range.
Lots of teams did the classic Crochues Berade traverse which had a good track, first skinning then the final section a boot track, to get to the Col Corchues. The long traverse had a decent track across and through the avalanche debris although still feels exposed in places and would be rattly and unpleasant at best when frozen hard. Danny was climbing up the South Facing couloir above the traverse to ski the Glacier de Mort and numerous teams were skiing the Combe direct and then skinning back out.
Calum steep crust skiing in the upper Berade Valley with Mont Buet beyond.
Lots of teams were also skinning up to the Keyhole col higher up than the Col de Berade and giving a more sustained ski down in to the Berade Valley. There was some good cold snow in places, some light wind crust in others and just around the hut the snow turned to load bearing rain crust with lots of awkward little drainage channels in. This combined with the extensive avalanche debris along the valley & some narrow twisty path skiing did not give a particularly relaxing descent although the cover is good and it’s great to ski straight to the bar!
Other teams had skied the Col de Belvedere, Col de Beugeant and Col de Dard as well as various different sets of tracks coming off Mont Buet via different routes.
Impressive snow volume in the upper Berade Valley with the Col de Belvedere top left and Glacier de Mort hidden centre right.
