26 January 2021, Mint Ski Touring Conditions On The Croise Baulet, Aravis
Lots of teams had noticed that today was THE day of the week, and what a day. Snow volume is extensive, down to low altitudes, snow quality is high, below high altitudes; the sun was shining yet the air temperatures were cool. In short, a real mid winter ski touring classic.
We made our way up over the Petit Croise Baulet from and up the sunny powder slopes of the Grand too, with half the French army breaking trail ahead!
Superb views from this central location and interesting to see tracks going up into the steep couloir across the valley on the East Face of the Roche Perfia?
The voie normale off the Petit Croise Baulet had great snow but was pretty tracked so we took to the woods and enjoyed some good meadows, and only minor combat, to take an alternative route down and finished with some Steeper and deeper powder down the line of the Black Aigle Piste which gave a big fun final descent.
Looks like more snow on the way tomorrow with a High avalanche risk building on the back of that and then warmer temperatures, for the first time in long time, on Thursday.
Despite the significant thaw, high avalanche conditions and poor weather for Thursday & Friday, conditions for both Chamonix and Aravis ski touring and ice climbing are generally excellent at the moment so please get in touch, via the contact form at the base of this page if we can help with guiding or training and some inspiring sorties in the mountains…
25 January 2021, More Snow To Very Low In The Aravis….
It snowed a lot over night, right down to Arve Valley floor level all the way down to Cluses and beyond, and just kept snowing lightly all day. With cool temperatures and deep light fluffy snow, the good skiing continued although visibility was not so good above the tree line today!
Infact with the recent snow falling on strong winds in the high mountains, the lower and middle hills are the pace to be for snow quality and it was no problem skinning from the parking at below 1000m today in Burzier above Sallanches in the Arve Valley.
The weather looks very good for tomorrow so it should be a real mid winter classic but with some burly and then wetter valley weather rolling in later in the week.
Conditions for both Chamonix and Aravis ski touring and ice climbing are excellent at the moment so please get in touch via the contact form at the base of this page if we can help with guiding or training for either of those.
24 January 2021, Superb Snow & Ski Conditions In The Aravis & Mont Blanc Massifs
It was a rare winter treat for those lucky enough to be able to access the mountains this weekend and enjoy the skiers holy grail of beautiful fresh snow, lots of it, with a good base, and excellent weather. Even in the absence of any big lifts being open for the public, the parking at Passy Plaine Joux was full to the brim with folk enjoying the great touring, views of the Mont Blanc Massif, and some steep couloir skiing too…
There were numerous skinning tracks heading up in to the base of the striking Couloir Gypaete just above the little resort of Plaine Joux. This is a spectacular gully line visible in the centre of the picture and casting a shadow across on to the steep sunny limestone walls part of the Fizz Massif.
The gully itself is 4-500m of narrow couloir skiing with an average angle of 46 degrees and sections up to 52 at the top. There is a short ‘Cham Lines’ film of Aurelien DUCROZ and friends skiing it here.
Over in the Aravis there were some idyllic ski touring conditions with basically pristine snow for the ascent of the Tete de Sallaz above Romme and great views over the to Areu as per the picture above. Likewise, superb cover and snow quality for touring around the Chamonix Valley, albeit with a considerable avalanche risk too. More snow on the way tomorrow!
