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Skiing in Chamonix

gauchogolfer

gauchogolfer

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 28, 2005
5,551
5
American Riviera
Hi everybody. I just got back from a ski weekend in Chamonix, and thought I'd share a couple of photos. The three are all from a day in the Vallee Blanche; skiing down a glacier below Mont Blanc. The scale of the mountains around us was kind of tough to capture, since there weren't many references available. Anyways, hope you like them!
 

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Abstract said:
Are those stairs? :eek:


(no thanks. Call me when they get a lift installed)
Click to expand...

Actually they're steps hacked out of the snow and ice. We went down in a group of 7 all roped together. The guide at the top wore crampons, and we had a rope line to one side. It was a pretty crazy descent.
 
My favourite place to ski. I spent 4 years as a skibum there in the 90´s. Awesome place, no mountains like it in Europe.
Nice pics. I´m very envious

PS To give people some idea of the scal;, the second picture is of Mont Blanc de Tacul and I have skied some routes down there.It´s roughly 900 vertial meters, and it took us a good hour to do the easiest decent (Colouir Gervasutti, to the right of the middle peak). Ofcourse we had to go slow as it´s around 50 degrees steep.
 
Counterfit said:
I try to stay away from the "If you fall, you die" kind of mountains when I ski. :eek:
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lol yeah me too, if I'm going to die doing something active, it had better be by drowning, but by falling down a mountain
 
Counterfit said:
I try to stay away from the "If you fall, you die" kind of mountains when I ski. :eek:
Click to expand...

Oh, but those are the most fun! It's amazing the clarity of focus you get in those situations. I love scaring the bejesus out of myself when I ski.

Nice pics by the way.
 
m-dogg said:
It's amazing the clarity of focus you get in those situations. I love scaring the bejesus out of myself when I ski.
Click to expand...

Call that Skiing? Whats with all those blue skies and powder snow? You wanna get to Scotland and try some real skiing. Horizontal rain, rocks 'n' heather, 90mph wind. As my father always used to tell me, if its fun, it ain't skiing son. Clarity of focus? best to keep your eyes shut.

Seriously - lovely pics + thanks for sharing. Wish I could've enjoyed the view with you!
 
Some of my most gorgeous mountain pictures were taken in Chamonix. It *is* hard to find a reference point to convey the scale. I did go in May when alot of the snow was melted so there was more definition to the mountains. On my canon digital elph there is a nice panorama-stitch program so you can stitch together a nice pan.

Dave
 
gibbon said:
Call that Skiing? Whats with all those blue skies and powder snow? You wanna get to Scotland and try some real skiing. Horizontal rain, rocks 'n' heather, 90mph wind. As my father always used to tell me, if its fun, it ain't skiing son. Clarity of focus? best to keep your eyes shut.

Seriously - lovely pics + thanks for sharing. Wish I could've enjoyed the view with you!
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Hehhehhheh - Sounds like fun!

I am an east coast US skier, so I can relate a little bit.
 
I ride again in 2 weeks

You're killing me with those shots. I'm at school for 2 more weeks before I go home and finally get to hit the slopes this season. i have never been to Chamoix but from what I have heard it's amazing. Those shots just go to prove it.
Keep those photos coming!
 
gauchogolfer said:
Actually they're steps hacked out of the snow and ice. We went down in a group of 7 all roped together. The guide at the top wore crampons, and we had a rope line to one side. It was a pretty crazy descent.
Click to expand...

Yeah, good idea. Being tied to someone who's good at skiing may be best in my situation.

Either that, or give me a helmet, seatbelt, a condom, sunscreen, and a life jacket, because I'm going to need all the protection I can get. :eek:
 
Kirbdog said:
You're killing me with those shots... i have never been to Chamoix but from what I have heard it's amazing. Those shots just got to prove it.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I have a coworker who went skiing there some years ago and said it was nice. Now I have a better idea.

Of course, its been a good ~5 years since I've put on my skis, and I wasn't in good shape then either, so it would be a huge waste to go on a Euro Ski Trip and then not be able to even complete one run without stopping 14 times on the way down and wheezing like an old fatty.

Of course, I guess I could claim that each "rest stop" was really to stop to take photos! :D

FWIW, if Chamonix is anything like many other parts of the Alps, its probably great for summer day hiking. Did a week in Switzerland over in the Lenk/Grindelwald areas a few years ago ... will have to dig up those old film images to scan...or better yet, go back and shoot them again in digital.


-hh
 
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