The descent of the Vallee Blanche Classic route took on a slightly more demanding mountaineering feel yesterday morning as 80km/hr winds whipped snow across both the descent arete and the glacial plateau of the Col du Midi. All previous tracks were covered in deep soft windblown snow, there were no other teams at all on the Classic route and the upper Vallee Blanche retained a superb pristine feel and gave some great skiing.

Lower down teams joined the route from all the main variations and the snow became pretty heavy and challenging to ski with any great grace or style! We avoided the crossing of the Salle a Manger by traversing hard skiers left from the Requin Hut and found the easiest descent on the far left of the steeper Couoloirs closer to the Hut. One team were putting in a new track across the Salle a Manger but the snow cover there, and throughout the lower Mer de Glace is still pretty lean. With this in mind the train down from Montenvers was taken in preference to the anticipated 'combat skiing' on the James Bond track down to Chamonix

The Arete descending from the Midi station is now equipped with a basic handrail although we were still glad to have crampons on.

Very few climbers were seen with the exception of one team gearing up at the base of a very lean looking Cosmiques Cascade. Some ice was in evidence on the East Face of Mont Blanc du Tacul and click the links for photos from yesterday of The Supercouloir and Gabarrou Albinoni.

General Chamonix Ski Touring / Mountaineering

Ski Touring in the Chamonix Aiguilles Rouges

Ski off Mont Buet, Chamonix Valley

Contamine Ski, Chamonix