Chamonix Recovery Week

Chamonix from the top of the Grand MontetIt’s been a week since finishing the Pierra Menta. I’m finally recovered. My feet are good now and I have energy to tour and ski. I didn’t wait long to get back out but didn’t go crazy at first, either.

Me, Dave Searles and Ross Hewitt getting ready to sample the freshness on the l'Aiguille du PlanI started off with an easy tour up on the Plan l’Aiguille. I met Dave and Ross in line and they were headed for the same. The weekend dump had left some untracked snow up there so we figured we could find some. It was good to get up with guys who know the terrain so well.

Dave gets the nod for the first go.

We mostly contoured from the Midi mid station and headed north. I got a look at the face where Mark Twight’s Beyond Good and Evil route lies. Cool to see it in person.

After some easy powder skiing and one head plant by me, it was time to find the way down to the valley. The terrain is very imposing and bony right now and you get a good look as you head up the tram. But these guys assured me that, with some good route finding, we could locate the track that switch backs down through the woods to the main road.

We skied steep trees and some bushes through cut up powder and, eventually, moguls and avalanche debris. The track had a few bald spots but we were able to just shuffle across with skis on. It was a fun downhill adventure.

Yep, BGE is up there if you know where to look. The next day I went back up for more and repeated the tour. The only difference is that I followed a higher track which led to a steep boot pack going god knows where. It looked cool and I had crampons so up I went. Unfortunately, at a rocky crux, the toe bail of my lightweight-racing crampon snapped. Not good. At least I was able to down climb safely. It bugged me that this could have happened in the Pierra Menta but the crampon section was eliminated due to weather. Note to self.

Second tram on the Grand MontetAfter another day of eating and napping I decided it was time for some real exercise. I headed up the Grand Montet after my landlord told me to go check out the Col du Argentiere. There’s quite a bit of glacier travel but the route is beat in and relatively safe. I scoped out the map beforehand and decided I should try and bag two of the classic tours in that area.

The sunny side of the Argentiere GlacierI wasn’t completely positive I was going up the right col until I reached the top and asked a fellow which col I was at. He assured me I was at the Col du Argentiere. There was some good powder on the way down and within 10 minutes I was back at the base of the 1,000-meter climb.

The daunting north faces of Les Courtes, Les Droites and the l'Aiguille VerteFeeling good, I scooted over to the next drainage and headed up for the Col du Tour Noire, the shorter of the two classic outings. It had crappier snow, getting more sun and was much flatter. It still gained nearly 1,000 meters but did so with more linear distance. The descent was more straight lining at the top and survival skiing through the refrozen mank at the bottom.

I came from the low point on the right most ridge of the l'Aiguille Verte, just where the rocks stopIt took me about 4 hours to do both. Satisfied, I started the long cruise down the Argentiere Glacier, which was fun and easy and I easily found the track that cut back into the Grand Montet ski area. I stopped at the mid level and had a coffee with my remaining Panne au chocolate. After that it was an easy 1,000 meters down slushy groomers to the bus.

My new favorite recovery meal

Comments

[B2]

B1, it looks like you are getting after it! love the Alps - wish I could be there wedeln with you!

[Brian]

Hey Brian,

Thanks for checking in. Too bad you don't have a business trip over here. Chamonix is pretty crazy. Had beers after a fun day today with friends and there was House, Haley and Steck at the same table. Serious alpine artillery battery there. That was after standing in line with George freakin' Lowe this morning. Surreal.

[Richard Ferron]

Hey Brian,

Congrats on the Pierra Menta! Keep the post coming, I love reading about your adventures.

I have a few questions for you (and your readers), if you don't mind:

I would really like your opinion on a one ski quiver. I live in Quebec and I guess I will mainly climb in the woods and go down in-bound on groomed and sometime icy piste (training purposes). I will also go in some accessible woods to ski up and down. I might try a skimo race next year for the experience and am also planning on doing the Wapta traverse in Alberta. I know an all around ski will have lots of compromise but I'm ok with that. In ski station I actually prefer going up than down! Probably wont be the same outbound! On the net I found some guidelines that sounded good:
85-90 waist
around 19m radius
around 180cm
What do you think?
By reading reviews and taking into account (not always respecting) those criteria I came up with those skis:
- Dynafit Cho Oyu
- Dynafit Baltoro
- G3 Zenoxyde 105 2012 (can have them used for a really good price but I read that they are mediocre on groomed piste and really stiff and unforgiving)
- Ski Trab Polvere
- DPS Wailer 99 Hybrid

BTW I'm 6'1, 155 pounds and as of my skill: was really good 20 years ago, did not ski much since and have never skied out bound. I still feel comfortable in double black diamond slopes but am in no way an expert so I guess I need some forgiveness in the ski I will buy.

The Cho Oyu is a little larger and sounds good to me but the Baltoro is way cheaper and sounds really good as well.
I have the One PX-TF boots that I found a good deal on and am thinking on buying the Dynafit Radical FT.

Thanks and continue enjoying Chamonix!

Richard
Quebec, Canada

[Richard Ferron]

BTW, Would've love to be at that table too! Next time, send an invitation to Kilian! ;) Just saw is new movie, insane and spectacular!

[Brian]

Hi Richard,

Yeah, bought Kilian's movie too. Really good stuff. Inspiring. I got to interview him via email earlier this year as part of a magazine article I'm writing. He was completely approachable and very helpful. No surprise, really, when you see him in these movies.

Anyway, to your questions regarding skis. I don't think your parameters are unreasonable at all. As you admit, there will be compromises. No problem. The first thing is you want a light ski so you can enjoy the uphill, which is your focus, and, perhaps, race a time or two. Weight matters a lot. The skis you mentioned are all pretty heavy with the exception of the Cho Oyu. I say heavy compared to what I'm going to suggest. Keep that in mind. Most of those skis are also too fat, IMO.

So, check out the Dynafit Nanga Parbat, Movement X Logic, Trab Magico. Keep the width around 75-80mm and the length around 175cm. You're not a big guy so you don't need a ton of length. I personally feel mountaineering skis should be on the short side. My favorite pair in the past was a Dynafit Broad Peak in a 167cm. There are lighter skis now so I'm not putting it on this list but it would work, too.

I would use nothing but a race binding, either a ATK or, my favorite, the Plum Race 165. They have an adjustment plate that gives you some freedom for other boots if you need it. You could also just commit to a full race binding if you like your boots. But a Radical FT is WAY too much binding for these skis. Totally unnecessary in my book and would be a shame to put on one of these sexy light skis.

Hope that helps.