Chamonix Me

Happy to be alive after the scary wind whipped decent.

Today several of us went to Chamonix, France to ski the Vallee Blanche and part of the Mer de Glace. The ascent was pretty easy as we took the large gondola which carries upwards of 40 people to the top, at 3800m. From there it is a sketchy descent to the area where we dropped in, so steep that I was hanging on to the ropes with all my might, hoping my skis wouldn't go flying down the backside of the mountain (or worse yet, I go backside down the backside of the mountain).
Henkka, Paive, Ilkka, and John

The area where everyone gets their gear on...note how harnesses, ropes, axes, helmets, are de rigeur.

If you enlarge this one you can see the floating gondolas which are in operation only in the summer. This is to keep the tourists to a minimum in the winter when the conditions are more dangerous and variable due to the hidden crevasses all along the glacier.

This peak reminded me a bit of Black Tusk in Whistler.

John and I were both pretty paranoid about the crevasses so we roped up for one section. It certainly was a new challenge skiing along towing John behind me. Our other party did have an incident with a crevasse but all turned out ok, Miku fell in but was able to get himself out with his crampons and ax.

This was were we stopped for lunch part one.

The vistas were spectacular but I have to say that being crammed in gondolas and trains at each section was tedious. Though I suppose that it affords some altitudes which would be challenging to achieve on one's own steam.

Miku and Henkka enjoying a well earned beer. John and I enjoying a beer our lazy-gondola -riding-no-couloir-skiing-asses didn't earn.

My first Swiss Fondue. Mmmmmm....yes that is a giant pot of cheese.