"The Whitedot team in Chamonix have been ski touring from the start of the season, from Les Houches forests trails prior to lifts opening in November to peak bagging on the Aiguilles Rouge in the New Year. It has been a great winter for all snow activities not only across the Alps but across Europe, including UK.
It would be an understatement to say that a deep winter feel has lingered and although not exactly welcomed by all, it has set up a potentially rewarding spring touring season. In Chamonix it felt like there was a switch being flicked over the Easter weekend with the clock s being pulled back coinciding with the lifting of a 3 day storm.
On Easter Sunday the clouds broke from what felt like an eternal blizzard to reveal a snow drenched panorama. We managed to get on the hill quickly get some fresh tracks before planning out the next couple of days ski touring....the forecast was for a settled 72 hours!
The next morning armed with skins and CarbonLite Rangers (our free-touring skis), we headed up to the Col des Crochues. Although it was a high avalanche risk day it was easy enough to read the snow pack.
The previous afternoon’s sun along with a freezing cold night had left a substantial crust layer which had compounded with the loaded couloirs to produce some impressive avalanches on the Western aspects.
On the eastern aspects the snow was conserved in an immaculate fresh condition, and it was these aspects where we headed and found some rolling pitches on which to charge down. The Berard valley is a well trodden Chamonix ski tour play area but with an early start and with a short extra 'boot pack' we found ourselves carving out first tracks down the valley - a rare and gratifying experience.....albeit with a pack of Scandinavian ski tourers hot on our tails!
The next day, Tuesday 2nd Apr, we had planned to head up high and tour from the Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. Although a simple tour it would allow us to have a good look at the condition of the snow bridges, rimayes and crevasses across the Vallee Blanche sector without any significant commitment. A reconnaissance for routes to be cracked over the next month or two!
We headed out from the Aiguille du Midi ice tunnel into a blue sunny sky, and from the moment crampons hit snow the feeling of wellness was overpowering as the views and atmosphere (there were surprisingly few guided groups around) engulfed us.
Once we started to cross the glacier and later headed up to the Italian 'Pointe Helbronner' we passed numerous fellow ski tourers and alpinists. It was great to see a real mix of mountain enthusiasts assessing their objectives. Some were poised to cross a rimaye (Mt Blanc du Tacul and Tour Ronde etc), others on rock having discarded skis at the bottom of their route, or like us - fixing skins to skis and heading into the corners of the glacier to find fresh tracks.
Our descent even surpassed the previous day and once we had negotiated the ‘Salle a Manger’ via the Southern exit and the Vallee Noire, we lunched with the black crows and finally returned to the hussle of Chamonix town center.
The spring season has only just started and both the Aiguille Rouge and the Mt Blanc range of glaciers are all in great condition. I was really struck by the strong state of the snow bridges and snow covering across the glaciers. With lift access in Chamonix running into mid-May, the ski-touring season will be long and rewarding this year.....maybe the best in many years!"
Mark and the Whitedot Team
