Last year started some thought processes and our minds were occupied with finding out how to make life easier for ourselves in the winter months, especially as we now knew it took as long to get to the Alps as it did to Scotland.
In between time Dave had researched a relatively unknown type of binding, and even tracked down a book (by Peter Cliff) that covered ski mountaineering. the bindings were hard to find ... eventually we got some from a friend of a friend who knew someone selling their gear - two pairs one for Dave and the other for me .... this was the age before the internet and eBay, so selling things was much more in small circles and knowing who to ask.
We also started a thing that would become more used as time went by - that of reserving an apartment and filling it with people, in a bunk house style. The bedrooms were converted into dorms, and the remaining rooms into the living areas .. like a mountain hut.
The next hurdle we need to get over was how to actually use this new equipment we had and how to learn all the new techniques and methods described in the book. There were a small number of local courses that taught ski touring to skiers, which involved a lot of learning about mountains, and a little about skiing ... what we were after was ski touring for mountaineers where the emphasis was on surviving on skis in the mountains. Dave eventually found a UK guide based in Chamonix, who was newly venturing into this kind of territory - Brian Hall - the same person who would later find fame as the "off the ground" safety person for Gladiators, and then his big passion as camera man and mountain unit director for major films where climbing was involved.
So we booked a 3 day course with Brian - Introduction to ski touring for mountaineers, and we would make it up as we went along. the party would be Dave, myself and Steve.
We also booked an apartment on the outskirts of Chamonix, on the back road to Les Praz. When we got there we were lucky that it was not high season as the parking was minimal, but we were able to get close enough. For some reason I still have a memory of the dark corridor with a Dennis the Menace plastic cut-out on the door.
Eight people (Steve, Bryon, Nick, Sue, Chris, M-J, Dave, and myself) signed up for the trip so we went in two cars, Mine and Nick's. The others would ski when we were on the course and we would all go together on the remaining days.
Everyone (apart from Dave and myself) had to get gear, with Steve getting specialist ski touring skis - when you know what to ask for, and it is in the Mecca of Chamonix is much easier than we had imagined.
After 6 days skiing, and three of those completely exhausting ... we had a fun night on the town involving fondu and wine... before we headed home.
In between time Dave had researched a relatively unknown type of binding, and even tracked down a book (by Peter Cliff) that covered ski mountaineering. the bindings were hard to find ... eventually we got some from a friend of a friend who knew someone selling their gear - two pairs one for Dave and the other for me .... this was the age before the internet and eBay, so selling things was much more in small circles and knowing who to ask.
We also started a thing that would become more used as time went by - that of reserving an apartment and filling it with people, in a bunk house style. The bedrooms were converted into dorms, and the remaining rooms into the living areas .. like a mountain hut.The next hurdle we need to get over was how to actually use this new equipment we had and how to learn all the new techniques and methods described in the book. There were a small number of local courses that taught ski touring to skiers, which involved a lot of learning about mountains, and a little about skiing ... what we were after was ski touring for mountaineers where the emphasis was on surviving on skis in the mountains. Dave eventually found a UK guide based in Chamonix, who was newly venturing into this kind of territory - Brian Hall - the same person who would later find fame as the "off the ground" safety person for Gladiators, and then his big passion as camera man and mountain unit director for major films where climbing was involved.
So we booked a 3 day course with Brian - Introduction to ski touring for mountaineers, and we would make it up as we went along. the party would be Dave, myself and Steve.We also booked an apartment on the outskirts of Chamonix, on the back road to Les Praz. When we got there we were lucky that it was not high season as the parking was minimal, but we were able to get close enough. For some reason I still have a memory of the dark corridor with a Dennis the Menace plastic cut-out on the door.
Eight people (Steve, Bryon, Nick, Sue, Chris, M-J, Dave, and myself) signed up for the trip so we went in two cars, Mine and Nick's. The others would ski when we were on the course and we would all go together on the remaining days.Everyone (apart from Dave and myself) had to get gear, with Steve getting specialist ski touring skis - when you know what to ask for, and it is in the Mecca of Chamonix is much easier than we had imagined.
| | | ||
| | | Arrive Chamonix | |
| Les Houches | | | |
| | | Flegere | |
| Tete de Balme | | | |
| | | Glacier d'Argentiere | |
| Vallee Blanche | | | |
| | | Grands Montets | |
| Brevant | | | |
| | | Go Home |
After 6 days skiing, and three of those completely exhausting ... we had a fun night on the town involving fondu and wine... before we headed home.