After the success from last year, I wanted to go back and see what could be achieved with longer day routes in the Chamonix area, and maybe getting higher.
Dave had emigrated to Canada, so casting around interested people, Bryon and found we had similar ideas and thoughts on objectives. Nick came along to make up the numbers.
We took my company car on the overnight drive to Chamonix, arriving in the morning in time for coffee and Croissants. We would be camping this time and not in an apartment or gite.
The first step was to get a Carte Neige insurance card for everyone - this being the cheapest way to cover the off-piste as well and standard skiing. It also covered the trips into the mountains.
We then headed off to find a camp-site. the argentiere site was snow covered so was not yet opened. We then went around to the Mer de Glace camping, where Dave and I had stayed in the early years, which was desolate, and later we would find out was in the midst of changing hands. So following signs we ended up at a site just down from the Les Praz train station. The owner had just cleared a section in the middle of snow ready for the Easter weekend .. We were the first and one of only two or three tents during the stay.
The omens boded well, and we had a fantastic sunset over the Dru to watch.
| | | ||
| | | Arrive Chamonix | |
| Le Tour | | | |
| | | Col de Berard | |
| Vittorio Emanuele Hut | | | |
| | | Gran Paradiso | |
| Rest Day | | | |
| | | Grands Montets | |
| Trois Cols | | | |
| | | Go Home |