Bryon, Chris and I decided to-day was good day for another Piste skinning session - history had told us that we had to make the best of the fact it was not adverse conditions. Added to the fact that it is not unusual for a cloud inversion to happen in the Chamonix valley - there was every chance we could climb out of it.
Leaving the other two at the camp-site we set out for Grands Montets, and proceeded up the Red run in the mist. As can be seen from our tracks a lot off snow had fallen over night, and this meant we had to break trail.
As we rose up the mountain we got out for the initial cloud layer, only to find another one slightly above, and another, etc. From time to time the sun would try and break through... but I suspect this was just the clear patches in the layers all aligning for a few minutes. However it make for some interesting photos.
From Lognan, the Mid-station we continued on up the slopes below the Herse chair lift, to the point where it felt like lunch time. this was some where around where one of the tracks on the slope crosses under the lift.We turned around after taking on some food and liquid, enjoying the fantastic powder left overnight ... in truth we were still really learning about this kind of snow, but we had great fun remembering all the things not to do.
As we past the Mid-station it was time to revert to the piste - where contrary to coming up we had been the first, was now a collection of tracks, but with plenty to still get your teeth into.
We were quite tired by the time we got to the bottom, and our legs were certainly feeling the exercise.back to join the others .. but that is a tale for tomorrow.