Mubster Posted March 7, 2006 Report Posted March 7, 2006 hi... Has anyone ever snow kited in Chamonix??? I might be heading out there next week and wondered if I should take the frenzy... Any info would be greatly appreciated Quote
Duderino Posted March 7, 2006 Report Posted March 7, 2006 take it dude just in case.... b'sides its another string to ya bow to hunt them hoe's.. Quote
intomountains Posted March 8, 2006 Report Posted March 8, 2006 Most of Chamonix is steep.... very steep... so there are not too many places. I know that people have snowkited on the Argentiere Glacier which you can get to off the Grandes Montets lift. The only way I have got out is a 1000m climb over to the next valley but there should be some way of getting straight doen to Argientere - some locl knowledge to be aquired. It is off piste and you are on a glacier so... don't go alone and wear transcievers etc if you are going to attempt anything like this. The snow looks fantastic at the moment though! Quote
Sand-Yeti Posted March 8, 2006 Report Posted March 8, 2006 Theres's a great ski run that I have made a few times, which we refer to as the Vallee Blanc. Take cable car to the Aiguille de Midi - 3800m. After departing the top station there is steep & icy ridge. Everybody carries their skis down that bit. There is a rope & sort of steps going down the ridge. Fall over the left hand side of the ridge on this descent & it will be the last fall you ever make. The right hand side is a bit better but you'd get pretty mashed up if not the chop should you take a dive down it. Once you get of this top bit, you should be able to kite. I'm not sure you will catch much wind as you have hills all around blocking it. It's all glacier but you have to be careful in places because there are some nasty crevasses in the ice. It drops down on to the Mer de Glace, which is not such a steep glacier & when filled with snow is fairly easy going . It goes along the base of the Petit Dru which is a beautiful pointed hill. Providing there is still snow, you can ski down further but might be a bit tricky with the kite as you start getting close to trees. There's a restaurant where you can get a drink & take transport back to Chams. A kite ride down it sounds like a great challenge & don't know if anybody has actually done it. Unless you are decent skier, I'd say give it a miss. We used to practice climbing ice walls on the nearby Bossons glacier but that would be too dodgy to kite on. I ski near my winter home in Fribourg, Switzerland. The biggest problem I find is that the hills seriously block the wind. Sand-Yeti Quote
doh Posted March 9, 2006 Report Posted March 9, 2006 the vallee blanc run is fantastic, wouldn't take the kite though. the mer du glace looks like a nice big flattish area to kite on but there are crevaces everywhere. have done this run twice and it has been unbelievable both times. the ridge walk is worth doing by itself, wouldn't want to wear skiboots doing that though:eek: you have a big climb at the bottom up to the rail station but its well worth taking most of a day to do the full run. don't go off the tracks where others have been unless with a guide. you get one lift to the top station 3800 if you buy a full area pass, make sure you buy carre neigesp (off piste insurance)also. Quote
Mubster Posted March 10, 2006 Author Report Posted March 10, 2006 nice one guys... if i do go i'll take the beast just in case... Quote
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