Biggest Storm of The Winter! (week 7 & 8)
As usual there has been a great deal of good off-piste skiing in Chamonix the last 2 weeks. After a long time of cold temperatures and light snow we got warm and unstable weather during week 8. Just when the winter fleeces were about to be stached away we got hit by the biggest storm of the year on the 26th of Feb – it just would not stop snowing! Warm and variable weather with regular snow falls and strong winds seams to follow in the footsteps of the big dump… keeping powder skiing on its peak and avalanche danger high.
Epic Powder Conditions Around Chamonix (week 5 & 6)
Kicking off February with a massive dump on both sides of the Mt Blanc mountain range – we got epic conditions for powder skiing! For 2 weeks now we have had amazing off-piste skiing in the Chamonix valley and our neighboring resorts in Switzerland and Italy.
Powder skiing on Punta Helbronner, Vallee Blanche, in Le Tour, and tree skiing in Courmayeur and Champex…
Kask of Sweden – Our Goggles and Beanie Sponsor
We would like to accknowledge and welcome our newest parter, Kask Of Sweden, having taken the role as our goggles and beanies sponsor. Sharing with the Kask team a good friendship and a great passion for skiing, we have the opportunity to represent not only the brand but a whole lifestyle – living life to the full, staying creative and free in the mountains.
Hats and googles have been tested, skiing hard and fast in warm, cold, sunny and snowy weather…
Off-piste skiing and Ski Touring (week 3 & 4)
The last two weeks have been a mix of off-piste skiing from the lifts, ski touring, heli-skiing and traveling.
As usual we are talking about serious off-piste terrain where you should not venture without extensive knowledge about avalanche safety, glacier safety, route finding skills and up to date local weather and snow condition information.
Classic Chamonix Off-piste Runs (week 1 & 2)
These two first weeks of 2010 we have had so much great off-piste skiing in Chamonix. It is a lovely, quite time in Chamonix; not very busy in the mountains, cold snow and beautiful winter landscapes. Some of the runs we have done are Chamonix classics, others are more rarely skied. Below is a little selection of terrain that is in good conditions now in the early season 2010. Just to give you an idea of the variety of off-piste skiing we have in Chamonix.
An Introduction to Avalanches
In the Alps, avalanches are the principal cause of mortal accidents. Ignorance and lack of knowledge put many people on the mountain in danger. So to augment the knowledge and awareness among our clients and readers we would like to provide some information about avalanche safety. I will start with a basic comprehensive introduction to avalanches and risk assessment. This info complements our practical avalanche awareness courses in Chamonix.
Christmas Skiing in Chamonix and St Anton (week 52)
In ski resorts all over the Alps, the amount of snow was increasing during the Christmas week. It was great powder skiing some days and warm and windy other days. We have been checking out the snow conditions and skiing powder in Chamonix and St Anton during the Christmas week!
Preseason Powder Skiing in Chamonix (week 51)
The first real powder skiing experience this year we got on the Punta Helbronner, on the south side of the Mont Blanc Massif. Skiing 20cm of light powder on top of a soft base, we had the whole mountains all to our selves. Evidently Chamonix already holds great conditions for ski touring and off-piste skiing if you know where to go ski in the early season.
Winter Rock Climbing in Finale Ligure (week 50)
While waiting for the off-piste sharks to get buried deep down in the powder we scout central Europe for rock climbing destinations. We found our last week of T-shirt free rock climbing in Finale Ligure, close to Genoa in Italy. Temperatures were perfect for climbing in the sun as well as in the shade. Even though we often go to Finale, just 3 hours drive from Chamonix, we continue to explore new sectors as well as revisiting our favorite ones…
Rock Climbing Trip Riglos & Rodellar (week 43-45)
Mallos de Riglos: The 300m high conglomerate towers are one of a kind. Consisting of rounded rocks of all sizes from eggs to pilatus balls glued into an orange mud. On top of that it is greatly overhanging! Why would you build your home under this potentially rock-firing giant? And much less try to climb it!? Lyckily someone did, and now is Riglos is one of Spains most popular area for more alpine-oriented climbers.
Sardinia Rock Climbing Trip (week 40-41)
Another climbing trip to one of our favorite destinations – Sardinia!
This time we make a little round trip to check out the climbing, beaches, food and towns in all corners of this rocky paradise island. High cliffs with a sheer drop into a crystal clear sea, interrupted by white sand beaches; lime stone grottoes and incredible rock formations; picturesque villages, ice cream and pizza…
Traversing the Weissmies
Wolfgang, Paolo and Tom met up with a group of six Norwegians in the electric circus of Zermatt, for 3 days of Swiss mountaineering. They climbed the Breithorn for acclimatization, then went for the two-day traverse of the Weissmies (4023m).
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