Lego & Divegirl do the Alps

**LegoSkier** · 10-17-2011, 11:08 PM

Last January my sister (who gets sent all over the world for work) came back from a trip to Geneva and while there she had taken a couple of days to go to Chamonix and came back with great pics and video from there. Needless to say, I just couldn’t handle the fact that she had gone to someplace that has been on my hit list forever. Divegirl and I had been in the process of planning a big spring trip somewhere (had actually been thinking tropical) but we quickly changed our plans and booked flights from SF to Geneva covering 10 days. At the time the Alps were lacking in snow but then again the Sierras were in the middle of the typical January thaw so we figured it for sure would start snowing again by the time we went out in late April. Well, as you know, it didn’t and we ended up closing out the Alps ski season in an epic drought year. I do have to say that the Alps in a record drought is still pretty freakin awesome. Note this is a long ass tr with very little actual ski shots because, frankly, we suck at taking ski shots. But there are a ton of good senics.

Day 1

Stepped on Swiss Air in SFO and 11 hours later stepped off in Zurich. A quick plane change brought us to Geneva where we got our rental car (small Ford hatchback) and rolled on up to Chamonix. We stayed here:

Which ended up being a pretty swank hotel right next to the base of the Augui du Midi. In fact, you could look right out our hotel room window and see the tram so I had the pleasant experience of lying in the comfortable bed with divegirl riding the reverse cowgirl while watching the tram go up and down.

The next day we decided to go for a hike just so we could recover from the jet lag and get a feel for the place. We ended up hiking all the way up to the top of the Planpraz gondola. There was a fine view of the Mont Blanc Massif on the way up:

And an artsy shot of the top of the Aguii du Midi:

At the top we grabbed a drink out on the deck while watching maybe half a dozen skiers try to milk the last bits of snow out of the Brevant tram then got a quick ride back down to town on the gondola:

Once in town we walked all over and did a lot of the usual touristy stuff. It was beautiful weather with almost 70 degree temps. Spring was busting out all over:

Of course divegirl had to do the point:

We then came across this sign and remembered, there’s like skiing and stuff you can do here!

**LegoSkier** · 10-17-2011, 11:10 PM

Day 2

Time to go skiing. At the Grand Montets no less! Fuck yeah!

Woke up to a great sunrise from our balcony

Of course it was pretty much like that every day. After a truly epic Euro breakfast spread, we drove our little ride on over to the ski area. We had booked a reservation through our hotel on one of the early rides up the top tram so we went right on up to the top where there was a fine view of Mont Blanc

“When Scott showed me this spot of the top of the Grand Montet, frankly I didn’t want anything to do with it.” Especially today. Way more boney than 24 years ago.

Also a fine view of the Argentiere glacier

The skiing was pretty bulletproof in the early part of the day on the lower mountain later turning to slush. On the glacier directly under the top tram (in shadow below) was actually a few inches of pow so we lapped that a number of times both from the tram and traversing in from the top of the Bouchard gondola.

Another view

Divegirl says “Let’s fucking ski!”

**LegoSkier** · 10-17-2011, 11:12 PM

Day 3

The next day we drove through the tunnel to Courmayeur in Italy. I have to say this is one of the coolest ski towns ever. Chill vibe, great touring potential, and awesome food.

Touring potential. Note wet slides everywhere so we stuck to the slush bumps of the resort. It was still a fun relaxing day.

Top tram which is sort of like an OG version of the Mount Allen tram at Snowbasin.

The skiing was pretty much like this with slushy fun everywhere.

Yeah, they were hurting for snow.

Holy crap! It’s Alpine Meadows Ice Bars long lost Italian Grandfather!

We rode the bottom Gondola down into full on Spring.

Went to some little shop that only made Focaccia which was pretty much the best I have ever had. Then we hit up a Gelato stand and had the best Gelato ever, then hit up a little Pasta shop and bought some bags of hand made pasta to take home. Finally we drove down valley to Pre Saint Didier and the thermal baths there. Yeah, it’s expensive but it is like a hot tub amusement park. There is like every permutation of soaking in hot water imaginable there. We relaxed in a huge pool of steaming water on a reclining bubble rack and watched the sun set over the alps.

**LegoSkier** · 10-17-2011, 11:15 PM

Day 4 & 5

I am combining these two days because on day 4 we did the tourist thing again with a trip up the Agui Du Midi. I have to be honest here, with the marginal conditions we were contemplating not hiring a guide and skiing down the Valle Blanch but once we got up there on day 4, we knew we had to do it and promptly went back down to the guide office and booked a guide for the next day.

Yeah, we’re going there

Stage two of the tram. Yep, no towers between here and there for 5000 vertical feet.

The top!

“Chamonix, 9000 vertical feet!”

The treacherous arête knife edge! To be walked down by me the next day in smooth soled alpine boots without crampons. Yeah, they cut that big zig zag path and I was on a rope but it was still sketchy.

Cool glacier shot

Us

And Mount Blanc

Looking across toward the Italian border. The next day we would tour over there.

Play “spot the ice climbers”

On to the ski day. It was actually good we did the tourist thing because the next day it was super warm (could have worn shorts at the top) and we had to bust ass to get through the serac and crevassed sections before shit got too warm. Me and our French guide Hamal. I would be the fat American in black of course.

Slapping on the skins for a tour up to Col d’Entreves.

Skin track

Us + thumb of French guide + Italian crow at the top

Another party on the Col

Yeah, the Italian side of Mont Blanc is really, really steep

Pow on the way back down! It wasn’t deep and it turned to corn right here but for a while it was pretty sweet

The crevassed section. We had to do some straight lines a few times. Hamal was glad we were decent skiers who had our shit together and not some random gapers (punters over there?).

It was pretty much endless low angle perfect corn from there on

Until the snow ran out! I was surprised at the carvability of bare glacier ice.

We had to walk the last quarter mile or so. I think we were probably one of the last guided ski groups of the year.

Another nice sunset from out balcony

**LegoSkier** · 10-17-2011, 11:17 PM

Day 6

One more sunrise in Cham. We were leaving to head into Switzerland for the second part of our trip.

Extreme viticulture above Martingy

Verbier!

Some Swiss sidecountry

We pretty much skied the Mont Fort tram (top one) all day. This is the run of the day. A steep little saddle with some good windblown.

Men with big balls shoved into tight rubber suits! A speed skiing contest on the Mont Fort tram. I believe the top speed was 198 kph.

Bec de Rosses, the venue for the Verbier Ride comp. Of course this is super low snow, but dam if that is not one burly venue!

Another view of what we spent the day skiing

This was the only true FML moment of the trip, when I realized that everything here (and the next valley, and the valley after that) is part of the ski area, when there’s snow.

After that we drove up the Rhone valley to our hotel in the BFE town of Grachen which is a little resort town perched on a hillside right down the canyon from were the split between Zeramtt and Saas Fee is. This place doesn’t see much in the way of international (non-Greman speaking) visitors. Luckily between our 6 words of German and most people knowing a bit of English we got by.

**LegoSkier** · 10-17-2011, 11:19 PM

Day 7

Off to Zermatt. This is probably the most expensive single day of skiing I have ever done but I had to do it at least once.

Obligatory Matterhorn porn

We mostly skied the Stockhorn which had some good bumps and open corn ending in bushwack itineraries that ended up like this

About 2:30 we decided to go into Italy. We didn’t make it since it was so far to get over there. So we ended up just skiing a couple runs on the Glacier Paradise part of the mountain.

We did have the place to ourselves at the end of the day

Choices.

Several thousand vert later, the snow ran out

Beer!

Wine and Italian food!

**LegoSkier** · 10-17-2011, 11:20 PM

Day 8

Saas Fee time! I have always heard good things about this place. It did prove to be true. Although the conditions were pretty hard pack we still found some fun stuff.

I have say this place is pretty bold with lift placement. The surface lifts with the lower angle terrain were pretty much surrounded by crevasses. Like right on the other side of the ropes.

End of the day and the snow ran out on an Astroturf soccer field. People were playing soccer while skiers rode it to the turf right into their game!

In Grachen, we were staying at the Hotel Gracherhof. I can’t say enough good things about this place. It rocks. The chef/owner puts up a great breakfast spread every morning with local cured meats and cheeses, excellent croissants and bread, and super fresh local eggs you can cook up yourself. The view from the room really isn’t bad either.

Divegirl looking to go out on the (quiet) town.

**LegoSkier** · 10-17-2011, 11:22 PM

Day 9

That’s it for the skiing. The next day was touristy driving down around Lake Geneva to our hotel in Geneva before flying out the next day.
We saw some cool Medieval Churches and Castles though

And I have to say the whole Sierre/Crans Montana setup is pretty dope. You can take a gondola from town to ski, then walk to a winery after. I wish Napa and Tahoe were this close together.

Beautiful Lake Geneva

Where the 1% bank. A private bank in Geneva. I bet they don’t charge a debt card fee.

Divegirl at the lakeside. Both are looking beautiful!

Our hotel room was pretty swank

Our ride home. Swissair A340 Zurich direct to SFO. After getting hosed with middle seats on the way there we got two seats on the side at the very front of coach. Pretty much the best seats in coach with no seats in front of you and plenty of leg room.

Fin.

**CarveMan** · 10-18-2011, 05:17 AM

Sweet. Chamonix stoke never wears thin!!!

I was there a month earlier. More snow but it was thinning quickly: http://aussieskier.com/index.php/cat...chamonix-2011/

**shera** · 10-18-2011, 09:31 AM

Nice, I enjoyed that. Divegirl looks grrrreat!

**Buster Highmen** · 10-18-2011, 09:59 AM

Well done you two.

**The Dad** · 10-18-2011, 10:03 AM

Looks like a hell of a trip. Sorry I missed the paella this weekend....

**Sinecure** · 10-18-2011, 10:11 AM

Epic TR. Nicely done.

**nogophers** · 10-18-2011, 10:12 AM

Awesome pics. Looks like an amazing trip. Feel free to post more of your sister.

**yellofin** · 10-18-2011, 10:32 AM

My girlfriend and I were there on a 10 day trip early January. We had good snow and We fell in love with the town and all it has to offer,totally amazing We booked the same trip this year and though I worry if we will have good snow. It's such a special place you just have to be there, good snow or not It draws you in

**The AD** · 10-18-2011, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by LegoSkier

Which ended up being a pretty swank hotel right next to the base of the Augui du Midi. In fact, you could look right out our hotel room window and see the tram so I had the pleasant experience of lying in the comfortable bed with divegirl riding the reverse cowgirl while watching the tram go up and down.

When you start a trip like this, you know it's going to be pretty good!

So when were you there exactly? End of April, beginning of May?

**Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer** · 10-18-2011, 11:46 AM

Cool trip. Wowzer that looks like some thin coverage! Looking very similar to summer glacier conditions:

**Jumper Bones** · 10-18-2011, 05:54 PM

That was really cool! Thanks for sharing.

**skifishbum** · 10-18-2011, 06:50 PM

holy quality cool shit back to the top bumpers

**old goat** · 10-18-2011, 07:23 PM

Nice TR. Brought back memories. My son and I were there in Mid March--we had a little fresh but a lot of the skiing, especially lower and south facing was very bony, or closed. We had the same guide as you on the Vallee Blanche--nice guy--nice to see a picture of him. The day we did it 12 people were rescued from crevasses. We had lunch at the Requin hut and two guides with great voices serenaded us. On the glacier run under the Tram on the Grand Montets (La Face) I glanced down between my skis on a traverse and saw a fist size hole in the snowbridge with nothing but black below--another reason not to look down. A guy we skied with went into a crevasse up to his shoulders on the Grand Montet--Argentiere glacier side. I have to say it was the most fun skiing I've had with lousy snow.

**skibum193** · 10-18-2011, 08:16 PM

funny you stayed at les aiglons, fell in love with a girl who worked there when i was there in march haha

**hutash** · 10-19-2011, 09:22 AM

I think it is unpossible to have a bad trip to Cham, the place is so incredible. Low snow or jacked knees do not detract from all those fantastic views, food and wine.

Great TR thanks for sharing and glad you had a good time. Now you know why Gordy Camp v.euro is soooo cool.

**tele.savalas** · 10-19-2011, 06:17 PM

Thanks for sharing your pics. My girlfriend/now wife and i skied Cham together before we got married. Can't wait to make it back. Hopefully this spring.