Skiing to base of L'Aiguille du Midi tram???

**FluffyLilKitten** · 12-25-2016, 08:03 PM

Is it not possible to ski to base of the L'Aiguille du Midi tram? I'm on Google Earth and Streetview and all I see is a big highway between the tram base station and the mountain with no apparent tunnels or ski overpasses or anything. I hit up Google but found no answers. Can you ski from top to bottom or do you have to hop on a bus or something?

**djhutch** · 12-25-2016, 08:19 PM

You ski to the snout of the Mer de Glace, huck a lung climbing the stairs, and then take the cog train down to Cham. I have never seen a more dramatic example of glacial recession as there, the climb gets bigger every year.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/featu...g-mer-de-glace

**FluffyLilKitten** · 12-25-2016, 08:41 PM

So this whole 9,000 vertical feet skiing thing is just a big lie??? And you have to take trains and buses to start another ski lap???

On Google street view they have a few 360 views taken right in front of the base of the tram this very month. I see snow no where.

**rob stokes** · 12-25-2016, 08:56 PM

Take your skis off and walk over the highway. Not often good skiing down through the gypsy camp back to town though, get chased by sketch looking dogs. Good fun though.

The other way from the bottom of the mer du glacé you ski the 'James bond track', a summer walking trail bermed up and luged out icy as fuck and have to olly the cog-railway track near the bottom.

Both all part of the Cham experience.

I don't know why you have such a vendetta against the place, even though you are just trolling.

Happy Christmas.

**grinch** · 12-25-2016, 09:05 PM

Gap the road pussy

**FluffyLilKitten** · 12-25-2016, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by rob stokes

I don't know why you have such a vendetta against the place, even though you are just trolling.

I ask about the snowfall and the answer turns out to be a horrible one for Chamonix.

I ask about the vertical and how to do ski laps and the answer turns out to be a horrible one for Chamonix.

I ask about the current pictures about current conditions and the answer turns out to be a horrible one for Chamonix.

How is me asking common questions about Chamonix which anyone would ask about any resort me trolling? It is not my fault that the honest answers make Chamonix look bad.

And you want to know why I asked about the tram? Because I was thinking about booking a trip for my family so I went on Google maps to see which hotels are ski-in/ski-out right on the trails only to find out that there are no trails anywhere within a few thousand vertical feet of the town (and from looking at pictures no snow either). Apparently Chamonix is not a resort but a town that happens to have one tram that can take people high up into the Alps during which at some point you pass the snowline and can choose to decide to make the mountain area your own little ski resort (even though you are basically just being dropped off in the mountains).

So to recap. Chamonix is a town not a resort which has a single tram that can take you 9,000 vertical feet, but the first few thousand vertical feet has neither ski trails nor snow to make that area useful. And the way to get back to the lift to lap ski runs is to walk down lengthy stairs, across a glacier, to a train (presumable with a line), that takes you into town where you can catch a bus (presumably with a line), that can then drop you back off at the tram (which I know does have a hell of a line). So that means what, that everyone gets to get 1 run in a day???

Jesus, Jackson Hole is looking better and better everyday.

**rob stokes** · 12-25-2016, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by FluffyLilKitten

Because I was thinking about booking a trip for my family.

Christ you should have said, don't do that. Chamonix sucks for a family holiday.

**FluffyLilKitten** · 12-25-2016, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by rob stokes

Christ you should have said, don't do that. Chamonix sucks for a family holiday.

Not family as in kids. I don't have kids (god could you even imagine). For me, my dad and sister. The best most gnarly expert in the world and 2 very strong advanced skiers.

**Benny Profane** · 12-25-2016, 09:38 PM

Is Hunter your home mountain?

**FluffyLilKitten** · 12-25-2016, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Is Hunter your home mountain?

No....but apparently Hunter gets more snow than Chamonix and has shorter lines.

**Benny Profane** · 12-25-2016, 09:43 PM

So, Hunter over Chamonix. Solved.

**FluffyLilKitten** · 12-25-2016, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

So, Hunter over Chamonix. Solved.

No, I said expert and two advanced, not two guidos and two jersey bimbos.

**Dee Hubbs** · 12-25-2016, 09:49 PM

I hear it only 30 miles to the sea. It must be rainy.

**Benny Profane** · 12-25-2016, 09:49 PM

Well, actually, if you can rip Annapurna top to bottom with old, crusty bumps, that's about as hard as anything Cham can throw you outside of the steeps, so, be a Joey.

**old goat** · 12-25-2016, 10:04 PM

You will not be skiing the north face of the Aiguille du Midi, the exit from which involves crevasse hopping, bushwhacking, etc, etc--what the French call survival skiing. You will be skiing the Vallee Blanche with a guide who will keep your ass out of crevasses, hopefully. Depending on the snow you will leave the Mer de Glace near the bottom and climb stairs on the left, with previous levels of the glacier pained on the wall, up to a little tram, which will take you up to a train station where you will catch the cog rail way down to town. Or if there is more snow, you will ski a bit further down the Mer de Glace, bootpack up several hundred feet to the aforementioned James Bond trail to town, which I agree is not good skiing, but faster than waiting for the train.

Skiing in Chamonix also involves skiing one of the resorts, which vary in difficulty. Les Grands Montets, which is up the valley a ways--you take the free bus-- is the most serious and includes the option of skiing several glaciers, for which you should have a guide--in part because otherwise getting a tram ride up to the summit is difficult--people make reservations. The Brevent and Flegere areas also have some excellent skiing. You can also take the bus through the Mt Blanc tunnel and ski the Courmayeur area, or take the tram to Helbronner Pt and ski the south facing glacier down--again the guide.
Chamonix is not a ski resort in the classic sense. It is a town surrounded by the wildest mountain terrain in the Alps and the death sports capital of the world. Not great for a family trip--the various ski areas are not connected, except for Brevent and Flegere--and are spread out. You should definitely go somewhere else. Or go there and tell the locals how much better the skiing is in America--they'll be very interested to hear about it. Or better yet why don't you ski the Mallory on the Aiguille du Midi and tell us about it? An expert like you should have no trouble.

**FluffyLilKitten** · 12-25-2016, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by old goat

You will be skiing the Vallee Blanche with a guide who will keep your ass out of crevasses, hopefully. Depending on the snow you will leave the Mer de Glace near the bottom and climb stairs on the left, with previous levels of the glacier pained on the wall, up to a little tram, which will take you up to a train station where you will catch the cog rail way down to town.

Ahhh I see now on the map. So basically every run is a grand adventure requiring travel plans for multiple modes of transportation. It's just a completely different setup than US skiing I see.

**FluffyLilKitten** · 12-26-2016, 12:37 AM

So Chamonix is NOT 9,000 vertical feet of skiing. It is 5,900. You can ski 5,900 vertical feet from the top of Aiguille du Midi to the stairs to the cog train. And considering that you have to hike up to a train, take a train to town, then take a bus back to the tram I think I'd rather just do 4,000 vertical feet laps tram door to tram door at Jackson Hole again and again and again with doing nothing but skiing (in 450" of powder no less).

**Dexter Rutecki** · 12-26-2016, 01:33 AM

I honestly can't tell if you're trying to be a fucking idiot or if it's involuntary. If you're trying/trolling, can you explain why? You look like a complete gaper, ignoramus dipshit. Is that fun?

You'll probably fit in better in Wyoming (no offense to non-retarded Wyomingites)--please, for the benefit of other Americans, don't go to Europe.

**FluffyLilKitten** · 12-26-2016, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki

please, for the benefit of other Americans, don't go to Europe.

Too late. I already lived in Italy for 2 years.

But don't worry, I was never one of the Americans who stared at women's bare breasts on beaches as if I was at a peep show. Nor was I the fat obnoxious one looking for the nearest McDonalds (actually I'd look for McDonalds occasionally but that is only because Italians don't eat breakfast and McDonalds was one of the few places to actually serve breakfast).

**gramboh** · 12-26-2016, 02:19 AM

This post has to be quality trolling... no other explanation.

**flyman683** · 12-26-2016, 03:07 AM

You, in particular, need to ride a bus.

Look for the short one.

jgb@etree · 12-26-2016, 05:48 AM

Originally Posted by flowing alpy

Do the frenchy place and be sure to holler 'aloha sandbar'.

Please do not bastardize aloha snackbar. Kthxbye.

**snapt** · 12-26-2016, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by FluffyLilKitten

So Chamonix is NOT 9,000 vertical feet of skiing. It is 5,900. You can ski 5,900 vertical feet from the top of Aiguille du Midi to the stairs to the cog train. And considering that you have to hike up to a train, take a train to town, then take a bus back to the tram I think I'd rather just do 4,000 vertical feet laps tram door to tram door at Jackson Hole again and again and again with doing nothing but skiing (in 450" of powder no less).

Didn't you learn from the Jackson thread that 450" of powder is a lie too? They probably also didn't tell you the wait can be 2-3 hours for a box if busy or a powder day. So yah, stick to Hunter.

**grapedrink** · 12-26-2016, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by FluffyLilKitten

So Chamonix is NOT 9,000 vertical feet of skiing. It is 5,900. You can ski 5,900 vertical feet from the top of Aiguille du Midi to the stairs to the cog train. And considering that you have to hike up to a train, take a train to town, then take a bus back to the tram I think I'd rather just do 4,000 vertical feet laps tram door to tram door at Jackson Hole again and again and again with doing nothing but skiing (in 450" of powder no less).

you should totally just go do that. if what matters most to you is your total vert skiied in a day then chamonix is not for you.

for anyone else that finds this thread and is getting turned off cham.. it's not about cramming laps. it's where you go if you want to have an adventure. hire a guide, ski to another country, have some great food, ski the steepest shit your balls can muster (and then know what you skied was a beginner steep by chamonix standards), and enjoy what i feel are the most impressive lift accessible mountain views in the world. will the snow suck? if you're going for a one week vacation, statistically: probably. anywhere is a crapshoot. but you can drive to verbier easily which is where you can do lap after lap of steep awesome shit that doesn't require a guide or putting your life on the line. mix it up, i would split my time between the two if i was vacationing.

but if you really want to do it right book a flight into geneva, a rental car, and leave the rest wide open. follow the snow, it can by dry for a month in one part of the alps, and dumping 2m just a three hour drive away. storms are sparse but big in the alps.