So we spend 10 days in Chamonix last April. Let me state right off the bat that this isn't a rad TR -- nothing like the peds or Betty Dee awesomeness. But I'm laid up right now after having 12 PRP injections in each knee and thought I would share some photos.
The bottom line is we had a great trip: conditions were truly all time, nobody got hurt/dead, and we made some new friends. But a wide range of experience levels, egos, risk tolerances, fitness/injury levels, and motivation levels made group dynamics a challenge. That, combined with the typical stuff like jet lag, having to put out work fires/work from home, and trying to figure out the weather and snow conditions to find something cool to ski, my wife (jesski) and I made conservative choices and mostly just enjoyed the scenery, access, food, and all Cham has to offer. Classic Type I fun. There are so many beautiful places to ski in the world, I don't know when we'll be back but I know that we will.
Frankly, living in Baltimore for the past half decade slogging away at a PhD (robotics, for anyone interested), has made it tough for me to show up for a trip and be able to push my skiing level (always my goal) while still staying safe, especially since my skiing ability outpaces my mountain experience and fitness. Rationally, I understand this -- heck, I don't even qualify for "weekend warrior" status anymore. I had a blast, and I did gain more experience moving in the mountains. But it's not easy to be satisfied knowing that conditions were about as good as they get but somehow I still didn't manage to ski anything that challenged me. Oh well, maybe one of these trips I'll figure out how to ride the line of safety/comfort and pushing my limits. Or somehow learn how to be happy not pushing my limits and just having fun. [Side note: this is an internal thing and has nothing to do with what other people are skiing. I am fully aware that I am not and will never be rad by Cham standards]
tl;dr: went to Chamonix, skied mellow terrain, had fun, want to go back, here are some photos.
We arrived to near perfect conditions. We skinned off the jet lag in the Argentiere basin.
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Before we could capitalize on the weather, it turned low pressure with warming. Big avy cycle. We skied a little, including one particularly fun day in the Aiguille Rouges in a near whiteout. The exit while it was puking fat flakes was one of the most serene and tranquil experiences I've had on skis. Except for the hotel-sized piles of avy debris.
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Fortunately, high pressure followed before too long!
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jesski was stoked
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Above the cloud deck
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At the cloud deck
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But with that, came more warming. We struggled to find something to ski. A friend got halfway up the Col des Cristaux before it was just too warm/sketchy to continue. The next day, a different friend broke through the shrund for the NE Face of Les Courtes up to his hip (unroped). Both from first bin on the GM. We made a bid for "Couloir X" on the Aguille de Argentiere, hoping it would be in the shade long enough to start from the first bin. Warming and avy debris stopped us before we transitioned to foot pons for the couloir proper.
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kevino looking small at 6'2"
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We quickly learned that you either had to alpine start from town -- decided not Cham style -- or stay in a hut. Or know what to ski when, which we certainly did not. By the time we figured out that we ought to have reserved a hut, the main ones were booked for the rest of our trip. A friend tried to alpine start from town, but 3:30 am wasn't early enough for the Spencer. So we contented ourselves with first or second bin on the GM and playing around in the Argentiere basin on whatever was shady. Maybe I'm spoiled and lazy, but I go to Cham specifically to be spoiled and lazy, at least in terms of access. Wake up at 6:30 or 7 am, grab some breakfast or some fresh baguette, get in the queue for the Midi or GM, and be in full-on alpine terrain like an hour later. And then be back in time for dinner, or sometimes even lunch. It's mind boggling. Cham is the most absurd town I've ever been to, in the best possible way.
Obligatory touristy shots from town
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Somewhere along the way, prolly in the GM queue, we met Robert. He is perpetually stoked and super fun to ski with. He guides summer volcanoes in WA and winter ice in CO. jesski and I skied nearly every day after that with Robert and his buddy CJ. We could almost keep up when they were hung over, so it worked out well.
jesski with Robert in the bottom right
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jesski is also perpetually stoked.
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We met Cam the top bin of the GM. He was part of "Team America" aka the US skimo race team, some of whom were hanging out in Cham after racing in various locations around Yurp. He was riding up with Teague and a non-American (whose names I didn't catch), who were planning to go have a look-see at something radder than any of us could handle. Cam seemed keen to join us for the day and silenced our protestations that he'd be bored at our pace with, "I never thought I was a 'views skier' till I came to Cham." Cam's a super nice guy, and I hope we're able to ski some in CO -- though I'll have to get way fitter to keep up on his "rest" days. He was as much fun to watch as he was to ski with: he didn't bother with ski crampons on refrozen slopes steep and firm enough I secretly wanted foot 'pons, just kick-turned his own route up with blinding speed and precision. Seriously, if I ever get half that good at kick turns, I'd die a happy man. And he ripped down on his skimo race gear faster than most people ski an alpine setup.
Cam tried to set the American record for croissants eaten in a Euro trip. I think he managed 63.
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L-R: Robert, jesski, Cam
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