Chamonix trip, how to

[hutash]

you need to hire a guide or you'll never find the good restaurants.

Finally, the truth comes out.


The best meal I have had in France was arranged by the guide we skied with in Vanoise National Park off the Bellecote.

[old goat]

Finally, Just go! Every real skier should ski there at least once in your life. As I was telling Plake recently at a Mammoth Ski Team event that we all watched Blizzard in college dreaming of moving out west. He retorted, "I don't know why all you doods went west, you should have gone east!"

Another reason to go with a guide--we were standing outside the guides' office when Plake walked by. We happened to be talking about Blizzard of Ahs at the time.
We were waiting for the Grands Montets tram and someone pointed out Aurelien Ducroz and some American woman who won an Olympic medal in the 50's.
Another thing cool about Chamonix--look at the roster of the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix--the "official" guides but certainly not the only ones. A lot of the names are the same as the names of the streets.

[hutash]

Just an FYI, but I just booked a flight from LAX to Zurich in February for $460 r/t. I have never seen a euro fare that low, even beats all the EazyJet type fares, and no fee for carry on, and one free checked bag. I do have to pay for wine, so that could add up.

[LeoK]

Just an FYI, but I just booked a flight from LAX to Zurich in February for $460 r/t. I have never seen a euro fare that low, even beats all the EazyJet type fares, and no fee for carry on, and one free checked bag. I do have to pay for wine, so that could add up.

If you need a place to stay for the night in Zurich, let me know - maybe I can even arrange to pick you up.

[hutash]

Cool, I'll let you know.

I haven't worked out any details yet, just couldn't pass up the fare. Going to be skiing with Francis Kelsey, don' even know where yet, and will likely decide as winter snows fall.

[auvgeek]

Lodging booked in Cham for April 7-22. Stoked! Guess we need to buy flights now...

[PNWbrit]

20th January for two weeks.

House, flights, 9 person van booked.

Moderately excited.

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[BobbyBill]

Lodging book in Cham for April 7-22. Stoked! Guess we need to buy flights now...

Will look forward to a trip report hopefully and what your experience is like at that time of year as it is the best window for us to try in April of next season ('19). Have fun and cheers!

[auvgeek]

20th January for two weeks.

House, flights, 9 person van booked.

Moderately excited.

Nice! In Cham? Sounds fun.

[PNWbrit]

Nice! In Cham? Sounds fun.

Yep.

[hutash]

Will look forward to a trip report hopefully and what your experience is like at that time of year as it is the best window for us to try in April of next season ('19). Have fun and cheers!

April can be great, or horrible, or both. My last trip I arrived for the fuen, a hot, dry wind of the Sahara. It causes heave fog, refrozen crust, brown snow, and just over all horrid conditions. The plan was to ski the Haute Route, but it was so bad we bailed and went sport climbing on the Italian Riviera. After a couple of days a front moved in blew out the fuen, deposited some fresh snow so we went back to skiing for a few days and it was great. Apparently the following week was a great week on the Haute Route...oh well.

[alpinevibes]

Wondering if anyone has opinions/advice on our Verbier Haute Route trip plan and hut selection. Looking to book huts while we'll be in Chamonix from 3/20-3/30. Tour plan is:

Day 1) Argentiere to Trient
Day 2) Trient to Mt. Fort hut
Day 2) Mt. Fort hut to Prafleuri Hut
Day 3) Prafleuri hut to Dix Hut
Day 4) Dix Hut to Vignettes Hut
Day 5) Vignettes hut out to Zermatt.

Thanks!

[babybear]

I did it essentially the opposite way and "they say" that is better skiing (more fun down than up) but that said I have never done it your way to compare
My guide was Aaron Beardsmore/ filling in for Larry Dolecki who was supposed to be our guide but he had a torn acl-
but he had recommended that direction fwiw

[hutash]

Nearly every euro guide I research does the route Cham to Zermatt. A couple of American guides do it the opposite. The few who go Zermatt to Cham claim better skiing, yet all the Europeans go the other direction, even guides who have done many, many, many times.

On my aborted attempt, I suggested a Zermatt to Cham direction, but my guide felt the other direction is better. I never did get a chance to ask exactly why.

[LeoK]

Nearly every euro guide I research does the route Cham to Zermatt. A couple of American guides do it the opposite. The few who go Zermatt to Cham claim better skiing, yet all the Europeans go the other direction, even guides who have done many, many, many times.

On my aborted attempt, I suggested a Zermatt to Cham direction, but my guide felt the other direction is better. I never did get a chance to ask exactly why.

Maybe you get less crowded huts (except for when all groups meet) if you go against the mainstream... not sure if it is still a valuable consideration as groups maybe start every day nowadays.

[alpinevibes]

Interesting, thank you guys!

[kootenayskier]

Wondering if anyone has opinions/advice on our Verbier Haute Route trip plan and hut selection. Looking to book huts while we'll be in Chamonix from 3/20-3/30. Tour plan is:

Day 1) Argentiere to Trient
Day 2) Trient to Mt. Fort hut
Day 2) Mt. Fort hut to Prafleuri Hut
Day 3) Prafleuri hut to Dix Hut
Day 4) Dix Hut to Vignettes Hut
Day 5) Vignettes hut out to Zermatt.

Thanks!

Did pretty much that route about 15 years ago, but skied the lifts in Verbier for a day mid-tour, and combined your day 3 and 4. The guided skin track was well established, making for fast and easy travel, and plenty of time to get off the main line of descent for fresh pow (for example the classic couloir off the Pointe d’ Orny behind the Trient). Finishing with skiing the Zmutt Glacier, under the Matterhorn into Zermatt is fucking awesome.

[barticuss]

So it's looking like I'll be traveling to Europe later next month for work, and feel I owe to myself to ski the French Alps. I've always said Chamonix was on top of the bucket list, but I'm now questioning that assumption. I met a couple skiers last season and they highly recommended La Grave over Chamonix. I have zero experience in European skiing and most likely will only have a few days. I'm assuming hiring a guide makes sense at either mountain but curious about people's opinions and advice.
Thanks

[hutash]

Both can be incredible so don't steer of either. If possible just go to who ever has better conditions at the time.

[rod9301]

Having skied chamonix couloirs many times, I found the Pyrenees to be much better, primarily because there are very few people.
Bareges/la mongie has over 80 couloirs IN the ski area, most require 1/2 h to an hour hike, and you can ski untracked a week after a storm. The couloirs are from 200-600 meters vertical drop and 40 plus degrees.


Plus it's cheap.

Chamonix, you would have 30 people AT ONCE skiing a couloir in powder.



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[justo8484]

Heading to cham in a few weeks, got flights, lodging, and transit nailed down, but looking for recommendations on guides. I've never been before, and only having 6 ski days, we don't want spend half the week just wandering around aimlessly into sketchy shit that's gonna get us hurt/killed. Doing as much research as possible on common routes and zones and reading snow reports, but that only goes so far. Anyone used a guide in the past that they've really liked?

[PNWbrit]

The Smarts. Miles and Liz.

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[hutash]

Francis Kellsey, an American working in Yurp for 25+ years.


www.nosiesta.com

[kungpow]

Booked at flight to Geneva for March 27-April 9. No real plan besides going where it's good. Wouldn't mind staying at a lesser known/smaller resort area so long as the snow is good. I don't necessarily need to go to Cham. I don't plan on doing multiple day tours/routes but does anyone have experience with having a guide for a day or two, for sidecountry, etc? Any experience with shuttles from GVA airport? Or is renting the call? Having a van in Japan was the best decision my group made for that trip...

[hutash]

Shuttles from GVA to cham easy, cheap and plentiful. Less then 30 euros as I recall. Regular buses as well, much cheaper but a bit more work. Once in Cham there are a few options to get to the smaller villages free or cheap.

If you are going as a group, then renting a van is likely a cheaper option.

Day guides are pretty easy to hike from the main guide building near the museum.