Aiguille du Midi - Vallee Blanche FR

My family recently had a great time skiing in Chamonix over Presidents' week.  The highlight was skiing the "Vallee Blanche" on my and my daughter's birthday.  The Vallee Blanch is considered to be one life's "must- ski" trails.  We awoke from our condo with a bluebird sky view of the Aiguille du Midi and its tram traveling 9000 vertical feet.



A view from the bottom of the tram:



Halfway up... look at the dots up top.  Those are people traversing the "arete."  It's the hike from the observation platform to the skiable terrain.



A pic of our guide, Korra, with my son Will discussing our planned hike down the arete.



A view from the top of Midi (Mont Blanc in the background):

The arete was by far the most dangerous and scary part.  Fortunately, by  mid-February the safety rope lines had been placed.  Despite their presence, the knowledge that a misstep could lead to a 6000 foot drop was always on my mind.




At the end of the arete was a staging area to gear up for the 25 km run to the village of Chamonix:



Heading down into the valley:



An otherworldly environment:



Lunch at the Requin Hut.  A restaurant midway down the valley.  Serviced only by helicopter.  While we were there, a rescue helicopter buzzed us on the way up to Midi.



Skiing into a river bed along the glacier:



Traversing out of the valley:



One thing they don't tell you about.  There is a twenty minute climb, and I mean CLIMB, out of the valley if you want to ski all the way down to Chamonix.  Happy faces after the climb:  

The Vallee Blanche was a memorable experience.  A wonderful way to spend my 47th birthday with my family.

A must do on your life list for any skier.

Which route did you do the main line or one of the more adventurous ones?

25 km would seem a bit overstated.  It's 7 to 9 miles depending on your route.

Well played, CMR!

I've wanted to get there for so long... SKI THE EAST!

CMR wrote

Oh my freakin god. That is mind blowing.  I'd need a diaper.

Europe: "Sure you want to take your family up on that cliff on skis? I will guide you."

It's definitely a different culture.

Sweet report on an incredible experience.

You are on belay all roped together and they some local without a rope comes cruising by you like its nothing.  Great experience but honestly the skiing is better at grand monte nearby

Lucky kids!

Hey Coach.  We took the classic run so that we could take our time, enjoy the surroundings, and not worry about whether or not our guide could lift us back out of a crevasse if a snow bridge gave way.  BTW, when I stated the run was 25 km, that stat included the added distance to the village of Chamonix.  We were fortunate to have good snow and enough coverage to make it all the way down to Chamonix instead of having to take the Montenvers train back into town.

Coach is correct in saying that the skiing at Vallee Blanche isn't the most challenging.  I would say any high level intermediate could make it down once they have navigated the somewhat steep initial descent.  That's only if they are comfortable with varied terrain and conditions.  We skied the Montets as well as the other areas in Chamonix and did enjoy the actual skiing at those locations more than here (TR by Poindexter to follow).  Regardless of the level of difficulty though, if you are in Chamonix I highly recommend that you ski the Vallee Blanche.  Doing it was not just about the ski run; it was an adventure which I will not soon forget.  

Making memories, Bravo

yep its the experience of a life time - you and your kids will never forget that.  As I said its not great skiing especially on the classic route but it needs to be on every skiers life bucket list.

I did it during the PSIA National Academy in 2006 and we did one of the more difficult routes that required skiing one at a time on a snow bridge over a cravasse which makes the on belay section seem tame in pucker factor.

I dug up a few photos from that


on belay coming down to the skiing


skiing next to the crumbling ice and over a cravass

I haven't traveled the world extensively, but I've been to Chamonix twice and I can't imagine a more beautiful place for those of us who appreciate mountain scenery.  My first time was on a college trip 30 years ago (yes, I'm that old).  We skied the Vallee Blanche with a guide.  It was about the same then as it looks now except I don't remember it being as crowded as it looks in your pics.  Also there was no mid-way restaurant.  I wonder when that went in? On that trip we also skied at Le Brevent, La Flegere and Les Grands Montets.  All were fantastic.  I will have to dig out my old photos.

The second time was 10+ years ago on honeymoon with my wife.  Chamonix is as spectacular in the summer (we visited in Sept) as it is in winter. On that visit, we rode the gondola / tram from the Aiguille du Midi across to the Italian side and then back to the Aiguille.  The network of cable cars that the French and Italians have constructed is simply amazing.

Coach, love seeing the Whiteface hat in Chamonix!  Hope you left behind a Ski the Face sticker somewhere.

Awesome TR!  Your kids will never forget.. And what better way to fuel their stoke for a lifetime of skiing ahead of them.  

AdkJeff - what a coincidence!  My wife and I visited Chamonix on our honeymoon too..August of '91.  We of course took the tram to the Aiguille du Midi...and a month later they closed it to replace the "new" cable - it wasn't to spec.  

The coolest thing about Chamonix is the feeling that your part of a big circus... People heading out climbing classic alpine routes, mountain biking very exposed trails, parapenting,... Always something going on.  We were car camping - with a tent.  We woke up one morning shivering with an inch of snow on the tent the first week of August.  

TD