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Vallée
Blanche Off Piste
2012
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| Course
overview |
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Course
dates & availability |
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Vallee
Blanche is the most famous off piste ski run in
the world. Starting from the highest cable car
in the Chamonix valley you ski 23 kilometers over
the Glacier du Geant and Mer de Glace. A Guide
is esential to look after your safety and to pick
a challenging route across crevasse bridges and
past huge towers of ice.
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Suitable
for skiiers or snowboarders who are confident on
all levels of pisted runs, this route is an ideal
opportunity to learn off piste skiing. It is a great
way of experiencing the high mountains as the route
starts from the Aiguille du Midi at 3842m. Many
people enjoy it so much that they repeat it many
times during their lives. |
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There
are many variations on the Vallee Blanche, so
the Guide can always choose a suitable route for
your skiing level and the conditions. From February
it may be possible to ski all the way back to
Chamonix.
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Our
prices are for the day and not just for the descent,
meaning that if you descend the route quickly
you can opt to descend it again via a different
route, or try some off piste descents on another
cable car (e.g. Grand Montets).
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As
the Icicle office is two minutes walk from the Aiguille
du Midi, the Icicle team can fit your equipment.
We equip you with a harness and avalanche tranceiver
('Peeps' / ARVA), and the Guide carries a rope,
crevasse rescue kit, and a rescue radio. |
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On
demand: if
no scheduled course dates are showing in the column
on the right, we can still operate a course on demand,
on any date from January through until the end of
April.
We only offer the Vallée Blanche to existing
groups, and do not offer 'collective' groups as
it is hard to match people of a similar ski level
for a day booking. We offer matching services for
scheduled course dates. |
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Dates:
these
are listed in the column on the right, and they
show the live availability from our secure online
booking system. When you book online, you receive
immediate confirmation, your Alpine Information
Booklet, course specific kit list and invoice. |
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Day
Itinerary |
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In
the morning you meet in our centrally located Chamonix
office, and meet with your IFMGA Mountain & Ski
Guide, an expert skiier and altitude mountaineer. After
sorting out your safety equipment and fitting your harnesses
and avalanche tranceivers, you go to the Aiguille du
Midi cable car. This ascends from the valley to over
3800m in about twenty minutes, so when you arrive at
the top, you will notice much thinner the air is at
this high altitude. The cable car station provides stunning
views of Mont Blanc and the high mountains.
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start of the Vallee Blanche run is accessed by a short
snow ridge, fixed with rope handrails and steps, to reach
a flat area where you put on your skis / board. The Guide
will usually clip you on to a rope to ensure your safety.
There are many challenging variations of
routes down the Vallee Blanche, so the Guide can pick
the most exciting one that best suits your group. All
of the routes converge at the Requin mountain refuge,
where you are about half way down the route. Here you
can stop for a well earned hot drink and a bite to eat.
You also have time to get some amazing photos of crevasses
and the high mountains. |
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the Requin you descend over the snow bridges through the
Salle a Manger icefall, and the Guide will navigate you
safely through the icy towers of seracs and past the huge
exposed holes of the crevasses. This section of the route
is impressive, and also the most technically demanding.
You need to have good ski or board control, with experience
of side slipping and varying snow conditions from icy
crusts to soft powder. Soon you reach the easier, flatter
surface of the Mer de Glace glacier, where boarders are
advised to have some collapsible poles or keep up a good
speed. It is a fairly straight run down towards the Montenvers
mountain railway station, from where you can catch the
mountain railway to Chamonix. |
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It
is normal to finish the run at the Montenvers train
station, but in exceptionally good snow conditions you
may be able to descend all the way through the trees
down to Chamonix. Normally you finish your day in mid
afternoon in time for a congratulatory beer and some
aprés!
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| ITINERARY
NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries. Mountain
adventures are weather and conditions dependant, so occasionaly
we are forced to alter the plans. If this is the case,
suitable alternatives are offered. Please use this outline
itinerary as a guide to the types of route / activity
that you will attempt. |
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| Course
Prices |
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Standard
course
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1
full days IFMGA guiding, 1:6 max ratio
Note this is the total price for up to 6 per |
£340 |
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Live
availability
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Click
on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
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Secure
online booking system |
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Course Inclusions: 1) IFMGA Mountain Guide for one
day, 2) Chamonix course hosts for logistics & briefings,
3) Pre course information booklet, 4) Equipment discount voucher
for UK shops, 5) Loan of safety harness and avalanche transceiver
for the day, 6) Chamonix office support. |
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| Exclusions:
1) Travel to & from Chamonix, 2) Cable Cars (if you already
have the Mont Blanc Unlimited ski pass the Midi is already included),
3) Accommodation, 4) Personal laundry, telephone calls, lunches,
& any purchases in mountain huts / hotels / restaurants,
5) Ski / board hire, 6) Activities insurance, & excess baggage
charges. |
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Note
1: The
loan of harness and avalanche safety kit is included (tranceiver,
avalanche probe and shovel).
Note
2: If
for whatever reason the Vallee Blanche is not possible (eg too
windy / closed cable car etc) you have a day off piste ski guiding
instead for the same price. Locations for this could include
Grands Montets, Le Tour or another ski area in the Chamonix
valley. By completing a booking form you accept this. |
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| Upgrade
options |
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Avalanche
Skills Day
£49
(throughout the season) |
To
learn avalanche prediction, reutschblocks and use of avalanche
tranceivers. Course is available on any day during the
week (includes ARVA),
details. |
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