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inspirational mountain adventures
 
 
 
 
Vallée Blanche Off Piste 2010
Ski Skill
Ski Stamina
PHOTO: Descending the Midi Arête onto the top of the Vallée Blanche
FEEDBACK: "This day is a total must do for all skiers who visit Chamonix, and the
Guides just made the day a real hit for our group" Wayne R, Sydney, 2005
Course Overview

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.
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.

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.

Our prices are for the day and not 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).
As the Icicle office is two minutes walk from the Aiguille du Midi, the Icicle team can fit your equipment and organise tickets to avoid you having to queue outside in the cold. We equip you with a harness and avalanche tranceiver ('Peeps' / ARVA), and the Guide carries a rope, crevasse rescue kit, and a rescue radio.
Dates: On demand every day from Christmas week to mid May. We only offer the Vallée Blanche to groups or individuals, and do not offer 'collective' groups. This is because it is hard to match people of a similar ski level for a one day booking. We only offer matching services for scheduled course dates.
The course at a glance...
• 1 day course, run every day in the winter, from Xmas to mid May, for groups.
• Price for up to four £300 in total (£10 extra per person for groups up to eight).
• Ability needed to ski all levels of pisted runs. Avalanche safety kit is provided for day.
• You could also consider... Intro Ski Tour weekend or Snowshelters & Survival weekend


Day Itinerary

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. Over a coffee they will talk through your route and experience, and the latest conditions. 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.

The 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.
From 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.

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!
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.

Course Prices
Standard course
 1 days guiding, up to 4 people in group £300
Extra places
Extra people over 4, up to 6 people max.
(For groups over 6, 2 or more guides are required)		 +£10pp
Secure online booking system
Standard 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.
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.
Note 1: The loan of harness and avalanche safety kit is included (tranceiver, avalanche probe and shovel).
Note 2: All bookings (signified by completion of booking form and payment made before 1 January 2010, are charged at the advance booking rate of £280 for up to four people. All bookings made and paid after this date are charged at the 2010 rate at £300 for up to four people, and £10 per extra person up to six maximum.
Upgrade options
Acclimatisation Weekend
£99 (throughout the season)		 To get the most out your course, acclimatisation is essential so that you minimise the chances of AMS (altitude sickness) later on during your course, details.
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.