Fantastic conditions continued in Cham and for day 7 on the trot we swapped freeride kit for touring skis and headed up to the Tacul to ski the shoulder. On the Midi, Minna and myself bumped into Morgan Salen and Isaac DVT and we teamed up to share the trail breaking and enjoy a ski run together for the first time. The snow was perfect both on the ascent and descent – we were able to ski all the way up the 40 degree entry couloir and it was a good short day to rest the legs from all the freeride. Thanks for the photos Morgan!
Skinning in the entry couloir
Sunshine and shadow
Isaac and Minna with Pt Yield in the background
Morgan at the top of the shoulder
Me psyched to ski some cold, sloughy, powder.
Me heading off down the ridge.
Morgan Salen on the first shot
Isaac enjoying the powder
Morgan finding the snow acceptable and to his liking
Minna heading into the 3rd shot
Morgan railing a turn in the sun with Minna below
Happy days, Morgan with Minna abseiling
Minna on the abseil
Me and the Corvus Freebird
Minna on the lowers
Morgan starting off down the lowers
Me enjoying the exceptional snow
This lower section provides some very fast skiing
The Corvus Freebird showing its pedigree at speed
And on
And on
And on
And on
Been skiing more than 10 seconds now!
Nearly there
After the active rest day I managed to talk Mikko and Jesper into coming for a long day to the Breche Nonne Eveque in the Charpoura basin. You can’t beat skiing below all the spires next to the Dru and its one of my favourite spots. I was last there in 2013 with Michelle behind Rosenberger and Minogue when it was super easy to get through the morraine. Times have changed, the Mer de Glace has dropped in height and the morraine become looser, steeper and more dangerous but with all the new snow I spied a route on skier left that would go with one rap over a step and one jump.
Mikko and Jesper trenching to the breche while I shelter on a ledge below.
Mikko starting off
Jesper in the powder
Deep powder in the line
Me catching up after shooting down the line
Mikko getting his skis on after abseiling the lower cascade. I downclimbed this for speed.
Mikko under the Dru
Now in the Charpoura basin
Les Drus, Sans Non and Y couloir
The Nonne Eveque is the central couloir, we skied through the slabs on looker’s right
Charpoura cirque
Jesper’s signature
Les Drus
I used my long Petzl Laser Speed Light ice screw to make a double Abalakov anchor for the rap through the slabs and backed it up with the screw while Jesper abseiled.
This was a long day with lots of tiring trail breaking and with a deteriorating forecast for the next afternoon, we decided on a quick lap of Breche Tacul for day 9 on the go. On the Midi we were surprised for find 6 inches of new snow overnight which despite making for an enjoyable few turns down the Gros Rognan, meant we (or it turned out to be Jesper) had to break trail to the bergshrund. It took me longer than usual to settle into a rhythm, clear my legs out, and get going, plus it was bitterly cold in shade and my hands, feet and nose were suffering. After the shrund we swapped leads trail breaking on the climb up to the breche before savouring a 30 second view of the Jorasses and skiing down.
On the bootpack.
The Grandes Jorasses looking somewhat dry
Jesper dropping into the pow.
And finding the line well filled in.
Me dropping onto the spine.
And popping back off it!
These last two are of Jesper.
With the weather breaking it was time for a well earned rest day and a beer or two before ending the week with a fun powder day on Plan de l’Aiguille where I met Espen Fadnes and his mate Tom, and an early morning run down the Marbree just before it got scorchio!
Ross Hewitt Guiding 