Tag: Chamonix
Les Courtes, Croulante Couloir
The 600/700 m line of the Croulante Couloir in red. I skied Angelique on the left last year – http://rosshewittblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/couloir-angelique-traverse-of-les-courtes/
After having the Chamonix ‘cough’ for a couple of weeks I was getting fed up and wanted to get some long days training in. With high wind forecast at altitude and 60% sun we decide to go the long way to the Courtes from the Midi with the idea as the weather deteriorated, we could turn round. It is a fair hoof in there but 6 hrs of up was just what the doctor ordered.
Gimp cave.
Still miles away.
Getting closer. Just as well, the sun beats down in the Talefre basin like the Sahara.
I tried this route 15 years ago, solo, from first bin in February. That time I was nuked by the sun by this point.
Flat light as some high cloud comes in. The snow was hard anyway.
Where is the Powder?
Cold Smoke
Today I wanted to get out and put some miles in my legs. On the back of the pre-Christmas Scottish Winter Climbing season and very little road biking this summer they are even more spindly than normal and we started the ski season with a fair bit of touring. So with great snow conditions I have the chance to get some strength back. I left the SLR at home in order to go light and enjoy the skiing more but had a little point and shoot.
I was joined by Max Turgeon and we kicked off on Brevent to take advantage of the fresh snow on the lowers. Cold, sluffy blower was lying in wait and we had a lot of fun playing with sluff.
The plan praz couloir. Max skiing below.
And again here.
Me ready to open Bellachat after pushing off a bit of cornice and watching the sluff go airborne.
Max skiing.
After Brevent started to warm up I switched to the darkside and had some sweet runs off the Plan going flat out. Then as the sun came round I decided to head up the Midi and do a Rond or Cosmique. For a change I went for the Cosmiques which is always lush in the afternoon sun, all to yourself, no one trying to kill you with rocks from above, and overhead blower so cold I wished I had a gimp mask.
Only 2 or 3 tracks today.
Me enjoying the warmth of the sun after the cold on the Midi. My leg muscles were well warmed up by the time the para came round and it felt good to finish the day on such a good slope arcing out the GS turns.
Ross Hewitt Guiding 
