Ski Touring with a reluctant friend in October

 There aren't many cable cars open in October in the Chamonix Valley, yet  at school half term the Flegere gondola is open for walkers.  This coincided with some beautiful autum weather.  Milo and I used the lift to go on various walks together. I even took my mountain bike and after he had had a good swim in the lake[created to supply the snow cannons] we would then zoom down the piste back home.  He would run down because he can't ride a bike.

Aiguille Verte&Dru before the storm

Inevitably the weather broke and we indured a week of miserable weather where it rained hard. Towards the end of the week the temperature dropped and it snowed above 1800meters for several days.   It even snowed in the garden.  

We were both getting "cabin fever" and although the weather was still far from ideal we headed back up the Flegere gondola.  Unsurprisingly we were alone when we arrived and were amazed to be met with 50cm of snow.  We went for a short walk, but it was impossible to venture too far without skis.

So the next day we returned, this time with a hybrid ski/snow shoe.  This is a Norwegian invention which looks like a short ski with half its sole covererd in a permeant skin which is glued to the base.  The binding is like a snowboard binding and will take a hiking boot.  In deep flat unconsolidated snow they are quite efficient.  In anything else, they provide lots of comedy moments and are not recommended. 

There had been a considerable top up of snow since the previous day, but the visibility was slightly better.

Milo shot out of the cable car station and headed for the lake.  I followed on the hybrid skis and as soon as I hit the piste , I immediately experienced their limitations and went head first into a snow drift.  Eventually I caught him up at the lake where he went for a swim.

Please can I go for a swim?

Milo and his favourite place

The third day the weather was fabulous.  We again turned up at the Flgere lift station, but this time the car park was full, we just found the last spot. I had jettisoned the hybrid skis and had a real pair this time.  Milo was excited too.  He lept out of the car and bolted for the gondola, slalomed around all the parents and kids with sledges and some how got on the lift without me.

Once reunited I firstly voiced my discontent in no uncertain terms.  Clearly this had zero effect because he headed off down to the lake for what he thought was another swim.  Yet this time on a proper pair of skis I could keep up with him, attached his lead and headed off on our planned ski tour.

We ascended in the direction of Lac Blanc and suddenly we were virtually all alone.

Looking towards the Aiguille du Chardonet

We climbed for about an hour, but Milo was finding it hard work in the deep unconsolidated snow so we stopped for a drink and decided we had climbed high enough, yet he still found time to admire the view.

Milo admires the view

Aiguille Verte&Dru

The descent was marvellous. The snow in the shade made for wonderfull skiing.  Yet for my ski -less friend it seemed like hard work.

On our return to the lift station we took a detour so Milo could enjoy a refreshing dip in his favourite lake.

So far this is an impressive start to the season.  Let's see how it develops...