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| The Vallee Blanche | |
| The
Vallee Blanche is probably the world's most famous off-piste
run. For 20km it snakes down a huge glacier system, followed by a
zig-zag track to reach the center of Chamonix - a descent of 2800
metres from the Aiguille du Midi. The morning starts with a meeting with your Guide who will take up to eight people with them. The Guide will provide you with an avalanche transceiver and climbing harness. Then there is the spectacular cable-car ride up to the pinnacled summit of the Aiguille du Midi at 3800m. |
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| After looking at the fabulous panoramic view (the Matterhorn and nearby summit of Mont Blanc are often visible), you pop out through a tunnel cut in the ice to the start of the airy snow ridge. This is descended roped up to the Guide and is also equipped with a rope fence. The ridge takes about 20 minutes to walk down and is often the scariest part for those afraid of heights. | |
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Then it
is almost all skiing - down, through and around spectacular crevasses.
Most groups stop for lunch around the halfway point, either just
sitting in the sun or at the Refuge du Requin - a mountain hut.
The lower section becomes very gentle and you can schuss for miles,
with just a few crevasses to negotiate.
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When snow is lacking on this lower section a short cable-car and
mountain railway can be used to reach Chamonix. The Vallee Blanche
is a very sought-after descent and can consequently often be very
busy. However even the crowds on a busy day cannot spoil the feeling
of being dwarfed by these awesome mountains.
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