Point a Vue Off-Piste, Les Grands Montets, Chamonix Valley
The ski resort of Les Grands Montets is one of the largest and most
popular in the Chamonix valley. The Point a Vue Off-Piste run has some of
the finest glacier skiing in the area and links the top of the Grands
Montets cable car with the Argentiere glacier, finally joining the pistes
at Lognan. If you're in the area looking to ski the Vallee Blanche this is
another classic glacier route that you might want to think about doing.
The Point a Vue Off-piste route is marked as a blue-dashed skiiers route
on the IGN 3630 Chamonix - Massif du Mont Blanc map. February, March and
April are the best months for skiing in the area and it goes without
saying that you should choose a day where the forecast is excellent and
visibility is good. A glacier is no place to be caught by bad weather.
Off-piste skiing is a totally different ball-game to skiing on-piste and
before undertaking this trip you should be a very capable skiier, have
experience of moving on glaciers and take suitable precautions for glacier
travel. Once you duck under the piste markers you are on your own in a
high altitude, glaciated environment. Consider hiring a guide who knows
the route and prevailing conditions on the glacier which change from year
to year.
From the village of Argentiere where the Grands Montets cable car
whisks you up from the valley to the summit of the Aiguille des Grands
Montets at 3295 metres. Stepping out of the cable car the altitude hits
you straight away. From the cable car platform a series of metal ladders
take you up to the summit or down to the Col des Grands montets which
seperates the Aiguille des Grands Montets from the Petit Verte. It's a
good idea to climb up to the top to have a look at the route that you are
about to ski. Next, head to the bottom of the ladders to the Col des
Grands Montets. The slopes in front of you head up to the Petit Aiguille
Verte - an excellent PD mountain route in the summer. Looking east from
the col the slopes drop down to the Argentiere glacier below and the
familiar walk across the glacier to the Argentiere hut.
Skiing east from the Col des Grands Montets the initial slopes are
pisted but quite steep. This section is often pretty icy and so soon after
setting off it's a good idea to take your time. As soon as you've got
started it's time to duck under the piste barriers on the right and head
off directly east towards the Argentiere glacier. Skiing to the left of a
rock rognon (marked on the map at 3000m) the route descends steeply to the
south of the huge Moraine des Rognon. Depending on the time of year this
section can be heavily crevassed and it's important to take great care
through here. Once down onto the flat ground of the Argentiere glacier you
become very aware of the crevasse field that dominates this part of the
glacier. In winter 2006 the route took the left-bank of the glacier but
it's here that you particularly need to be aware of the crevasses and
capable of safeguarding yourself through them. A series of tight, steep
turns on an icy surface take you through this section and whisk you down
along the glacier as the angle eases. The views across the glacier of the
Aiguille de Chardonnet are particularly good from here. Suddenly, the
glacier dives steeply down towards Argentiere and it's here that we leave
the glacier to cross snow-covered morraine in a north-westerly direction
headed for the piste. Swinging around a tight corner (big drop down to the
Argentiere glacier below with it's nasty crevasses) the piste appears
coming steeply down the mountainside. Compared with the stuff you've just
skiied this stuff is a piece of cake you can relax and head on down to the
Lognan complex of lifts and cafes.
This short description doesn't really do justice to some of the finest
glacier skiing in the Alps. For those who are expert skiiers and
comfortable moving on glaciated terrain it's a great route and definitely
makes a nice change if the snow is too deep for climbing in the high
mountains.
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