Montage of wintery chamonix ski scenes. Photos: Mikael Pilstrand.

Chamonix Off Piste Skiing

Nestled under Mont Blanc, the village of Chamonix barely needs an introduction. Now, more of a city than a modest pastoral village; it is widely considered the capital of alpinism and a winter Mecca for off-piste skiing. As well as offering a diverse array of skiing options, a highlight of the valley is its central location in the Alps. When the snow conditions beckon a visit to ski resorts in Italy or Switzerland, is a short day excursion. The burgeoning growth of Chamonix means there is something for everyone. Accommodation in neighbouring villages can provide an authentic mountain village ambience. Alternatively, a hotel room in the centre of Chamonix is convenient to shops and amenities, public transport, a vibrant nightlife and a short stumbling distance home from the bars.

The Vallée Blanche (the White Valley) and the more challenging off piste descents that Chamonix is famous for were made possible by a mad wager taken in the 1950's by the daring Italian engineer, Dino Lora Totino, Count of Cervinia. He took on the formidable challenge to connect in two sections, Chamonix at 1000 metres to the precipitous 3842-metre summit pinnacle of the Aiguille du Midi (the needle of the south). This was well before the dashing ease of helicopters. In a good snow season when you can ski all the way to the valley floor this adds up to a single lift-accessed vertical descent of over 2500 metres.

The Vallée Blanche or one of its steeper variations is a 'must do' run of the Chamonix valley. But that's just a beginning . . .

Chamonix Off Piste Diary

To give you an idea of what we at CMG can offer; below is a typical Advanced Chamonix off-piste skiing week (we can of course tone it down for novice off piste skiers, for those of you who are feeling a bit rusty or are not keen on skinning or simply prefer a mellower experience):

Day 1

Warm up your ski legs for the season on some lift accessed terrain at Le Tour and Vallorcine (the Valley of the Bears). At the far Northern end of the Chamonix valley these under-explored areas offer lovely forests, chutes and powder fields - often holding fresh stuff some days after a storm. A short hike at the end of the day is optional but worth it to gain a long descent into the quaint mountain village of Trient, Switzerland. A taxi brings us back to Vallorcine where we end the day with a beer or hot chocolate at the railway station bar.

Day 2

Today we'll step up the programme a notch on some of the steep faces and couloirs at the linked resorts of Flégère and Brevent. If weather, conditions and the mind-set of the group conspire together we can take a run of the classic Ensa couloir or an alternative steep gully that drops to the valley floor.

Day 3

The lift accessed Aiguille du Midi at 3842 metres offers challenging glacial terrain and long runs that unfurl through magnificent scenery under the shadow of peaks endowed with several hundred years of alpine history. If we bring our randonnée (ski touring) gear on this occasion a mild but spectacular ascent on skins of just over an hour takes us to the frontier ridge and access to the Italian Glacier de Toule. In spring this sunny face often provides an endless carpet of perfect 'ego (corn) snow'. We return to Chamonix via the Italian Vallée Blanche - a descent that usually offers wintery snow late in the season. This is fondly known as the 'Spaghetti Tour', since a stop at the Pavillion restaurant at the mid-station of the Helbronner cable car; for delicious salads, coffee and pasta is unavoidable.

Day 4

An optional addition to this week is a day of powder mileage, heliskiing in the Valgrisenche area of Italy. Alternatively, closer to home, we can take a single heli-drop to 3200 metres on the Trient glacier in Switzerland. From this vantage point we have the option of several ski descents of over 1500 vertical metres skiing right down to the village of Trient.

Day 5

We travel to the Valais region of Switzerland in search of secret powder stashes. Several of these snowy nooks and crannies are suitable for a bad weather contingency plan. We'll throw on an extra layer, some low-vis goggles and be skiing powder while less fortunate ski enthusiasts stare out their chalet window and only dream about fluffy stuff.

Day 6

We drive through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Courmayeur or La Thuile to round off the week skiing powder in the woods and enjoying a fine Italian lunch.

General Information

This is by no means a set programme. We believe flexibility is the key to maximising your skiing experience in Chamonix, taking advantage of nearby snowy locations, conditions at the time and your own personal expectations. Give us a call or drop us a line and we'll design a programme for you and your family or friends that meets the needs of the group.

This week is run with a maximum guide to client ratio of 1 : 6.

All our off piste and ski touring weeks will include some basic avalanche safety training and the equipment (transceiver, shovel and probe) that we provide is inclusive in the cost.