Skiing the Haute Route in Chamonix

It has been a long time since I have skied in the European Alps, so with the windy season gone in Melbourne I have headed to France with Mark and Simeon to attempt to ski the Haute Route.

Our bags got lost when we changed flights at Heathrow (apparently this is common) so we had a couple of stressful days in Paris chasing down where they were.  After much frustration, they were flown onto Geneva and got to Chamonix before we did.

It has been a very strange season here.  It was very hot in March, but in late April and early May it got very cold again and snowed a lot.  Much of the Haute Route is too dangerous to traverse, and most of the huts along it are now closed due to the bad conditions.

We had a very nice day skiing in good weather at Argentiere, including a couple of excellent runs from the top of the Grand Montet down the glacier.

We got lucky and skied from Argentiere (near Chamonix) across to Champex in Switzerland.  It was a big day that pushed us both to our limits.

Track log from Argentiere to Val d'Arpette

Getting up the Col du Chardonnet was strenuous as we have not had much time to acclimatise to the altitude.  We abseiled on skis down the Col then skied around to the Col de Saliena, which was an arduous climb.  On the way there I avoided a small avalanche that came down an obvious chute between Mark and myself.

There was nobody else around by the time we got to the Col de Saliena, which was a big change from my last visit there when there were over a hundred people going through.

This was decision time - either we could either return via the Col du Tour back to the Chamonix valley skiing down the Glacier du Tour, or continue on following the route to Champex.  We decided to do the latter.

It was a nice ski along the wide and gently sloping Trient Glacier, passing by the Cabine du Trient in the distance.  The descent next to the Trient Glacier ice fall was quite safe, we followed tracks and kept away from the crevasses.  It was a short shart climb up to the Col des Escandies, and a great relief to get there.  It was all downhill from there.

There were lots of avalanches along the southern slopes of the Val d'Arpette, some of which had nearly come right across the valley.  The recent fresh snowfalls had triggered these.  We skied down the nice snow at the top into wetter snow further down.

We saw a Chamois crossing the snowslope above us.  We skied all the way down to some lodges and the bitumen road, stopping for a late lunch by a lovely stream.

We were tired but very satisfied to have completed this section of the route.  We got down at about 4pm.

We walked out to the road to Champex and got straight on a bus that was waiting there, seemingly for us.  The friendly driver sold us a ticket the would take us all the way to Le Chatelard - the border with France.  We changed to a train at Orsieres, then stopped overnight at Martigny.

We returned by train and bus the next morning to Chamonix.

Graph of descents and ascents

Skiing down to Argentiere Glacier

Climbing the Col du Chardonnet

Climbing the Col du Chardonnet

Climbing the Col du Chardonnet

Descending the Col du Chardonnet

Glacier du Trient, looking towards the Col du Tour

Col de Saliena

Skiing across the Glacier du Trient

Trient icefall

Trient icefall

Val d'Arpette

Chamois in the Val d'Arpette

Photo album - Haute Route Chamonix to Champex

Skiing at Argentiere

Kitesurfing at Hampton in bay surf with helmetcam

Session 180 - 25 April 2012

There was lots of wind and rain overnight, with storm rolling through on Wednesday morning.  Stuart and I waited until conditions settled down a bit then headed to Hampton.  We got on the water a bit after 1pm.

I took out my Crossbow 7 as conditions looked "full" and I didn't want to be overpowered.  It was the right choice. I had plenty of power, particularly using the S-Quad surfboard.  Small kites are nice to fly.

We headed over to Green Point to catch some waves, then returned to Hampton.  There was a nice bay surf breaking between the rock groynes, and further out in a few places.  The surf on the main beach was great too.  

I was concentrating on both heelside and toeside powered turns and riding toeside.  The waves were nice, and the wind consistent.  There were about 10 kiters out when we arrived, mostly on surfboards.  Many had departed by the time we finished.

The sea breezes are gone now, so its great to score a session like this as we enter the "winter doldrums" - and storms.

I took this video with my helmetcam.

Here is the wind chart.  Some gusts nudged 35 knots.

Kitesurfing the bay swell in 30+ knots at Hampton

Session 179 - 9 April 2012

Strong westerly today at Hampton as storm fronts rolled through all day.  I got down to Hampton at about 10am and it was howling.  Winter is on its way - it was cool and dense wind, and gusty too.

I was tossing up between my 7 and 10.  The wind dropped a bit to around 21 knots so I took out the 10 after a bit of pfaffing with tangled lines.  I was well powered - over powered in fact.  I did a couple of runs through the 1m surf and then wiped out riding toe-side back in.  I had max depower on yet the kite was flying hard on the beach.  A fellow from up the beach came and helped me land it, which I greatly appreciated. 

I then took out my Crossbow 7, which had enough power to get me going and was much more manageable.  I did quite a few nice runs heel-side out and toe-side back.  By the time I finished there was only one other kiter out.  

It was a decent bay swell so I was able to get some more practice on my surfboard which was great.  These strong frontal winds are much more difficult to kite - it pays to be careful and go perhaps for a size smaller kite.  

Looking at the Fawkner wind graph now the wind speed was up to 35 knots, which is well in the range of my Crossbow 7 and too strong for my 10. 

Nice bay surf!

Big shorebreak!

Slideshow

Kitesurfing upwind tour from Hampton to Ricketts

Session 178 - 7 April 2012

The westerly change arrived with a vengeance on Friday evening at around 6pm, with gusts in excess of 50 knots.  Conditions were so severe that the yacht Inception sank off Port Campbell while competing in the Queenscliff to Port Fairy race.  All six sailors were rescued from the water by another yacht the race Trybooking.com. [link] [link]

The front had gone through by Saturday morning but there was still reasonable wind in the morning.  I headed to Hampton and went for a great upwind tour on my Sector 60 with my Switchblade 10.  I had no trouble at all going upwind all the way to Ricketts Point on one tack in the 15 knot wind.  It was a nice sunny day but there were no yachts about, and only one other kiter off Hampton.

I turned at Ricketts and headed back, mindful of the wind forecast that it would drop at midday.  I came close to shore and kept up a good speed.  I cut behind the Cerberus wreck - wondering for the umpteenth time why it has not been salvaged and restored.  

The wind cut out almost exactly at midday, so I came to shore at Sandringham, packed away my kite and walked back along the foreshore.  I was glad I wasn't further offshore.  I finished the outing with a nice coffee and muffin at the Sandy HQ beach cafe.

Going touring is a lot of fun. I still find it amazing to get such a good session from conditions that would have seen me struggling to even get going on a twin tip or surboard.  The Sector 60 opens up a new dimension in kitesurfing.

Here is some video from the tour, taken with a Contour ROAM board mounted.

Kitesurfing at Hampton on the surfboard again

Session 177 - 24 March 2012


Inspired by Rod and Franz after our fantastic session in the surf at Inverloch last weekend, I had a great session on my directional board - the Cabrinha S-Quad - at Hampton this afternoon.

A welcome southerly change arrived mid-afternoon, I got on the water at about 3:40.  Using the S-Quad was surprisingly easy.  All the kitesurfing I have been doing on the Sector 60 has really improved my feel for a directional board.  I was riding heel side and toe side easily on my natural stance.  

My toe-side riding has improved in particular.  Positioning my rear foot a bit forward and towards the edge of the board improves balance and allows you to put more pressure on the edge.  Leaning right out to touch the water (its a long way away!) also improves body angle and stance.  

I boosted some big jumps, but stacked a couple too with the kite heading right back across the wind window. 

I attempted one gybe and didn't quite make it.

Another kiter crashed his kite and lost his board.  I got to it and picked it up going past but couldn't control my kite to keep going.  Then I tried to hold it above my arms but this didn't work either.  In the end I left it and he retrieved it from the beach.  More practice required on board retrieval technique.

After 1.5 hours I was spent and my hands were a bit numb, even though the water was fairly warm.  Overall, a really nice session.

Epic kitesurfing day at Inverloch - speed course on flat water, session 2

Session 176 - 24 March 2012

We headed to the inlet later in the afternoon.  A 10 knot breeze was blowing and one kiter was struggling to stay up wind on a 14m kite and twin tip board.  I got the Sector 60 out and rigged my Noise 12m kite.

I was able to cruise upwind with ease across to a sand bank, then head down wind following it to flatter water where I could crank the speed up.  Coming back, I was able to do a fast leg past the sandbar, very wary of hitting the bottom with the 24cm fins, then crank back upwind to get back to the Angling Club.  

I ended up overpowered!  The Sector 60 board turns what would be an ordinary session in light wind into an exhilarating one.  By the end of the session I was wall and truly stuffed though.

The tendons on the back of my right wrist were sore and legs, torso and arms were all fatigued. 

This is the biggest and physically hardest day kiting I have ever done and was immensely satisfying.

We all had a nice pub meal and got to bed for a good rest.


Session Details

Distance:	10.75 km
Time:	47:06
Max Speed:	42.7 km/h

Epic kitesurfing day at Inverloch - big surf and downwinder, session 1

Session 175 - 24 March 2012

Stuart and I organised a "blokes kitesurfing weekend" at Inverloch for 24-25 March.  My big fear was getting 9 super keen kitesurfers together and not getting good wind.

Here is the crew, and their arsenal.

Stu, Stuart, Tarren, Hutcho, Rod, Grant, Franz, Peter + arsenal

 

The weather forecast via Predictwind during the week looked good. We got an early start on Saturday and got to the Inverloch surf beach and were on the water at 8am, with a good wind blowing. 

It picked up just as we headed out; I was overpowered on my Noise 12, so I came in to swap it for my Switchblade 10m.  Everybody else went down a kite size too.  The surf was big.  I got rinsed a couple of times but managed to keep my kite flying.  I used my twin tip as I knew I could handle it well in the "full conditions", and I haven't used the directional board for a while.  Tarren and Stuart were on twin tip boards too.

Franz and Rod are very keen wave kiters and only use directional boards.  They demonstrated consummate skills in the big surf, along with another two kiters who were down for the day.

 

A few kites got dunked, and Stuart killed his Crossbow 7 after it got ripped by a wave and the bladder burst with a loud bang.

After a couple of hours we came in for rest.  Franz and Rod did a car shuffle to the Angling Club in the inlet then we all headed off on a downwinder.  I used the Noise 12m to ensure enough power, and had an epic battle adjusting the below the bar depower with the line jamming in the cleat.

It was nice to go for a cruise, until I dropped my kite.  It got munched by a wave close to the inlet mouth, but I somehow managed to relaunch it and keep going.  There was a strong current crossing the mouth, then a succession of smaller surf zones and sandbars going across to the opposite point.  

I did a jump and dropped my kite again (sh*!) but was outside of the major surf zone and relaunched it (phew!).  Heading into flatter water of the inlet I was feeling like a good kitesurfer again and got some nice speed runs it. 

Franz

Hutcho

Closer to the beach I raced briefly with Stu Styles who was ripping on his windsurfer; he won.  

Then coming to the beach, I passed Hutch who was kiting with my original (first) Crossbow 12m that I sold him a couple of years ago.  

Back on the beach, we were all tired but very happy.  Big smiles all around.  We hit the bakery for a large lunch after this great session.  But the day was not yet over . . . 

Session stats

Distance:	44.09 km
Time:	5:33:20
Max Speed:	37.4 km/h

Photo albums

Kitecam shots


Helmet mount and line mount shots


Hanging out, the resident Koala and the arsenal