Looking up the Argentiere valley there was more snow than I'd expect for late July.
The face of the Petit Aiguille Vert looked very inviting. So we decided to head up the mountaineers path and gain a little more vertical before skiing down.
We go a few funny looks trudging up the path with our skis on our backs kicking steps in the soft snow. On cresting the ridge we looked over at the Nant Blanc face of the Aiguille Vert. This was skied just a few weeks ago (search Tardivel on TGR)
Stepping into our skis just below the summit rocks the slope looks steep.
Skiing it feels very steel. Here is MaRuMo above me.
and again mid turn, getting out of the grabby snow to rotate her skis.
Up here the very light weight of our skis and the relatively skinny waist (88mm underfoot) was a great asset.
As we left the slopes of the petit veert to head down the more familiar ones of the grand Montets the cloud swallowed the upper slopes behind us.
Below the summit of the Grand Montets, the snow was normal spring like snow and had lost its weird grabby tendency. Here we are still on a glacier. MaRuMo is above the main Rimmae (Bergshrund).
At this point the snow is heading towards slush, but hasn't yet become a sun cupped mess. Argeintiere village can be seen in the valley below me.
From here on down we had to pick our way between ever increasing rock. MaRuMo making what I though was her last turns of the day. But she managed to find a worthy snow patch lower down to make another few turns, if I manage to work out how to post the video I will.
I wasn't a long trudge down to the mid station but it was tough going down what is normally a easyish angle ski trail. Is rough gravel and scree in summer.
That even we drove to Sass Fee in Switzerland and camped for the night. Next morning we caught the first tram to the top of Sass Fee. The top section is actually a sub terrain train (like a subway).
Looking up at the Allalinhorn above the summer ski area, it doesn't look that far?
The track up was simple and relatively short. probably one of the easiest 4000m peaks you can climb. But and easy 4000m peak doesn't exist when you are living at sea level and are just in the alps for a weekend!
The view from the summit was great. The Rimpfischhorn and Strahlhorn behind and Monte Rosa in the background. The Matterhorn lurking somewhere in the clouds.
The ubiquitous summit photo.
The first part of the decent was very firm underfoot, a little unnerving for me with a lot of space below.
Things softened up as we rounded the mountain towards the ski area. MaRuMo enjoying some turns.
