chamonix

Chamonix avec YKHS 1999

Our little helper in Chamonix, Tommi of Tjareborg

The YKHS group with goggles as always

Sunday morning view from our HQ. When we got to Chamonix it was so dark that we couldn't see the surrounding mountains, but to this we woke up.

Powder for as long as one can ski. I somehow managed to strain my back on my first run down the slopes because the powder was a little bit deeper and heavier than I was used to in Finland. Luckily it was nothing serious, but anyway I couldn't ski 100% in Chamonix after that injury.

Nonna showing the way in knee-deep powder. The guys in the back had lost one ski somewhere in the snow.

Nonna was not so much at home in that deep snow - neither was I considering my first run incident.

I am just preparing for a run.

Here I am in the best bowder of my life - so far.

Nonna somewhere. So much powder and so little time.

Nonna going off piste.

The weather was avesome on sunday.

Just a little humidy in the HQ on monday morning.

There we skied on sunday. The slopes and lifts of Brevent, aren't they?

Steep slopes at the Grand Monets, spelling is wrong.

Waiting for the somewhat crowded busses in Chamonix

The powder wasn't that much powder today, more like wet snow.

This from tuesday when we're of to the famous Auguille du Midi and Vallee Blanche. The day was a bit too warm for great powder.

At the top of Auguille du Midi at 3800 the wind is nasty.

We're just about to leap over the edge with proper gear.

Our off piste guide Philippe. Before climbing to the top of the Midi we skiid down from the first cabin station. Actually the whole group went down from there once, but I and a couple of telemarkers skiid down twice. The next black and white fotos where taken by a guy named Samuel, who propably makes a whole lot of money by taking tourist fotos at the top.

Picture by Samuel. Aiguille du midi 3842m

After the first scare-off descent we were heading for the Vallee Blanche in powder. The snow on the glacier was a bit too soft at this time, so Philippe thought it might not be a good idea to go on a steeper one.

Going down in powder.

You need to ski your weight back if you want to have some speed.

On the side of the glacier there are a couple of small restaurants. The rest was a must. Somehow I didn't get used with the altitude so quickly and I felt pain in my feet while over 3000m.

Nonna is delighted. The glacier behind her goes down to the Vallee Blanche.

After the first brake, we descented to the glacier using this route. The picture was taken from the Vallee Blanche glacier.

Second stop. A hundred meter climb preceded this break.

We went to the other side of the valley on thursday and we saw avalanche remainings.

Wednesday and thursday were pretty cloudy and not so good for taking dream like pictures or even not so good for skiing, so this one is from friday. It was our last day on skis at Chamonix - and the weather was great!

Nonna skiing down on slushy slopes.

I am alone in the slopes.

Coming down.

This one was a chalange. The other YKHS dudes skiid down this part at Brevent on sunday, but I didn't due to my little back injury. I just had to do it on friday, although the powder was gone.

Slushy snow - very!

The slush is fun if you just jump from one side to the other and let your butt and hip touch the snow.

Brevent is great for sun and skiing.

And also for great pictures and views.

The lifts at Brevent are fast and the views are great.

The wind was down to zero so it really was this hot.

Nonna shows us the route from the Vallee Blanche through the woods back to town.

I found an unskiid culuar at the very top of Brevent. Nonna took the pics, but she got scared and didn't shoot when I took a tumble at the top. I got my ski tips crossed and rolled over but managed to land on my skis and continue the descent.

The culuar was actually pretty steep and soft. This was the last day at Chamonix. The skiing was the best I've ever experienced despite my injury.

YKHS trip-o-cam

Chamonix avec YKHS 1999

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