Day 3 - Trient Hut to Trient village

We wake to a beautiful day. We are going to take in a small deviation from the normal route to pick up better views. Leaving the hut, skied out onto the glacier. We linked together with rope and then skinned for just over an hour. Great experience as we are putting down the only tracks to be seen.

After a few photos, we start skiing down to Trient village. Unfortunately about 100m in, I managed to mess up a turn and twisted my left knee. Managed to get down to the village, but it became increasingly difficult to turn on the knee. Towards the end I had to side slip to reduce the pain.

Made the decision not to continue as we have some steep sections on Day 4.

It has been a wonderful experience and one which I am determined to finish, one day ....... perhaps next year Mark?

The rest of the party have continued on. Just found out they have finished day 4. Hope to meet up with them in Zermatt on Saturday.

Day 2 - Argentiere hut to Trient hut

Up at 6:00 for and early breakfast and getting kit ready. Started touring at 7:00, we finished around 15:30. A very challenging day. We skied to the bottom of Col du Chardonnet and then started skinning up. 4 hours later we hit the top. Dave had a little deroute, missing a kick turn and slipping about 50m down the hill. We were all worried for a few minutes as he had the kitty money. After clearing the top of Chardonnet we absailed down the other side. A great experience, however got interesting when we found the rope was a little short and we needed to ice axe down to the bottom. We then started skinning again to go over Fenetre du Saleina and onto the Trient glacier. From here we skinned up to meet Rick who had finally arrived from China, via Dubai and a few other places. He had arrived that morning, showered, met a guide and started skinning up to met us. A fantastic effort. we then all skied down to Trient hut. Just to finish the day we had a 30 mins skin up to the hut.

Day 1 - Chamonix to Argentiere Hut

The tour started with the only cable car of the journey, up to Grands Montets. From here we skied down onto the Argentiere glacier. We then put skins on skis and travelled up to the hut.

Training day completed

Saturday has been a day for trying out all of the equipment and getting the ski legs working.
We had some time on the skins, crampons and skis.
Weather is stunning. Very clear sky. No ash to be seen.
Only worrying part of the day was when knee gave way going over the bumps.
Up at 7:30 tomorrow for the first day. Meeting Jackie (the guide) at 9:00.
Rick is on way here. Finally got a flight from China.

We made it

We finally arrived at the hotel around midnight. Long journey. Start to get nervous now. Some light skiing planned for today. Going to try out all of the kit today. Start now due 9:00 Sunday. 

Pit stop

Paul needed a coffee. We are now half way.

Picked up Dave at Ashford. Rick still stuck in China, but we now have all his kit. Logistics working very well considering it was sorted at midnight..

On the road now. The adventure begins. 

Just getting ready to drive down to France. Volcanic ash seems to be our biggest problem at the moment!

Did not think that the adventure would start so soon.