Slovo autora

Servus, whoever you are. This blog offers you some tips for trips, links and my experiences with given tour. There could be also some interwievs or philosophical thoughs hidden here and there. But don't take them to seriously.
Don't hesitate to contact me in case you want to ask for info and also write comments if you like: tomasjavurek09@SPAMNOTgmail.com


Sunday, May 14, 2017

Tour Du Tour

difficulty: easy and mostly safe
altitude: ~3300
attitude: alone
month: April


The green contour on the map is the previous outing and this report is about the blue one. Going up to the pass de Balme was completely without snow. But my super light skies didn't bother me too much on my back.
If there is a moment in my life to which I would like to return once, then except from first kiss of my wife it is skiing down that slope from the pass de Balme. Nobody around, Sunrise, hard snow with thin soft layer on top like a cream on an apfelstrudel (who doesn't know aplfelstrudel with cream or vanilla sauce haven't been alive so far).


Col de Balme
The valley. Crazy, there had to be a big avalanche that fell down this year. Basically, if you want get up to d'Orny by this valley, you need to count on small delay somewhere in the middle of the valley. The path disappeared and thousands of fallen trees need to be crossed.


I used crampones. All the way up along the glacier. And I don not regret. Slope is around 30 degrees. Some very fast ski-alpinist was still 50 meters behind me and he did the same. Of course if the snow is soft, the skies would be better choice but then you have to count on the fact that the slope is infinitely long.


The official ski route leads out of the glacier over rocks at very left. But as you see on the picture above, it is much more reasonable to go by glacier on left side. There is one big crevasse. Better not to go there to late or to early in season.


When I reached glacier plateau near d'Orny hut, I thought I am done. But it wasn't completely true. There was one technical problem from pass du Tour. I was f-cking exhausted after 2500 meters elevation gain and at that point I had to climb down. It is better to rappel. But I had no rope with me.

But don't worry I survived. Descent is perfect, no issues.




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