Great fortnight in the Chamonix area, first week with mates on their first trip to the Alps (or in some cases on a mountain bike, anywhere), the second week by myself doing my thing! Weather wasn’t all bad, but trail conditions testing throughout. No helicopter rides but a suspected cracked rib and some substantial chips in my full face!
Best descent in Tom’s green book
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Alternate route
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Rode the same descent by myself the day before just as the storm was clearing - possible trip highlight
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Alpine fighting cows, fighting.
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Coldest wettest Alpine July on record I believe
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Full disclosure – I bottled it
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Sketchy ridge
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The second week my friends went home and I did my thing, beginning with a great ride with Gary who some on here will know
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Sick Track was very sketchy but very good!
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Emosson trailhead
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In the St Gervais vicinity (sorry Ben we didn't ride!)
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Finished with a two day trip beginning and ending in Flaine – cheers to those who advised. Here’s the overview from the refuge:
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Dawn descent
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Climbed Cheval Blanc from Emosson on day off bike (wanted to go for Buet but north ridge was a bit snowy)
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Awesome!
Brilliant! Would you mind doing a run-down of where you went round Flaine?
Very very jealous.
Awesome
Sure. It's one of those things I'd only do once, but it was good to do, once. Bits had me swearing though. I'm not sure if it's everyone's cup of tea. These are just the standout routes shown on the IGN map - nothing "secret" as such.
8am-ish train from Chamonix to Cluses via St Gervais
10am bus from Cluses to Flaine (only goes at 10)
Board DMC in Flaine at 1120AM (beware - very short season for this lift - ends around 15 August I think)
Began ride at just after noon - down to Tete Pelouse on $hit fire road. Difficult singletrack down into the valley (barely rideable but a bit sketchy when done solo) then the trail opens up after the refuge. Can get very busy with walkers and a nature reserve...and you gotta suffer to get to it.
Turn off for brutal push up to Refuge Anterne/Alfred Wills, then more brutality over the Col du Petit Anterne (you can short circuit this bit)
Just as you're beginning to get pissed off, classic descent, 20 minutes of pure brilliant riding in the shadow of the Cirque des Fonts down to that refuge (but you have to suffer badly to get to this).
Then into fire road descent then brutal climb/push up to Refuge Grenairon. Arrive 7:10pm semi-comatose, quietly swearing to oneself.
Dawn descent into Samoens the next day, sketching the first few turns as you wake up; then up to Flaine for more fun (many options here and they've made the lift connections from Samoens very intuitive this year). Catch the train from any station on the Cluses line back to Chamonix. Trains leave Cluses at :34 past the hour up to 8:34, Magland at :41.
BRILLIANT !..
will be there again in september,
can`t wait anymore..
Sounds like a good adventure! I would like to explore Flaine properly, the only time I've been there is skiing in a whiteout. I am going to try the trail off Brevent that ends at Lac de Passy, its a nice spot for a swim. I'm still hoping to try the TMB if I get the sunshine. Some of that July weather would've been fairly uncomfortable at 2500m!
Thanks all. I think Freeridenick's the man for Flaine. Interesting about Brevent, not done lower down in the Passy direction - how will you cross at Diosaz or will you go down to Servoz and then road back up?
Re conditions - the Grenairon refuge (1950m) had had a proper snow dump (not just a dusting) 3 days before I was there!
There is a novelty value to 1400m-odd of berms. It seemed like it wasn't really ridden-in last Summer, but then there is so much of it to maintain that it might just stay like that. I definitely wouldn't be fussed to miss it, but we caught it in swirling cloud/sunny spells and the scenery was good.
That first trail in your shots might be my favourite anywhere, its the only one my mate has mentioned as a "must-do" as well.
I am thinking of going right round by Refuge de Moede Anterne which gets you onto a gradual descent to Plaine Joux. Depending on time you could then climb again to Chalets de Varan, although the descent from there looks quite steep and it'd be a bit of a kick in the balls if it wasn't rideable. Diosaz isn't really passable without going into Servoz as far as I know.
Very good, thanks. Another one to consider for next year.
i'm back there in 7days time for a week 🙂
Jedi, enjoy, say hi to Phil from
Neil B. and Will.
Met you there at Chalet les Frenes August (I think) a few years back. Maybe 08. N
i been every year for over a decade 🙂 dont always stay at phils 🙂
Superb stuff again. Looks like winter really did come late!!!
way to get after it doing some of that stuff solo...
O..o..o..I'm going there in September with MBMB. First trip to the Alps and I can't wait.
Great pics BTW jhw. Is the TWN book worth purchasing? I think I have a day either side of the 3 Countries Tour for riding in Chamonix, if my legs permit it and subject to injury 🙂
Definitely worth purchasing.
I should have mentioned - thanks to Tom Wilson-North, Phil Hennem, and Gary and Nick here for some great trail advice and accommodation, and to Zero G for keeping me on the road (again!)
Doing it solo? There are pros and cons. Ideally I would like to have balanced it more evenly but there you go.
Phwoar! I'm out there September 4th for a cheeky last trip of the season.
Great pics Jack, ta.