Les Grands Montets between the pistes ultimate Ski: Off Piste > Chamonix off-piste

Les Grands Montets between the pistes

The Grands Montets is one of the world’s top off-piste ski mountains, with plenty of lines to explore close to the pistes.

Arguably the world’s top off-piste ski mountain, the Grands Montets has it all. Sadly that includes lots of skiers, though there’s still so much terrain that many feel they need never go elsewhere. With aspects ranging from North West to North East, a top elevation of 3,300m and descents to 1,250m this mountain comes into its own on fresh powder mornings.

Get here early and savour the unique atmosphere of queuing ‘French style’. Once up in the middle station you’re spoilt for choice. There are two alternatives before queueing again (and paying extra) for the lift to the top of the Grands Montets itself: Herse and Bochard.

Bochard
From the top of Bochard skier's left leads you into La Combe de la Pendant and the sector commonly known as Lavancher, the hamlet at its foot. Skier’s right you have Combe a Germaine or Le Triangle (known in English as ‘Canadian Bowl’). In here the piste is never far away, though with the scale of this mountain you wouldn’t know it. There are countless lines to explore that will challenge your technique to the full and guarantee a good work out.

Herse
From the top of the new Herse chair, the Combe des Amethystes (known in English as the ‘Italian Bowl’) is a must. The ‘Gasex’ funnels on the cliffs above clearly indicate its propensity to avalanche but drop in here on a morning after snowfall with little or no wind overnight and you’ll begin to understand what its all about.

Up the Grands Montets
The extra 500m gained by ascending the summit of the Grands Montets is worth it for the lighter, deeper snow. There’s also the view of the Dru (right in your face) and of the Argentiere glacier. But glaciers also spell danger and the off-piste between the pistes in this sector means you may have a close encounter with a crevasse: you must have alpine skills and the equipment to deal with these or, better still, go with a guide.

One absolute gem in this sector which is non-glaciated and a must is the ‘Grand Mur’. Every resort has its ‘Wall’ and Les Grands Montets doesn’t disappoint. Follow the Point de Vue piste until it turns steeply down to the right, go straight on and descend the combe below the ‘Catex’ wire.

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Avalanche gear

Away from the marked runs, you depend on your friends and your equipment should anything go wrong.

Make sure you have the best gear, available from Facewest.

Avalanche guide

Some passages in this section are extracted from Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain by Bruce Tremper, Director of the Utah Avalanche Center.
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