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La Vallée Blanche Guided Ski Tour from Courmayeur

La Vallée Blanche Guided Ski Tour
La Vallée Blanche Guided Ski Tour
La Vallée Blanche Guided Ski Tour
La Vallée Blanche Guided Ski Tour

Join one of the IFMGA/UIAGM-certified local guides in the Peakshunter team on this Vallée Blanche 22 km long freeride skiing descent in the heart of the Mont Blanc massif, one of the most beautiful panoramas of the Alps.

Private

Alps

1+ Days

Jan - May

Fit

Intermediate


Description

La Vallée Blanche, the can't miss ski descent of your life, offers a great freeride skiing / off-piste skiing experience in the breathtaking panorama of the Mont Blanc massif.

La Vallée Blanche is one of my favorite ski descents, mainly because of its length and the beauty of the views surrounding it. We have the chance to admire Monte Rosa, Matterhorn, les Drus, les Grandes Jorasses, along with several other of the most iconic mountains of the Alps.

We begin our adventure from Courmayeur, where we take the Skyway cable car to reach Helbronner peak. Following the classic route, we’ll enjoy an unforgettable ski day, reaching Chamonix after 4/6 hours: in fact, Vallée Blanche descent is one of the longest in the world. From Chamonix, after a well-deserved celebrative beer, we will return to Courmayeur by bus or private transfer.

Arrival at Chamonix is scheduled for around 2.30-3.00 pm. Arrival at Courmayeur is scheduled around 3.30-4.30 pm. 

The best time to ski la Vallée Blanche is from January till March. The best time to do it will of course depend on the snow and weather conditions

If you are around the Mont Blanc range during the coming winter and if you wish to live something very different, please send me a request and let's plan this fantastic ski day together.

Price includes

- Guiding fee

- Harness

- Avalanche equipment

- Lift tickets

Price details

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

- Research and rescue insurance with UVGAM coverage (recommended): €5 per person for 3 days

- Personal Insurance

- Guide's extra fees (facilities, transfer back to Courmayeur, meals and beverages)

- Bus or private transfers from Chamonix to Courmayeur (if needed)

- Booking assistance service

- Montenvers train ticket - in case snow conditions are NOT good to reach Chamonix skis on feet: 30-35€/per person depending on the number of participants - INCLUDED IN UNLIMITED MB TICKET

- Anything that is not mentioned under "The rate includes"


FAQs

What experience and how fit do I need for this trip?

Vallée Blanche freeride skiing doesn’t require specific technical skills. Of course, a good ski level (red or even black piste) is required, as a previous off-piste experience.

If you think your skills are not trained enough, we suggest you start preparing technically, especially off-piste, practicing on red and black piste and fresh snow itineraries. This will help you to improve your confidence on off-piste descents and steep slopes.

Will I need to bring any technical equipment of my own? Is it possible to rent equipment, and if so, what would be the approximate cost of that?

The technical equipment included in the rate is a transceiver, a shovel, and a probe. We will provide them to you during the initial briefing. In addition, the guide will bring the common safety equipment (e.g. rope).

You need to bring all other equipment: freeride skis and appropriate clothing. After your booking confirmation, we will provide you with a detailed list of all recommended equipment and clothing. If you need anything, we will refer you to some rental shops in Courmayeur where you can hire the necessary items.

What happens in the event of bad weather?

Please consider that the weather and the conditions can change unexpectedly and, especially in recent years due to climate change, there are not always the best conditions for a safe descent. In this case, because your and our safety is our priority, we are willing to arrange another experience on a new date, retaining the registration fee already paid.

We understand that this may be a frustrating outcome, however, safety is a top priority, and every mountain has a lesson to teach.

What is the guide-to-client ratio for this off-piste descent?

The maximum number of clients per single guide is 6, thus giving a ratio of 1:6. This is the maximum number in order to ensure your safety and that of the guide. If you are a group of more than 6 people, we have more guides available to undertake the adventure.

What is the best time of the year for the Vallée Blanche descent?

The best season to enjoy the Vallée Blanche descent is from January to April, with generally better conditions in February and March.

How can I reach the meeting point?

The meeting point is the Skyway cable car station, in Courmayeur.

Depending on your country of origin, you can decide to reach Aosta Valley arriving from:

  • Italy: The nearest airports are Caselle in Turin, Malpensa in Milan, and Orio al Serio in Bergamo. Once you land, you can reach Courmayeur by train (Trenitalia national services to Aosta town, bus to Courmayeur), directly by bus (Flixbus and Arriva companies operate coach runs every day), private transfer, or by renting a car.
  • France: By car, by bus, or by private transfer from Chamonix, passing through the Mont Blanc tunnel.
  • Switzerland: By car or by private transfer, passing through the Great St. Bernard Tunnel.

We strongly recommend having a private (or rented) car, in order to avoid inconveniences related to the logistics (delays, temporary lack of connections on the public transportation network or other reasons).

If you do not have your own car, we suggest using bus connections, such as "Flixbus" and "Arriva", which guarantee daily trips to Courmayeur.

How do the transfers work?

After the meeting with the guide in Courmayeur, we will take the Skyway Monte Bianco cable car in order to reach the Helbronner arrival station. Please note that the ticket is included in the price and we will take care of the booking.

After the long ski descent, it sometimes happens that snow conditions are not good enough to reach Chamonix on skis, so the last part will be done with the Montenvers train, which ticket is excluded from the tariff and will be purchased on the spot, as it cannot be predicted whether there will be less need for it.

The return to Courmayeur from Chamonix is also excluded; this is because it is your choice whether to take the bus or a private transfer. In any case, it will be our responsibility to arrange the return trip.

What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?

We understand that finding the perfect place to stay is an essential part of your adventure experience. To help you with this, we’ve curated a list of three highly recommended hotels that offer comfort, convenience, and a touch of local charm. These accommodations are well-suited for adventurers looking to relax and rejuvenate after an exciting day of exploration
France Le Gai Soleil La Plagne
See rooms
France
See rooms
Les Granges du Soleil La Plagne
See rooms
France Hotel Terra Nova La Plagne
See rooms

About the guide

Guide profile image

-PeaksHunter

4.70

(505)

Mountain Guide

Giving and receiving smiles, seeing the satisfaction on the faces of our customers, seeking opportunities for growth, stimulating authenticity in personal and group relationships, in sharing mountaineering disciplines, fears, efforts, and moments of difficulty, which are part of the integrated with experiences, essential ingredients of every summit climb: these are our focus, our beliefs, and our most important results, as outdoor Professionals and as people who love the mountains and their work as Alpine Guides!

Founded in 2013 by Elis and Silvia, PEAKSHUNTER Mountain Guides is a team of IFMGA-certified Mountain Professionals and outdoor activities experts, based in the town of Aosta, not far from Courmayeur-Chamonix, on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif.

We live and work in the beautiful Aosta Valley region, very close to French and Swiss borders near to Geneva, Milan, and Turin international airports.

Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Dufourspitze, Pyramide Vincent and Regina Margherita Hut, Gran Paradiso, Breithorn, Lyskamm, Castor and Pollux are only a few of several 4000 Alps summits you can climb with us: most of our team of Guides were born and grew up close to these mountains and they have explored the ascent routes several times during different seasons, with skis or crampons!

- We love our work: we plan all our trips with great commitment and deep respect for the Alpine environment, for its inhabitants, and its territories. Including local traditions in different valleys and Alpine areas.

- We love Mountain, Nature, and Outdoor activities, that we like to share with people from all around the world. We are enthusiastic to meet like-minded adventurers and share new experiences and memorable emotions with the support of our Mountain Guides.

- Safety and Risk Management are essential for us, as elements of fundamental importance during every single trip we plan and carry out with our customers: for this reason, we offer introductory courses to the different alpine disciplines (Mountaineering, Rock climbing, Ice climbing, Ski mountaineering, Freeride, Rescue Crevasse, and Avalanche) to convey awareness and responsibility to our customers.

- We offer solid Experience, with several years organizing outdoor disciplines around mountain and wild areas, in many different countries of Italy and Europe, for individuals or groups, including 7-day customer support for booking, logistics, and personal assistance for planning and reservations.

- As certified Mountain Guides, we offer training courses, to improve technical skills and to learn basic knowledge about mountaineering in the Alps, which is essential to explore and climb the Mountains safely in any situation or conditions.

- We are happy to provide customized programs for every customer's demand: our Experience is synonymous with Professionalism and Customer Care to guarantee unforgettable emotions and beautiful smiles!

Fulfill your dreams, discover breathtaking views or simply enjoy an extraordinary day: you just need to use your imagination and we will carry out your trip as you desire to live it!

Let’s plan your next mountain project together!

Certificates

IFMGA

Request more information

What people are saying about this trip

Martin

4.00

Hello Basically I am satisfied with the whole organization, because in the end everything worked as expected, whereby the guide had a big part in the success! Unfortunately, the information regarding equipment was unclear in advance and sometimes varied, which didn't make it any easier for a beginner like me. In general, the flow of information was rather slow, but towards the end it was sufficient and quick. In general, I would recommend that you revise the list of necessary equipment! Above all, it should be clear what the guest has to bring (with a distinction between "must" and "recommended"), what is provided by the organizer and what could be rented if necessary. Of course, this is not easy to accomplish, as the necessary equipment also depends on the conditions. Best wishes and continued success with the organization of ski trips! Martin

Glenn

5.00

Our guide Paulo (PeaksHunter Guides) was absolutely brilliant. Highly professional throughout the day (especially when he rescued one of our party's snow boards out of a crevasse) and very knowledgeable about the area, but just as importantly a really pleasant and positive person. We had a thoroughly enjoyable trip. Thank you!

Kirsten

5.00

This was, hands down, one of the coolest and most difficult outdoor experiences I have ever had. It was visually stunning. The ancient mountains that surround you on the Vallee Blanche are absolutely breathtaking, but there is good reason to be cautious. Do not ride the Vallee Blanche without a dedicated and experienced guide. You must be in very good physical condition to take this trip on a snowboard- skiing is a bit easier because you can traverse flat land better. You must be able to handle rugged terrain, and have pinpoint accuracy to cross ice bridges between crevices. Altitude, deep snow, unexpected weather and massive crevices are just a few serious hazards that require true alpine expertise. Our guide, Paulo, and his team were incredible. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and their communication skills were impeccable. The day that we were suppose to ride the valley turned out to be dangerously cold and windy but our guide was on top of the weather the entire time. We changed our original go-date to another one with safer conditions. As someone with a little bit of climbing experience, I truly appreciated our guides priority on safety & weather conditions; trust me, you wouldn’t want to be on Europe’s highest summit in the middle of a storm. We wound up going the next day after the storm. The powder was so deep that it was impassable on a snowboard at some points. The ski poles that we rented to traverse flat land, sunk all the way down into the powder, and there was no resistance to push yourself forward. On several occasions, our guide had to attach a rope to my harness and pull me out of a powder-jam. Paulo guided us safely down the mountain, taking breaks to rest and for water and food. At the bottom, we grabbed a few beers and nothing ever tasted so good. Hire these guys, you will be thankful that you did!!!

Daniel

5.00

Excellent job making your platform available to all mountain lovers. Our guide Gabrielle was an excellent companion

Daniel

4.00

My friends and I truly enjoyed the la Vallée Blanche ski descente. We were guided by a competent and friendly guide, Marco Bernardini. There was a bit of confusion ahead of the trip as we had to fill a very extensive consent form. We would also have appreciated to get more information about the stair climb at the end of the descente prior to the trip. Luckily we carried our sport shoes so we did not have to walk up in our ski boots. We were also not made aware beforehand that we had to walk quite a long distance from the train to the bus station in Chamonix.


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