UKH

HI All,

Apologies if this is in the wrong forum but it does pertain to Alpine although slightly embarrassed by the Thread Title given recent topics on K2 in Winter, Ama Dablam etc.

My wife has suggested a family holiday in Chamonix at the end of May/start of June. Couldn't believe my luck as she is not very mountain orientated but I am. I was seeking if I can cut away for 1 maybe 2 days to do some selfish activities and keen to find out options. I am really a hillwalker but did the Skye Munros in October with a guide and loved it and wondered if I can replicate that sort of experience in or around Chamonix.

Are there any routes that are worth looking at? Is it best to book a guide when out there or do it in UK before I leave? Any recommendations for guides? Would it also be best to take my own kits as I have helmet, harness, crampons etc or easier to hire out there?

Also is there any good websites or tips and advice that I can check out for the more family side of the holidays to find out routes to go (self guided) walking. We have 2 kids (13 and 15) and are also going with another family so any pointers to fun activities would be much appreciated. Thanks for any help

Malcy

Yes you can!

The Aiguilles Rouges (the North side of the Valley, facing Mont Blanc) are fabulous, and there are many great scrambly adventures you can have. 

If you want to climb "a proper alp" then the Aiguille du Tour would be a great objective. It can be climbed in a day from the lift, or with a stay in the Albert Premiere hut. I'd suggest a guide as there is a glacier crossing followed by a scramble.

If you are thinking more of  scrambly hillwalking, the Tour du Mont Ruan can be done in 2 or 3 days, and takes in some lovely territory. If you are happy with a couple of hundred feet of via ferrata ladders then no need for a guide

Steve

Check whether the lifts will be running for your dates..

This should answer most of your questions:    www.chamonix.net/english/leisure

Highlights include: mountain biking, rafting, canyoning, valley rock climbing, visiting glaciers, great wildlife areas, mountain walking ( with uplift to take out the sting for the less enthusiastic ), cable cars offering amazing views and, of course, Tartiflette.

For the climbing / guiding side this should help:    www.chamonix.com/high-mountain-office,4-492959,en.html

In particular you can get up to date information about walks, huts, climbs from this site.

Here is a link for the highly recommended British Mountain Guides:   www.bmg.org.uk/activities/

Whilst there are plenty of activities and some awesome walking May June is quite early in the season. It varies every year but some of the higher walking routes are likely to have patches of snow in sheltered / shady areas that can be bullet hard first thing in the morning. Not unusual to need crampons and / or axes for some sections.

Routes you might consider with a guide could include:

Crochues Traverse

Aiguille Tour area has several nice peaks as someone has mentioned

Traverse of the Vallee Blanche

There are a couple of short easier peaks accessed from the Torino Hut area ( Italian side ).

Petit Mt Blanc. 

Have fun,

We have found Morzine to be better for the kind of holiday you are describing, as there are more things for the kids to do and it is cheaper than Cham. Morzine has lake swimming, white water rafting, high ropes courses, climbing, via ferrata, swimming pool, frisbee golf, lots of great walks (cable car up, walk along and down). You could probably find these in Chamonix too but when researching where we were going to go, Morzine definitely came out top.

If you do end up in Chamonix, Kathy and Mark Cosley are great guides: https://www.cosleyhouston.com/

You could also do family walks with a stay at an alpine hut - makes a bigger adventure and may get you in position for a side trip or two....

We took our three children there a few years ago. We did plan on taking the two oldest across the Valee Blanche. However, the day after we arrived there was the biggest storm in many years, which turned everything into winter condition.

Other suggestions:

Get the telepherique to the Plan and walk the almost horizontal route to Montenvers.

Get the telepherique into the Aiguilles Rouge and walk up to the hut at Lac Blanc. You can walk along the trail and come down on a different telepherique. 

If you go up past Montenvers there is a nice easy walk up to a hut (forgot its name) on the Aiguilles Rouge.

Paragliding: several people offer tandem flights.

Walk up to the Albert Premier hut. Top tip don't start from the valley it's a horrible slog!

Cicerone have a good guide book for walks around Chamonix.

Edit: you can hire axes, crampons and boots from the  shop near to the Midi  station. Go for a romp around the Mer de glace and show them how to use an axe and crampons.

Hi Malcy,

Sounds a great holiday plan and you'll find plenty of people doing much the same (when they can...)

Just to add to Mark's very experienced advice:

this is the ideal book for what you're lookig for https://www.cicerone.co.uk/chamonix-mountain-adventures - obviously be aware that the mountaineering section has climbs that would put you in guide territory for a family trip (also some routes in walking sections can be quite exposed but when so is outlined in the text )

also some extremely friendly British guides (Chamonix based) as here https://verticalfrontiers.com/ - if you give Ben a shout he'd be able to advise on what might be possible early in the season 

Best regards,

Peter 

(and no I have no idea why you got dislikes, that's just UKC I suppose...)