Mont Blanc

Vivian Bruchez is one of the most successful steep face skiers of his generation. As a creative "line finder", he is giving the popular Mont Blanc massif back some of its wild originality with his spectacular first ascents. At the beginning of March, Bruchez and Tom Lafaille successfully completed a new route on the Aiguille du Goûter.

It's a strange winter. The fear of Covid 19 seems to have the whole of Europe in its grip. France is no exception. Apart from the training slopes for young skiers, all lifts are at a standstill. The otherwise lively and bustling centre of Chamonix, where alpinists, ski bums and high society from all over the world gather, seems strangely quiet and completely atypical for this time of the year.

This skiing adventure on the outskirts of Chamonix has everything to make a skier's heart beat faster. A gondola ride up the Aiguilles Rouges, two entertaining ascents and a long, challenging steep chute that leads into a picturesque valley. The remoteness and the picturesque return journey on the little train from Le Buet make this ski safari an exciting day trip.

When the conditions are right in spring, the Couloir du Pissoir is a more than worthwhile excursion destination in a high alpine setting. Our reporter Jan not only provides a tour description, but also - kissed by the spring muse - a poem about the tour.

Anyone dreaming of a descent over 2,000 m (almost) without an ascent will find what they are looking for on the Toula glacier in Courmayeur. Today, the new and modern gondola lift transports downhill-hungry freeriders to the 3,400 m high Punta Helbronner in no time. Although you will notice the thin air and the quick ascent, this is quickly forgotten at the sight of the imposing, glaciated high mountain landscape. There are a number of options for descending into the valley, either to the south, back to Courmayeur, or to the other side of the Mont Blanc massif to Chamonix. We opted for the "standard option", via the Toula glacier to Courmayeur.

During this spot check, we painfully learned what Mark Twain once said: forecasts are difficult, especially when they concern the future. Various platforms were virtually overflowing with predictions for an imminent dump in the Western Alps. Well then, bag and baggage in the van and off we go.

After the passage of a warm front today, the current will turn to the southwest. While it will be very mild in the north with a föhn wind, precipitation will set in in the südstau. Further disturbances will follow at the weekend, bringing a lot of precipitation, especially in the south, but with a higher snow line than recently.

Mont Blanc West and the Marinelli Couloir - sounds exciting? Mont Blanc West and the Marinelli Couloir with Sam Anthamatten and Vivian Bruchez as guides - sounds even better? Then apply for the Julbo White Sessions.

The fact that Courmayeur has a lot to offer freeriders has become increasingly well known in the north of the Alps in recent years (it took long enough). However, Rudy Buccella's guide, which was published in 2012, is relatively unknown. Reason enough to present it in a PowderGuide review.

The Click on the Mountain photo contest took place for the seventh time in mid-March 2015 on the south side of Mont Blanc in Courmayuer, Italy. Difficult conditions characterized this year's edition of the competition. However, the teams did not let this slow them down and delivered strong photo books at the end of the three days of the contest.

Chef Ullr has realized that powder-hungry people in the northwest of the Alps have only been served lousy food for a while now and is trying to change that: by preparing a delicious northwest current for you and sprucing up the run-down northern Alps, just like his colleagues on TV do with the restaurants. But first there's something quick for in between, a powder snack so to speak.

First of all: Ullr's demonstration of power and the model snow apocalypse from a few days ago will probably not happen at the end of this week, so you can use your bunkers as party cellars again, mothball the shotguns and turn your Madmax cars with armor back into the KIA combos they once were.