Chamonix Activity Report: 13th July 2006

Whilst our days are at times stifling, temperatures in the evenings drop to a much more comfortable level, and when walking the dog first thing this morning, a hoody was definitely required.

Spare a thought for those of you in the U.K., I spoke with friends yesterday who are having to endure similar temperatures but with night time levels still hovering around 20 degrees, it doesn't make for a good nights sleep. Couple this with travelling to and from work on crowded tube trains that are reportedly reaching mid afternoon temperatures of 42+ degrees! Just one of the many reasons the mountains are so good in the summer (Chamonix -1, U.K.- 0).

On Monday I cycled over the Col de Colombiere (via the Col de Aravis). It's a long climb but rises at a bearable gradient through the very pretty ski town of Le Grand Bornand. The heat coming off of the road was sweltering and I could tell I was dehydrating quickly despite having drunk a lot on the way up. The tarmac near the top of the climb was melting from the power of the sun, making my slick tyres stick to the road. The last 2 kilometres before the summit, rise up to nearly a 10% incline and with heavy legs, burning lungs and tyres gathering tar - I wondered who needed the valuable dregs from my water bottle more; me or my tyres!

On Tuesday I went out for an afternoon walk on the Grand Balcon Sud the conditions were sweltering but the gentle breeze that you could feel in town was a little fresher and stronger at around 1800 metres. The path that leads from the Brevent gondola snakes along the side of the mountain in between the Brevent and La Flegere cable car. The pathway is well trodden but never overly crowded, and ventures over a variety of mountain terrain, from verdant open fields that are bursting with colour to craggy cliff top ledges. There was the odd remnant of snow close to the path, putting up a valiant effort to resist the suns rays. A little reminiscent of that snowman you built in your garden as a kid after the massive two centimetres of snowfall (and thought was a “big dump”!!), the fading form clinging on for dear life to his carrot nose and charcoal buttons whilst all around was green and warm.

The walk can be completed by almost anyone as it is relatively flat and has some great views across the valley; I think you get a greater perspective of size and scale over the whole Aiguille range when you are on the Balcon Sud. We strolled leisurely and it took us 10 minutes short of 2 hours. To extend it or make it more challenging you can either start at the bottom of La Praz and head up the trail to the cable car and complete the path in reverse (approx 4 hours), or start from the woods at Lac des Gaillands and get some shelter from the trees and follow the signed trail up to Brevent (2hrs up and approx 5 hrs to Flegere). Its well worth buying a map book from one of the book shops in town, these offer information not only on walking routes but elaborate on the fascinating history of Chamonix and the fauna and flora that can be seen around the valley.

I woke up on Wednesday feeling completely drained, lethargic, tired and irritable. No it wasn't a reflex reaction to having to go to school, but my body was dehydrated. Having read sports science at university I know a fair bit about the importance of staying hydrated during exercise and make sure that I am constantly replenishing lost fluid. However I would imagine the cumulative effect of a few days hard graft in the heat of the mid day sun had left me drained not just of fluid but of valuable salts, minerals and vitamins that are lost through sweat. Contrary to some peoples belief sweating is a good thing as it helps release heat from the body and keep the body cool. If you stop sweating on a hot day it may point to the early stages of heat stroke as the body will be losing its ability to maintain its core temperature. Heat stroke can lead to loss of co-ordination, cramps and confusion which isn't ideal when up the mountain. Remember the dry air and altitude coupled with very hot days will cause the body to dehydrate quicker than at sea level.

Here are a few tips on remaining hydrated over the summer:

 Before during and after exercise drink small regular amounts of water
 Don't wait until you are thirsty it will take your body time to ingest the fluid
 Try to drink sports drinks that contain carbohydrates and electrolytes (minerals that your body will have lost), some of the best can be bought in powdered form from sports shops or pharmacies
 Avoid alcohol, tea and coffee as these are diuretics which will actually increase dehydration
 If you can wear cotton or preferably “sweat wicking” sports clothing, these are more breathable than artificial fabrics such as polyester that can increase sweating
 Also don't forget to wear sunscreen as sunburn will also prevent the body from maintaining its core temperature.

So make sure you enjoy the mountains just be aware of the risks.

Don't forget tonight (Thursday) is the final event in the climbing championships and also the beer festival (I'll practice what I preach and be sure to drink plenty of sports drinks after the beer festival), tomorrow is Bastille Day, so expect plenty of atmosphere and fireworks in the evening in town.

Enjoy the weekend

Useful Information
Cross-country skiing is Closed
Piste Maps for Chamonix (pdf format), Les Houches (jpg format), Cross-country skiing (pdf format), and Mountain-bike trails (pdf format)
Current status for opening of Pistes & Lifts
Chamonix Webcam Index

We will be keeping this Chamonix snow report updated often during the season, but if you want even more up-to-date news on the ski conditions, why not sign up for our Dump Alert? We'll email you each time it snows enough to significantly change the skiing conditions. It's great to know that the snow is falling in the run-up to your holiday, and it might even allow you to book a last-minute weekend when the snow is particularly good. The service is free, and you can unsubscribe whenever you like.

Useful Links
Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research
French Avalanche Research Institute
Meteo France - Mountain weather and avalanche conditions bulletins (in French)
Henry's Avalanche Talk - popular avalanche training sessions based in French Alps as well as translation of current avalanche conditions
PisteHors.com - Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding News in English for the French Alps. Excellent coverage of avalanche safety and advice

Additional snow and weather information provided, with thanks, by meteo.chamonix.com and the Tourist Office