{"id":1923681,"date":"2026-05-07T21:58:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T18:58:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1923681"},"modified":"2026-05-07T21:58:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T18:58:25","slug":"we-are-still-skiing-steep-lines-in-powder-in-may-in-chamonix-trying-not-to-die","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1923681","title":{"rendered":"We Are Still Skiing Steep Lines In Powder In May In Chamonix, Trying Not To Die"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This Conditions Report is from Thursday, May 7, 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNo one went left. There\u2019s a reason!\u201d Janne shouted back at me.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We were now approaching the rappel into the Cosmiques Couloir just a stone\u2019s throw away from the Aiguille di Midi\u2014a mountainous transport vessel of mythical status that offers those brave enough access to one of the most incredible alpine playgrounds on the planet.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And dangerous\u2014just as we were getting on the tram car from the mid-station a massive avalanche was tumbling down the infamous North Face of the Midi.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just such a playground. It\u2019s endless,\u201d Black Crows rider and Chamoniard Sam Favret<\/a> told me over a shot of G\u00e9n\u00e9pi\u00a0at the Grand Montets<\/a> closing day afterparty last weekend.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That it is, Sam\u2014that it is.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"aiguille\"aiguille
Stepping off the Aiguille di Midi. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Near the top of the couloir, you can either rappel directly into it from the left, or ski down a little bit to a sling anchor and then abseil in from the right.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The left looked way rockier, so everyone was going right.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

A group of smooth Frenchmen were on the rappel when we got to the anchor but because Cosmiques is an \u201centry level\u201d line that most of these wild Alps people ski before breakfast, they were already done by the time we got our own 60 meter rad lines out (we used 2 tied together and Janne was kind enough to show me how to tie the knot as we hung out above the cliff. I was taking notes).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Janne went in first, smooth, one foot hanging off his board over rocks as he kept his life on the rope.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"chamonix\"chamonix
The author makes a powder turn in May on the Cosmique Couloir. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While he was descending in through the sharp teeth of the beast, Freeride World Tour 4-time Women\u2019s Snowboarding champion Marion Haerty<\/a> crossed under our rope to get into the couloir with her partner from ANOTHER entrance, without a rope.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

No big deal.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then I was up.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was a while since I used a rope to rappel into something with skis on, the last time being in Alaska earlier this spring<\/a>, so it took me a second to get oriented and then once I did\u2014it was smooth as butter down the rocky cliff into the chute proper.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Except for the sharks at the top I had to deliberate with.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I had to give them a little bit of my ski bases as tax.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gotta pay to play.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Chamonix\"Chamonix
The author in the Cosmique Couloir. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Then we were into the line.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The top was misleadingly rocky, despite the half-meter of new snow that fell the day before.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cold, dry, light, sexy powder snow.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In May, this early gets out of bed real fast.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beer and barbecue season can wait a little longer.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"midi\"midi
Avalanche coming down the North Face of the Midi. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Janne went first, making it look easy, frustrating me in this way as usual.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then I went, tip-toeing through the rocks like a thief in the night, above the death cliff, to a perch above another death cliff, and then through a few more nefarious rocks to the clean and pristine, perfect 50\u00ba fall line run all the way for the next 3,000 feet or so until a turn on a powdery spine that revealed another beautiful pitch as a steep exit to the Bosson Glacier.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Janne in Cosmique. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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We huffed and puffed and felt tough.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Skiing strong until our legs had enough.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Followed by hashbrown burgers on the patio.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Life is rough in Chamonix.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Chamonix\"Chamonix
Janne and Mont Blanc. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From the time we traversed out from the Bosson Glacier back to the Midi midstation, we saw 3 large avalanche roll down the Midi North Face like fucked up waterfalls.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first had us and another party in front moving quickly (sprinting) on the skin track back because we weren\u2019t sure if we were far enough away or not.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We were, thankfully, but our timing was still a little too late for our liking.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"chamonix\"chamonix
Avalanches on the North Face of the Aiguille di Midi. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A bit later, 2 of them broke at the same time, likely from speed riders<\/a> flying on the North Face.<\/strong><\/p>\n

From afar they looked like 2 giant white cobras slithering down the mountainside in a memorizing dance.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Up close they wouldn\u2019t look so pretty.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We drank cokes on the patio and enjoyed the sunshine a little extra.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Chamonix\"Chamonix
The author exits Cosmique Couloir. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Reflecting later, I think these Frenchies got it figured out:<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you live with your mortality staring you straight in your face every time you go ski, you tend to enjoy it more.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Maybe not at first, but afterwards, when the smoke clears and the adrenaline level recedes like the tide rolling back, you find that the you don\u2019t sweat the small stuff as much.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You\u2019re a little more immune to the day\u2019s frustrations and petty annoyances.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Food tastes a little better; wine a little sweeter.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

You laugh a little more.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Chamonix\"Chamonix
Pointy and big mountains. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Suddenly spending time with those you love is much more appealing, if not obligatory.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

All if only for a day. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

That is, if you survive to ski another day in Chamonix. <\/strong><\/p>\n

And live long enough to catch what is almost always one hell of a sunset setting afire the North Face of the Aiguille di Midi herself like the dying of a thousand suns.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"chamonix\"chamonix
Life is rough in Chamonix. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Chamonix\"Chamonix
Bon app\u00e9tit. | Photo: Martin Kuprianowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This Conditions Report is from Thursday, May 7, 2026. \u201cNo one went left. There\u2019s a reason!\u201d Janne shouted back at me. We were now approaching the rappel into the Cosmiques Couloir just a stone\u2019s throw away from the Aiguille di Midi\u2014a mountainous transport vessel of mythical status that offers those brave enough access to one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-1923681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1923681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1923681"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1923681\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1923681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1923681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1923681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}