Chamonix / Annecy

Friday evening I arrived here in Chamonix.

Aiguille du Midi (3842m)

 

Originally the idea had been to fly from Aiguille du Midi together with my friend Vincent. I already have been able to make this flight (launch is at 3600m) once (in 2000). The problem: from the cable car station (at 3820m) the descent to the launch site leads over a steep, narrow ridge, where crampons* are required. Vincent had offered to carry my pack, so I would reach the launch safely. Unfortuntely this week the wind situation wouldn't allow for a flight form this altitude :-( And between 1.July - 31. August it is forbidden to fly this part of the Mont Blanc massif, so I'm hoping that September will bring a suitable weather window ;-)

Instead we went to Plan Praz in the morning.

We flew locally for about 1.5hrs; initially the climbs have been rather weak, but later it turned into a perfect sightseeing flight.

LZ 'Savoy'

As Vincent had scheduled some tandem flights in the late afternoon at Planfait, we moved together to Annecy, where I could fly for another 1.5hrs. My last visit here: 1998 (flying a Nova Xyon).

Planfait

Planfait

Pano looking NNW towards Perroix / Annecy: Lac d'Annecy

Montmin launch (at Col de la Forclaz)

looking south: LZ at Perroix (Lac d'Annecy)

As Vincent sttill had another tandem flight to do (and later had dinner with some friends) I drove back to Chamonix on my own. At Grand Bornand I stopped for dinner (pizza), then I continued via Col de la Colombiere - just in time for a nice sunset on Mont Blanc.

Sunset on Mont Blanc (near Passy/ Sallanches)

>> all in all a great flying day in excellent company: thanks Vincent!

 

This day has also been the day when the leaders of the Red Bull X-Alps 2021 passed the Mt.Blanc turn point, but we didn't see them.

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* in 2000 I had arrived on top without crampons :-(  I still was very keen to make this flight, but I didn't dare to walk down the ridge without crampons... In the end -after mulling over my options- I decided to ask one of the many mountain guides coming up the ridge, if he would kindly lend me his crampons for my decent. Luckily he agreed after promising him to have them sent back up immediately with some other guide...

PS: this time I've taken my crampons and ice axe along ;-) (hand-forged in 1975 by the then renowned blacksmith and ice axe-maker 'Bhend' from Grindelwald. Bhend ice axes had also been used by in 1953 Hillary and Tensing on their Himalaya expedition.)

descent to launch (©www.youtube.com_user_ellomb)