Champ wrote in news
m1igbt5cs1p7ud145inn8hdskn06pljf6@
4ax.com:
At its apogee on the arrette from Aiguille de Midi to the starting
point of the Vallee Blanche
Take snow crampons for your ski boots for this descent. It's snow and
steep so a hard boot like an Alpine boot or a ski boot is best.
This is nonsense - I've walked down there loads of times in snowboard
boots, and it's just like walking down your own stairs in slippers.
I've remotely understood why skiers make such a meal of it, but I
think it's mostly down to inexperience rather than any inherent
problem with ski boots. I know Ace of this parish would walk down
there at least as quickly as i do.
I have, and would in the future, take crampons. The cut path on the
Chamonix side doesn't require them, but you can avoid the crowds by walking
down the crest of the ridge as one does in summer. It's a good idea to have
crampons for this as the snow can be wind-blown and hard.
--
Jeremy
K1300GT