Monte
Rosa Heli-ski descent 9/3/04
Checking with the heli-ski office on the Monday afternoon, we were told that
Tuesday was looking good for heliskiing. I reserved and persuaded Susan that –
A. - it would be fine (she had never been on an
off piste guided tour before) and that
B. -our
rossignol race skiis would be fine for the trip.
Tuesday dawned clear and almost no wind - I was up early like a schoolboy at
Xmas. We had a lazy breakfast since the meeting time at the helipad was 10 am. We
got ready; I wore warm stuff since the 4000m temp had been -20 ˚C in the
mornings most of the week. I stuffed some sweets and chocolate in one pocket,
and the camera and ski mask in another and we set of for the ten minute walk
down to the heli port.
Both feeling a little nervous, a few electric taxis swept by (carrying
folk who were going to be skiing with us).We regretted the walk, getting
any where in zermatt is a pain in ski boots.
We got to the pad and took the lift up to the office and helipad. Checked in at
the office and waited for our guide. Ivan turned up and introduced himself, he
was smiling and his amiable manner set the tone
for the day. He took us outside, and issued transceivers and climbing
harnesses. He started to show us how to put them on, but Susan and I have done
plenty of climbing and managed ourselves. We went in the first helicopter,
Paul, Susan, Simon and I. The helicopters struggle at 1600 meters and the from
the pad the helicopters just hover, turn of the back of the pad and then swoop
down the valley in a dramatic attempt to gain airspeed and lift before circling
up through the Tasche-alpen and up the Mellichgletscher. The scene from inside
the helicopter was fantastic.
Flying
sedately over ridges and icefalls we steadily gained height and the dome of the
Parrotspitz came into view. We landed gently and Ivan guided us out safely. He
unloaded the skiis and the helicopter was suddenly gone. It was cold, the air
was thin and I was buzzing already. The other helicopter arrived and dropped
the rest of the party.
We put on our skiis
and Ivan asked us to spread out a little and follow.
We traversed some wind packed snow and then the first of the gentle open bowls
of knee deep powder opened up, and we followed Ivan. I was gasping for breath
but the exhilaration was total. The clear air and massive mountain scenery on
both sides was the definition of alpine. The skiing was fantastic, we both had
a few falls at the start, but once we got into the rhythm after, we were both
smiling. The snow was excellent - flattering powder at easy gradients.
We
stopped often to catch our breath and take photos. As we descended, we skied
past ice falls and crevasses. The whole glacier was eerily silent - a complete
contrast to the popping and cracking you hear in summer. After about an hour of
descending the subject of the hut was raised, Ivan thought it might still be
closed - but a few more turns and I could smell bacon! We were in luck - the
guardian had opened up early in the season and a lunch in the sun beckoned.
We lost layers and spread them to dry.
I ordered
a lot of lemonade and spaghetti bols. It was excellent and the conversation
flowed. Finally after a relaxing hour we got up and got back onto our skiis.
The glacier levelled out dramatically after the descent from the hut. The scene
was still magnificent, with the Breithorn north facing glowering over us. We
schussed down the glacier from here - finishing
in a strange lateral crevasse where we had to down climb a little.
Finally in the gorge where the Gonrnergletscher becomes constrained and peters
out into is moraine we had to take of our skiis and scramble down the snout of
the glacier.
This was
probably the most dangerous part of the day, especially when another party
behind us started to descend too close.
Once out of the gorge and back into the sunshine we skied down into the tree
line. I could make out the pylons of the Furi station and I didn't want the day
to end.
We skied
on through the trees. Another small climb then more schussing through trees to
reach the run just above Furi. Suddenly jolted back into the madness of a piste
run was a shock. Ivan offered us another of piste run down the Theodul Glacier
- But Susan and I were too tired - we joined Julian and Linda at the Areolid
hutte for drinks and chat, before a final blast down to Zermatt. 4250 m to
1600m in one beautiful, hypnotic run surrounded by one of the great views of
the