Vallee Blanche ‘Tourist Route’ New Exit Opening Next Weekend
Vallee Blanche ‘Tourist Route’ New Exit Opening Next Weekend
Published : 20-Jan-2024 02:03
A new gondola that forms part of €54m redevelopment of the historic Montenvers site above Chamonix is set to open at the end of next week, a few months later than had been hoped.
The gondola (pictured under construction in December) will provide direct access from the Mer de Glace glacier on which the world's longest lift-served ski run descends for the first time in more than three decades.
Most skiers tackling the Vallee Blanche end their descents below Montenvers. It can still be possible to ski all the way back to Chamonix on occasion with a guide but it requires adequate low level snow and some climbing skills negotiating the boulder field at the end of the receding glacier.
The previous gondola, which was installed nearly 35 years ago, originally recached the ice, but over the last three decades the ice level has dropped so dramatically due to climate change that more than 500 steps have had to be built at an increasingly fast rate between the gondola's base and the ice.
Skiers finishing their Vallee Blanche run normally had to face these steps, in ski boots, carrying up their skis, but from next weekend they'll be able to get straight into the all new gondola and the steps will be no more, for the time being at least.
In fact despite the Chamonix Valley posting the world's deepest snow for the past few months, now at over 4 metres, the Vallee Blanche has been largely closed as the old gondola and steps had already been decommissioned, and the new gondola had been due to open at the start of the season in early December.
However, delays were caused in part as a result of the construction team's strict adherence top minimal impact building techniques, including bringing all materials up on the historic railway rather than using helicopters, and mixing minimum CO2 concrete on site.
Most skiers tackling the Valle Blanche will find their descent of the world's longest run 600 metres shorter than it was to the bottom of the steps though, as the new gondola has been positioned further up the ice in a location that hopefully didn't need so many steps so quickly as the ice continues to melt.
After the new gondola begins operations work is due to commence on removing the old lift where a new 'Glaciorium' is due to be built through this year and open next winter in the second stage of the €54m Montenvers redevelopment.
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