Wrong turns, great lessons: ski touring in Chamonix

This past winter, my family gathered in Chamonix for a week of ski touring and a couple of days on the slopes. it was a return, the last time we had all been here together was around 2010, over Easter. I remember the huge amount of snow, the heaviest snowfalls I had ever experienced at the time and probably still among the most impressive today.

We were not quite as lucky with the conditions this year, but that uncertainty has become part of our annual Christmas ski touring week. That is also why we chose Chamonix: at least you can always find snow at the high altitudes of these mountains.

For the first couple of days, only my father, my older sister and I are on skis. Much like some families have a designated house doctor, my sister is our unofficial family alpine guide. We select a few options for the tours of the coming days from the guide books she brought. My mother goes on winter walks instead, and my sister always finds beautiful trails near wherever we go touring. My brother will join us on New Year's Eve.

21 December 2026

The first day we start from the Flégère ski lift with a precise route planned on our phones. There are a couple of other groups of skiers ready to depart and, without much discussion, we follow them, ending up reaching the Aiguilles Rouges instead, and actually in quite a short time and with little elevation gain. Once we pass to the other side in descent mode, we stop, put the skins back on our skis, and head towards another ridge crossing, which we pass before beginning a second descent into the Vallon de Bérard.

Here the real trouble begins. There is no snow, and we are forced to walk through the woods with our skis attached to our backpacks. We come across another group of skiers and end up descending with them, convinced they are heading to the same destination, the train stop at Le Buet, from where we plan to return to where we left the car in the morning. Only later do we realise we still have another one or two kilometres to walk along the road, as they stop at their refuge instead.

We wait for the train in a café near the station: hot chocolates, a verveine infusion, and a galette aux raisins. Delicious and warming, at the final stop of our tour in the mountains, romantically waiting to catch the train back to Chamonix. It is a beautiful ride; not what we had planned, but a delight in the end: finishing a ski tour by catching a train through the mountains.

Distance: 14.6 km

Elevation gain: 919 m

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22 December 2025

We make our first mistake before even starting: we leave the house at 10:00. A late start, justified by the idea that the day will be easy. A short tour. Plenty of time.

The route is indeed gentle at first. We leave the slopes behind and move towards Lac Blanc, crossing it on skis, surrounded by stillness and light. The landscape is open, serene. We take more breaks than necessary, enjoying the moment and forgetting the constraints of time.

By mid-afternoon, it becomes clear it is wiser to give up on reaching the summit. We turn around and begin the descent, aiming to catch the last gondola at 16:30. Without it, returning to the valley on skis is not an option, as there is not enough snow below the top station of the cable car leading back to where we left the car. We remove the skins around 300 metres below the summit and begin descending, trying to move quickly.

Then comes the second mistake. In our rush, we take the wrong route. Very soon the terrain changes, and we find ourselves traversing a narrow, exposed section with a steep drop below us. No room for error. No crampons, no proper equipment for this kind of passage. After all, we had planned an easy tour.

We proceed slowly, skis in hand. No one says it, but we are all afraid, completely focused and almost silent. My father leads, carefully choosing each step and showing us the way. Time stretches. After what feels like half an hour, we finally reach safer ground and reconnect with the piste. Relief. But we know we have missed the last lift.

We continue towards the gondola station anyway. In the morning, we had noticed the possibility of staying overnight at the refuge there, and it now feels like our only realistic solution. It is already dark when we arrive, around 17:30. The place is closed: no lights, no one inside.

Then we hear and see a snowcat starting its engine.

We rush towards it. Are they going down to the valley? Could they take us?

No, they are staying up. There is only one option left: we go down on foot.

We put our skis back on and descend carefully where there is still snow, guided by the moonlight. No headlamps, little battery left on our phones. Eventually, the snow disappears again. Skis back onto the backpacks. Another long walk.

By the time we finally reach the village and the car, we are exhausted. That evening, we say it clearly: tonight, we debrief. Back home, reunited with our mother, who has been worrying, we eat, then sit down and go through everything: the mistakes, the decisions, the assumptions. We define new rules for the days ahead.

We go to bed tired. Tomorrow: sauna, pool, and we explore the village.

Distance: 17.55 km

Elevation gain: 828m

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In hindsight, quite a few mistakes were made, and things could have turned out very differently in certain situations. Still, these turned out to be some of the most memorable aspects of the tours. Mountains reward preparation and focus. But ascending them is also a great learning exercise.

So here are the learnings from these two tours in Chamonix. 

Wrong turns	Great lessons
Starting late in the morning, assuming the tour would be quick and straightforward.	Always factor in unexpected, time consuming detours or delays. A simple tour can become longer than expected.
Encountering exposed and risky terrain without the right equipment.	Up to a certain point, safety is a matter of equipment. For unfamiliar tours or areas, it is better to pack for more difficult conditions than those expected.
Taking the wrong route in a rush and following other skiers without checking.	Double check the map frequently and trust your own route planning. Following others is not the smartest move.