TR: Glacier3000, Switzerland 2/28/2004

[Ripzalot]

Resort: Glacier3000, Les Diablerets
Date: 2/28/2004
Temp: -18C
Wind: Still to light
Snow: Powder
Sun: Overcast to sunny

Awesome day at G3000! The Comb d'Audon had re-opened giving up some knee deep superlight fluffy powder, probably the lightest pow I've ever been on. A couple of circuits through the Comb rewarded us with the turns we've been jonesin' for. I would normally stay in Comb all day in such conditions, however, we hooked up with Alex and a couple others for a guided decent down the frontside of G3000.

This is THE run of G3000. A single descent of 2000m from top to bottom, the largest in the Alp Vaudiouse and easily one of the largest in the Alps. Accessed by an easy short ascent to the top of the glacier, then dropping into a series of huge pitches and ledges stairstepping it's way down to the valley floor below. The entire run took us a good 2 hours, including several stops for gaping and rehydration. Props to Alex, our guide from Gstaad for turning us on to such a great run.

First series in black and white is of the Comb d'Audon (forgot to turn it off from last time - doh!) and the color series is of the 2000m descent.

[Ripzalot]

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[Ripzalot]

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[Ripzalot]

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[Tantrum]

It seems everyone but me is getting untracked snow. Well, maybe only Ripz and NK, but still.

Nice pics. In some the old saying "Steeper than it looks" was not true. Awesome.

[LazyL]

Ahhh. Same old same old with you -- great shots!

The b/w photos are neato.

How much does one pay for a guided run like that, if you don't mind me asking?

[Ripzalot]

It seems everyone but me is getting untracked snow. Well, maybe only Ripz and NK, but still.

Nice pics. In some the old saying "Steeper than it looks" was not true. Awesome.

the first part was fairly steep. you can take it as steep or shallow as you like, we stayed safe as it was getting towards mid-afternoon and the sun was warming things up in the lower parts. the really steep bit is at the base. you enter some trees and then it all converges into one narrow track that traverses over a cliffed-out spot. the track is probably only about a meter wide, which means any sideways speed check means either hanging off the edge or grinding the wall (or both). al had gone over the edge and was hanging by a tree someplace and had to climb out of it. next time i'll get a pic of that spot.

you can see in this pic that the trees drop off quickly here and there is still a looong ways down to the base.

[Ripzalot]

Ahhh. Same old same old with you -- great shots!

The b/w photos are neato.

How much does one pay for a guided run like that, if you don't mind me asking?

for us, it was free. alex is not a guide per se, he was just guiding us. but a real guide will cost you anywhere from 200-500 CHFs a day ($160-$400) depending on what route(s) you are taking.