Blake and Aimee from Truckee, CA, finishing up a long ski vacation in France, had a day or two in Chamonix and wanted to get on the Vallée Blanche. The timing worked out perfectly for them to enjoy the only sunny day in a long stretch of back-to-back storms.

Taking in the views from the top of the Midi needle.

It was still snowing lightly under that valley cloud cover, who knew what was going on above? (well, we did thanks to webcams. Still it was hard to believe).

Lovely conditions!

A view down into the jumbled mess of the "Jonction" above the Bossons and Taconnaz glaciers.

The starting gate!

And they're off.

The snow, while soft, was Spring-heavy in the warm temperatures, so we scootched along looking for colder snow in the north-facing shadows of the cliffs.

Good stuff!

We arrive at the Requin hut just in time for lunch.

Continuing on through the amazing "features" of the Géant Icefall.

At the end of our run, a skeptical Aimee and Blake enter the Grotte de Glace!

Seems they are inspired despite themselves! Thanks guys, come back soon...