Sleeping on the Géant glacier, facing the mythical peaks of the Mont Blanc massif, is an extraordinary experience. This is what awaits the two winners of our contest, accompanied for this Stellar Camp by a guide from the Compagnie des guides de Chamonix and Lucy Paltz, Crosscall ambassador.
Here is their story.
8:00 AM, in the center of Chamonix:
It’s cool, the sun is shining, the conditions are ideal for two days in the high mountains! On the agenda, ski touring, but also bivouacking on the Géant glacier, a unique experience for the two winners of our contest.
The battery of our STELLAR-X5s Edition Chamonix Mont Blanc is fully charged, but we directly activate Outdoor mode to minimize its use and thus enhance its performance.
The Outdoor mode allows non-essential applications to be put to sleep to prevent them from running in the background and unnecessarily consuming battery. It’s a real plus compared to airplane mode because we remain reachable by phone or SMS, and the available applications can be customized.
9:00 AM, on the other side of the Mont Blanc tunnel:
Our adventure begins in Italy, as we take the Skyway cable car to get as close as possible to the Géant glacier.
Arriving on the terrace of the Torino refuge opens the doors to the high mountains with Mont Blanc within reach.
Wherever we look, the view is breathtaking. Our guide details the different peaks that reveal themselves on the horizon and gives some advice for the upcoming hike.
10 AM, skis on!
We left our bivouac gear for the night in one of the corridors of the refuge to carry a bit less weight for the ski touring day.
We begin our walk with a beautiful descent into the Combe de la Vierge, with a mandatory photo stop in front of the blue seracs.
Arriving at the bottom of the valley, we put the skins on to climb back up on touring skis to the Col d’Entrèves.
I check the elevation gain on Iphigénie, the mapping app on my Stellar: 600m of D+ on the agenda.
An hour and a half later, we contemplate a breathtaking landscape of a myriad of peaks over 4000m, from the Barre des Écrins on one side to the Matterhorn on the other.
After the picnic, we enjoy a descent in still fresh snow; the conditions are ideal for late April.
3 PM, we put the skins back on!
We need to go back to get our bivouac gear and repack the backpacks for the night. While the other climbers and visitors descend into the valley, we look for a flat enough spot to set up our camp.
The guide explains how to probe the spot to avoid setting up the tent on a crevasse, how to make a nice platform for more nighttime comfort, and how to melt snow. We set up the tents, facing the Dent du Géant!
5 PM, alone in the world!
Little by little, the temperature cools and the silence is only disturbed by the cries of the choughs that come to visit us to glean the crumbs of the biscuits shared around tea. The stoves are running at full capacity to rehydrate us.
It’s an extraordinary feeling to be alone in the heart of the Mont Blanc massif as the sun warms the horizon. We explore the surroundings of the camp to add some souvenir photos to our STELLAR-X5s gallery!
6:30 PM, dinner time.
On the menu: freeze-dried! Chicken curry, beef stew, or pasta with fried onions, it’s very hearty and more flavorful than it looks. The guide has even planned for desserts, and while it’s a bit strange to pour boiling water into a pouch to rehydrate your chocolate mousse, it’s enjoyed while watching the sunset over Mont Blanc.
20h, all warm!
With the sun gone, the temperature drops suddenly. We each head to our tents to slip into the thick cozy sleeping bags lent by the Compagnie des Guides. Goal: to pile at the bottom everything that is sensitive to cold and humidity. The ski boot liners, the overpants (we will sleep in first layer and fleece), but also the phone.
Even though it has held up perfectly since this morning (still 63%) despite heavy photo/video and mapping use, we need to avoid polar temperatures at night to optimize its battery.
6:50 AM, up!
Upon waking, frost covers the tent and the sleeping bag, but it was so cozy that we didn't feel cold.
The altitude gave some members of the group a bit of a headache: acclimatization takes time, and we must not forget that we are sleeping at 3500m!
Over a cup of tea, we share our feelings and especially fully enjoy the last moments alone in the world on the glacier.
By the time we fold the tents, pack the gear, and take the path back to the cabin, the first climbers are already arriving.
9:30 AM: the fog is getting denser.
What was just a mist at dawn becomes so intense that you can't see three meters ahead. Heading to the Skyway to descend into the valley and have a cappuccino in Italy before heading to Chamonix!
The experience was incredible, a true immersion in the magical landscapes of the Mont Blanc massif.
The STELLAR-X5s is the ideal tool for this kind of adventure since instead of taking an external battery (which adds more weight to an already significant load), you can fully benefit from its endurance.
Not to mention that its waterproofing and shock resistance allow it to withstand all the challenges of high mountain evolution!
