5 reasons why you should participate in La Trace des Grands Chamonix

Have you ever heard of La Trace des Grands? If the answer is no, you do not know what you have missed on so far! Open your ears wide (or eyes since you are reading this article…).

Trace del Grands was born in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc by those same enthusiasts who never miss an opportunity to make the most of their home mountains. Ski enthusiasts and snow experts wanted to take up the challenge and create a great ski mountaineering event. Now in its third year, La Trace des Grands was envisioned and organized by the Outdoor Legacy Association, and this year it will take place on March 9 and 10, 2024. On the agenda this weekend will be five different races, with specially designed routes to tackle the world of ski mountaineering in all its forms.

But back to us. Here are the 5 good reasons to put these dates and this event on your calendar:

• You will have the opportunity to practice ski mountaineering in one of the most incredible locations in Europe. Several routes have been designed and secured to allow everyone to go on them independently as well.
• Included in the event fee is a full three-day ski pass valid on all Chamonix lifts (yes, even the Aiguille de Midi!).
• You can test different types of skis for free thanks to partnerships with Blizzard (official partner), Movement, Black Crows, ZAG, Kastle, Dynastar, Ogso, Rabbit on the Roof, Atomic, MAD, Gunz.
• Ever thought of doing yoga in the snow? Pre- and post-ski yoga sessions directly on the snow will be organized during the days of La Trace des Grands!
• This is a true Chamonix local’s event, you’ll be able to connect with skiers and the atmosphere of the mecca of mountaineering and freeriding and make exciting new connections!

In addition to these 5 reasons, there are also 5 different playgrounds in which to test yourself, different depending on your skill level and the style you want to practice.

Experience by TDG route; ideal for discovering the event at your own pace and without a stopwatch. It does not require a high level of ski mountaineering skill as it takes place on a closed and groomed trail in the middle of the forest. It is still a sport route, however, with 720m D+.

Instead, Vertical Race on closed track “La Pierre à Ric” is the ideal arena for those seeking performance. An intense, competitive course with 720m D+ to be covered in the shortest possible time. Professional or amateur, your legs will burn and the stopwatch will run.

TDG 100 – Freerando is the trail open to all backcountry enthusiasts (whether skiing, splitboarding or telemarking) that will take you over safe mountain terrain into the heart of the ice. You will find yourself among the legendary peaks of Mont Blanc, but without the stress of the stopwatch and then enjoy a well-deserved reward designed by the organizers: an off-piste descent (timed for the more adventurous) down the legendary Face des Grands Montets.

TDG 65; in the heart of the Mont Blanc massif, at the foot of the Aiguille Verte and the Drus, lie the 2040m elevation gain of the Aiguille des Grands Montets setting for this race. A complete circuit offering all facets of ski mountaineering. A closed trail will take you into the Argentière basin at Point de Vue, from here you can admire the Serac waterfall before tackling the wilder, alpine part of the route and then reaching the Rachasses ridge. It is an intense and immersive experience that will finally lead you to the last, steeper and more technical part of the route at the top of the Aiguille des Grands Montets and then face an epic descent down the north face to the Lognan Plateau.

TDG 65 Duo; a route open to 2-person teams that will take you up to the Grands-Montets pass before plunging into the legendary “Pas de Chèvre” with views of the Mer de Glace and the Mont Blanc range. Then a climb up a long 300-meter gully with a small bolt and a more technical exit at the Belvedere will lead you to the descent line in front of the audience.

But performance and fun in the snow are only one part of La Trace del Grands, which was born, from day one, with core values to always hold to: environment – safety – people. Safety will be addressed in the form of workshops, which will be held in the TDG village themed mountain-related risk prevention and management. The environmental aspect will be developed in cooperation with the association “POW – Protect Our Winters,” which for years now has aimed to protect the environment and the places where we live from climate change and become climate neutral by 2050. All participants will be able to benefit from the association’s accumulated experience of years of activism and help it in its many projects by becoming a member or making a donation. Another key aspect is what in France is called “mobilité douce,” soft mobility, One of TDG’s goals is in fact that all participants come to the event with a minimal carbon footprint: that is, using train, bus and carpooling to get to the venue and have as little impact as possible on the places we love.

What do you say? Have we convinced you? We hope so. Rendezvous on the other side of Mont Blanc on March 9 and 10, 2024, we you and 700 others–in the footsteps of the greats.