Kathy had a fantastic trip down the Vallee Blanche in February, with two father/kid family combos from the U.K. (friends of Ken Seamon's who is frequently featured on these pages). LOTS of new snow, and we ate it up greedily.

Shown here are Michael Dementiev in the foreground; his son George in the red and white helmet; Peter lurks over Michael's shoulder in back, and his son Edward behind him, and daughter Bex on the right in the red jacket.

Yum! That was pretty good. George does his Snowboarder imitation...

A wee pause for sustenance at the Requin hut, a Choucas waits for crumbs and eavesdrops on the conversation. George has a chat with him.

Onward and downward, we go looking for something steeper and deeper.

And we found it! Not alone, but plenty of powder for everyone. Bex admires the line while we all catch our breath.

This early in the year, we are able to ski all the way into town, avoiding the Montenvers train finish. The price for this privilege is a steep, though short, climb up off the Mer de Glace to the buvette at Les Mottets. At the buvette, a general pause to enjoy last views of the high mountains before turning the corner and skiing the trees to town.

A bite and a sip, then down into the fog! Our visit to the high mountain world is too soon over, but not forgotten.