At the end of 2010 I am going to India as a volunteer with Raleigh International to try and make a difference to the way others live. Not only will I be physically involved with the development of the projects, I hope to increase public awareness of the great programs Raleigh are working on with the support of local governments, by making a body of photographic work to illustrate there course.
Raleigh is a charity that aims to get young people from all back grounds to participate in expeditions to foreign countries and get involved in projects that truly make a difference to others less fortunate than themselves. The aim is to improve yourself while helping others. The first challenge set by Raleigh is to raise the money needed to cover the cost of your expedition. The funds each volunteer raises not only go towards funding their own expedition and the charity projects they will take part in they also go towards giving other young people from less fortunate backgrounds the opportunity to take part in the expedition. Their philosophy is to encourage their volunteers to push themselves in someway and make the fundraising their first challenge and therefore first achievement.
This amazing opportunity lead me to one crazy idea that I’d like to challenge myself to do an expedition to raise the funds I need to take part. I approached a college and mountain guide, Richard Mansfield from www.mountain-guides.net, with the vague idea of four girls who have very little ski touring experience completing Val Thorens to Val d’Isère back country ski tour in aid of our individual charities and before I knew it we were planning the route and booking guides and refuges. It was too late to back out! I had mentioned it in passing to too many people so it was time to toughen up and get on with it. Madly three off my friends offered their support and signed up.
My business in the French Alps, www.dynamicskipictures.com, has given me a little experience of touring. I organise short guided ski tours for holiday makers in Courchevel and Les Trois Vallèes, I go along camera in hand to ‘capture their experience’. However these are always short 1 or 2 hour tours and this will be a whole different experience involving crossing several glaciers and multi ascent and descents. A trip that would ideally be done over three days we are attempting in two as work commitments and costs for all participants have forced us to compress the trip.
The route involves a total ascent of 2570 vertical meters and a total descent of 5043 vertical meters. Ascents and descents are in vertical meters so do not give an indication of actual distance travelled which is always a lot further.
The first day we start in Val Thorens take two lifts to 3114 meters above sea level to the Glacier de Chavière. We ascend across the Glacier through the Col de Gébroulaz to the highest point of 3434 meters then descend across the Glacier de Gébroulaz around the south face of the Aiguille De Polset to Pralognan-la-Vanoise. Then we have a further 887 meters of vertivcle ascent up the Aiguille de la Vanoise to reach our refuge for the night , Refuge de Col de la Vanoise at 2516 meters above see level.
The second day will involve an early start from the refuge a climb of 580 meters across Glacier de la Grande Casse through the Col de la Grande Casse to the highest point of the day at 3096 meters. We then descend across the Glacier de Rosolin and Glacier de Rosolin derriere to the base of the Pramecou 2250 meters above sea level. The last climb of the trip takes us 783 vertical meters up the col de Pramecou to 3033 meters. A long ski down to Val Claret in Tignes and two lifts to take us over to Val d’isere to ski down the ladies world cup down hill run ‘The Face’ to the finish line.
You may have seen this done in reverse by Ed Lee for the BBC’s Ski Sunday program last year. If you saw the program you’ll have some understanding of the difficulties we will face. It’s going to be really tough but we have a fantastic Guide, Zoe Hart, to keep us safe and some fantastic instruction on the way from ski teacher Lee Townend from www.snoworks.co.uk. You can read all about Zoe at www.patagonia.com Zoe Hart is the fourth American woman to earn her IFMGA status. This is the highest level of credential available to a professional mountain guide anywhere in the world she make very interesting reading.
We have very kindly been sponsored by www.familyfriendlyskiing.com who have provided a van to get us to and from the start and finish lines we are all paying the guides fee out of our own pockets so all our raised monies will go to our chosen charities any support you can give will be welcome. We know we will need the incentive! You can read all about our training on our face book page ‘Val’T to Val’D off the beaten track’ and check up on our progress on my blog www.pollysphotoblog.com
It was only at the beginning of March when I did my first training session for this adventure that I realised the enormity of the task we have set ourselves. I’d like to thank all of the team for their support, emotional and financial this would not be possible with out them! It sound so easy when you first think of these things but reality has now set in and I know this is not going to be easy! Please support us every little helps just give what you can.
The Team
Polly A Baldwin, Sheffield Photographer who has spent the last four winters in the alps running her ski photography and adventure company www.dynamicskipictures.com a little experience longest ski tour to date 2.5 hours of ascent. Polly is raising money for Raleigh international trust http://www.justgiving.com/Polly-A-Baldwin
Suzanne Claxton: Resort manager for Family Friendly Skiing, in La Tania had no experience ski touring until this season but last year she snow showed from 800m to 3685m in one day in aid of her chosen charity Barnardo’s http://www.justgiving.com/Suzanne-Claxton
Jenna Shail: Owner and manager of luxury chalet holiday company come-ski.com, Jenna again has little experience but I would say she was the fittest member of the group she ls also the shortest at 5’ so will need to take twice as many steps as the rest. Jenna is fundraising for Cancer Research http://www.justgiving.com/Jenna-Shail
Jo Scott: Director of partnership programs IMD Lausanne Switzerland. Jo has touring experience although her busy job keeps here away from the slopes but she managers to catch the odd weekend here and there. Jo is supporting Polly and raising money for Raleigh international trust http://www.justgiving.com/Polly-A-Baldwin
Lee Townend: Ski teacher is taking time out of his busy spring skiing courses with Snoworks in Tignes is supporting Polly and raising money for Raleigh international trust http://www.justgiving.com/Polly-A-Baldwin
