Freeride outings reports
Flaine - Vernant
Outing date: 2013-02-08
Altitude of access point: 1747m
Maximum altitude: 2208m
Elevation gain/loss: ???
Snow depth at 1700m: 100cm
Snow depth at 2200m: 220cm with 80cm of dry powder snow
Weather: cloudy/foggy in the morning and sunny in the afternoon
Departure/arrival time: 09:30/14:30 beer'o clock
Thanks to Mother Nature for this beautiful day and the chance she gave me!
Thanks to Cyril having shared that special day with me.
Haut Giffre - Cornes de Loriaz
Outing date: 2013-01-18
Altitude of access point: 1350m
Maximum altitude: 2600m
Elevation gain/loss: +1250m
Snow depth at 1350m: 50cm
Snow depth at 2700m: 210cm with 70cm of powder or compacted/winded snow
Weather: sunny in the morning and cloudy in the afternoon
Departure/arrival time: 08:30/16:30
For this outing the departure point was again from the village of Le Buet (Haute-Savoie) next to Vallorcine. I was back in the Haut Giffre range to ride the North chute of Cornes de Loriaz. With Olivier we started to hike at 8:30. We didn't take the 4x4 way for the first part of the ascent. We took the snowshoes path which joins Trè les Eaux and Bérard valleys. It was a bit longer but was worth making the detour... the ambiance was magic in the forest.
This place hides some beautiful little chalets...
... arriving at 2000m on the plateau we could see that some tracks were going in direction to the Terrasse path but nobody seemed to have gone to the Cornes de Loriaz... that was a good and a bad new at the same time, meaning we would have a virgin chute to ride but also an ascent without any track.
We were effectively the first to come here since the last snowfall. As the snow was very soft and deep in the chute we decided to keep the skins as long as possible doing difficult conversions in the narrow and steep face... then it was time to put the crampons and to climb. According to the snow depth, it was more swimming than climbing!
Despite of big efforts we never reached the top of the chute... we spent more than 2 hours swimming in the deep powder and we stopped just 50 meters under the summit. It was late and we found reasonable to start coming down from this point.
The snow was really good in all the face. It was a memorable ride.
The second part of the descent in the forest was also delightful, the snow was perfect from the top to the bottom!
Aravis - L'Etale Combaz
Outing date: 2013-01-05
Altitude of access point: 1456m
Maximum altitude: 2483m
Elevation gain/loss: +913m >> -170m >> +200m >> -200m >> +170m >> -913m
Snow depth at 1456m: 40cm with 15cm of powder snow
Snow depth at 2483m: 120cm with 20cm of compacted/winded snow or hart snow
Weather: sunny
Departure/arrival time: 10:30/16:45
This outing was again in the Aravis range. My objective was to ride the Combaz chute just under L'Etale summit. The chute is mainly North oriented and the slope is roughly 45° with a short section at 50°.
I started hiking from the parking of Aravis pass at 10:30. It was foggy until 1400-1500m.
The first step was to climb in the Marion valley to reach a little pass at 2360m. The snow was not so bad but I had to put the crampons in the second part of the ascent. The valley was quite crowded, five ski tourers were before me and maybe more behind...
... I reached the pass which gives access to Blonnière valley around 12:15. From there the chute was visble on the left of the valley. I decided to keep my splitboard skins to cross the valley in direction to the bottom of the chute.
I quicky accessed the bottom of Combaz and after having packed my splitboard and prepared my ice crampons and ice axe I started climbing in the chute. I chose the line on the right side of the rocks lock. In the middle, next to the rocks lock, the ascent was difficult. Lack of snow avoided to easily use the ice axe and it was bit sketchy.
It took me 30 minutes to reach the top of the chute.
I kept the ice axe to ride down because the snow was a bit hart in the first part of the chute. In the second part, after the rocks lock, the snow was better and I had a very nice run.
Back to the pass to Marion valley...
... it was time to have a last look to the Combaz and to ride down to the parking in the Marion valley.
Haut Giffre - Pointe de la Terrasse
Outing date: 2013-01-06
Altitude of access point: 1350m
Maximum altitude: 2734m
Elevation gain/loss: +1400m
Snow depth at 1350m: 40cm
Snow depth at 2734m: 130cm with 20cm of compacted/winded snow or hart snow
Weather: sunny
Departure/arrival time: 08:45/16:45
The departure point was in the village of Le Buet (Haute-Savoie) next to Vallorcine. Benoît would like to show me the Terrasse sector and the North East chute of the Pointe de la Terrasse. This sector is located in the Haut-Giffre range just next to the swiss border. We started to hike at 8:45 from Le Buet. The first part of the ascent is long but very easy as it is on a 4x4 large way.
At the end of the way we reached a wide plateau at 2000m which opens the view on the Terrasse sector and the majestuous Cornes de Loriaz. It was not our objective of the day but seeing the beautiful chute between the Cornes de Loriaz it was already clear in my mind that I will come back to ride it as soon as possible...
... later and higher, the sun had a very bad effect on the South slopes we hiked on. The snow was terribly heavy and sticky. It was as to have two anvils in your boots.
We decided to hike directly under the Pointe de la Terrasse in the North East chute instead of choosing the Terrasse pass route. The snow hadn't been deteriorated in the North exposed slopes and it was really easier to climb.
After a few efforts we finally reached the summit of Pointe de la Terrasse and we had an impressive view on the Mont Buet from there.
The snow was good although a bit irregular in the North chute and until 2100m. It was an amazing ride. From 2000m and under, the snow was wet but not so bad and it was fun to ride between the trees.
After a well deserved beer at the Hotel du Buet it was time to enjoy the last scenic lights of the day and to drive back home...
... a special thanks to Benoît who shows me the way to this beautiful place.
Aravis - The 3 valleys loop
Outing date: 2012-12-29
Altitude of access point: 1440m
Maximum altitude: 2453m
Elevation gain/loss: +869m >> -309m >> +180m >> -180m >> +440m >> -190m >> +200m >> -1010m
Snow depth at 1440m: 40cm with 5cm of powder snow
Snow depth at 2453m: 150cm with 20cm of compacted/winded snow
Weather: sunny
Departure/arrival time: 8:00/16:30
The objective for this outing was to ride the north chute under Paré de Joux and the Tchadar chute in the Aravis. Paré de Joux is a summit in the Grand Crêt valley on the left of the well known Trou de la Mouche. The north chute starts from the Col de Paré de Joux and ends in the Paccaly valley. The Tchadar chute, also north oriented, allows joining Tardevant valley from Paccaly valley.
We started hiking from the parking of Les Confins at 8:00.
The first part of the ascent in the Grand Crêt valley was difficult because the snow was a bit icy. In the second part under Paré de Joux it was easier... the snow was softer and Benoît made the track. We reached the Col de Paré de Joux at 9:45. The chute joining Paccaly valley was untracked...
...the snow was compacted by the wind but the run was great. I didn't switch my splitboard to tour mode to join the top of the Tchadar chute from Paccaly. I decided to hike with my board on the back because it was a short ascent... short but not so easy. From the top of the Tchadar we had a nice view on the chute we were just before under the Paré de Joux.
People had already tracked the Tchadar chute but it was still plenty of good snow...
... after having a very good run in the Tchadar I switched back my split to tour mode and we hiked 440m upper in the Tardevant valley on the side of Tête de Paccaly to reach a pass allowing us to join back Paccaly valley. We had our lunch at the pass between Tardevant and Paccaly...
...with a nice view on the Trou de la Mouche.
The dessert was a beautiful run in the small chute joining Paccaly valley. We decided then to hike to the Trou de la Mouche...
The Passage du Père chute seemed to be in very good condition but we had unfortunately not enough time to ride it... time to put crampons to walk on the ridge to the Trou de la Mouche.
At the Trou de la Mouche it was very windy.
For the last run we hesitated between the Grand Crêt and the Paccaly valley and finally chose to ride the Paccaly face just on the left of Trou de la Mouche. The snow was a bit hart in the first part but very good from the middle to the bottom of Paccaly valley.
It was the end of a beautiful day in the Aravis.
