 Poster: A snowHead
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Was going to post these in the 3 Valleys conditions thread, but as it has been snowing on and off for the last 12 hours it is probably better in its own thread...
The North couloir of the Grand Perron des Encombres has been on my list of things to do for a while, but lack of time, or a suitably fit, competent and motivated team, plus the need for a car shuttle to make life easy, have stopped me getting in there until now... It isn't overly steep, with a bit of 45º at the top rapidly dropping to 40º-ish for the rest of the couloir, but needs some effort to get in, and a lot of effort to get out (approx 8km down the Encombres valley...).
The Grand Perron seen from La Masse. The North couloir is just visible right of summit, disappearing behind the rocky ridge:
An icy ski down the Vanoise/Maurienne watershed ridge and a bit of traversing took us to the Col des Encombres, where we put skins on for the climb:
The Maurienne valley gradually comes into view:
An airy scramble to the summit:
Amanda, Vadim and Rod on the Grand Perron summit:
Looking down the North couloir from the summit:
Vadim finding powder high in the couloir:
Mixed snow conditions meant searching for the colder snow hard against the rocks:
Amanda:
Team looking moody:
Looking back at the Grand Perron - the dogleg couloir obvious below the summit
All that was left was the long slide/ glide/ scramble over avalanche debris to get back to Chatelard...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Call that skiing ? 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Well there's a big day out!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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altis, the really big day would be to do the full northside link-up - Gd Perron N face, followed by Cime Noir, Pte du Vallon & Gd Coin north faces to finish in La Sauce or Deux Nants... Approx 1600m of D+ & would need good stable conditions. Had talked about doing this with Will a few times but never quite got round to it.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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8km out - now I know why we never went!
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 24-03-14 7:25; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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offpisteskiing, if you don't consider that particularly steep, don't ever let me on a steep ride with you
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looks like a proper slog
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