TR: Skimo traverse of the Haute Maurienne

A snowHead

I thought I’d share this T.R. of a superb ski-mountaineering week, completing the traverse of the Haute Maurienne via the Refuge du Carro, Refuge des Evettes and the Refuge d'Averole.
What a hidden gem of an area this is, just a few km. over the Col de l'Iseran from Val d'Isére.

This was an Eagles ski club tour, led by mountain guide and pro. photographer Andy Teasdale http://www.andyteasdaleguiding.com/ - this is one of his shots from the tour…
Ian shredding >>>

A snowHead

Day 1 started from the car park in Bonneval sur Arc (1,820) in light drizzle for the skin up to the first hut: the Refuge du Carro (2,759m - just 4km due East of the top drag on the Pisailles Glacier in the Le Fornet ski sector of Val), where we were based for the first 2 nights.

This (as with the other 2 huts on the traverse) was a great place with superb food: think 5 course supper followed by complimentary limonata/genepi served up by a real character of a guardian!
Day 2 dawned clear and cold with a light dusting of fresh snow for our first objective which was the Levanna Occidental (3,593), via the Col des Pariotes.

The last scrambling section to the summit cross was made on crampons...

…before a superb descent on the previous day’s fresh snow

The ski down was so good that we skinned up to a second col for more of the same... this actually turned out to be not such a good idea as the cloud rolled in, making nav. back to the hut a slight issue.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Day 3 was an early Alpine start for the traverse to the Refuge des Evettes (2,590) via the Col des Pariotes (3,034),

Col de Trièves (3,070)

and Col du Grand Méan(3,214m):

a big day skinning in high Alpine glaciated terrain.

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Great

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks for sharing. Excellent.

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No rest for the wicked with a 4am. alarm call on Day 4

for the highlight of the trip: the traverse to the Refuge d'Averole (2,210) via L'Albaron (3,637)

with about 3/4km scramble along a precipitous knife-edge ridge from the Selle d'Albaron (3,474) to the summit. (no photographs here, as I was too gripped to dare to look through the viewfinder!)

A roped “lower” by our guide Andy,

to the Glacier du Grand Fond was followed by a superb 1,500m ski descent to the Averole on virtually every type of snow condition you could ever meet.
Much beer and galettes were consumed that afternoon, followed by a deep sleep then another superb 5 course meal.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Day 5 started with a 5:30 breakfast then a skin back up yesterday's route on tricky frozen crust, which at one point steepened too much to skin and required us to resort to booting up to some more mellow terrain.

The Pointe des Audras (3,244) was achieved on crampons,

followed by another superb descent on spring snow and more beer and galettes.

After all it is free

Fantastic. When did you go?

Yet another 5am breakfast for the final day's objective, the Ouille d'Arbéron (3,554)

about 1,500m of ascent with the cloud filling the valley below and another scramble to the summit on crampons.

This was followed by a descent initially on sublime fresh powder which eventually turned to some of the most unpleasant wet sugar you can imagine, so great care was required to get down with legs/knees intact.
A quick bowl of soup at the Albaron, then grabbed the rest of our kit and skid out of the valley on rapidly diminishing snow,

and hiked the final bit down to a car park at 1,800m for a lift back to Bessans.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@Chamcham asked,

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

This was the view of a dusting of fresh snow at Bessans (1750m) on Sunday when I left,

with snow flurries all the way down to Modane at 1,000m and more wintry weather forecast this week.

AFAIK: The lifts are still spinning at Bonneval sur Arc until next weekend.
http://en.haute-maurienne-vanoise.com/webcams/bonneval-sur-arc

snow reports

Fabulous, thanks for posting.

@geoffers, Unfortunately, I've packed away my ski kit (and credit card) until next winter. Great posts, thanks.

You know it makes sense.

Good work!

I'm very jealous as this is near the top of my hit list.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Looks fantastic - thanks for posting

A snowHead

The complete set of my (low resolution) photos should be visible here, if you want more.... Cool

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kcxatlnitg8v6l5/AACBUGnE6jg2Oz3oWY9q9TYta?dl=0

A snowHead

What a lot of gorgeous places there are to go, out there. For those with the legs...... snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Thanks geoffers - great stuff. Must add to our ski touring 'to do' list Smile

.

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Lovely photos - looks like a great trip (even with the 4am start)!

Can I just ask - why is this a "skimo" rather than "ski touring" trip? What differentiates the two? Is it different kit?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@miranda, skimo - too lazy to type ski mountaineering - this was a little bit more than just touring, as it was properish mountaineering with ropes, axes, spikey-feet, bloody early Alpine starts etc snowHead

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@geoffers, ah, thanks for that - I think in my head skimo was racing or something like that.

The alpine start photo (if that's the 4am one) is my favourite Very Happy

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@miranda, You're correct in that skimo racing is ski-mountaineering racing, and I guess people relate the the word just with the race element

After all it is free

Looks amazing, thanks for posting

@geoffers,

He he, I recognise a face in those photos from my recent trip to the Vanoise.

How did young M get on with the early starts?

Help!!

TR: Skimo traverse of the Haute Maurienne

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