@swskier, The first bit of proper skiing on we did on the day was the chassoure tortin run. Wasn't quite prepared for that!
I agree with what you are saying and I think I've be better off in Zermatt.....I know my limits!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
dave.m wrote:
The first bit of proper skiing on we did on the day was the chassoure tortin run. Wasn't quite prepared for that!
Ballsy for your first run I haven’t skied that this season
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?
@dave.m, I skied that on a course and it was virtually flat, a week later I skied it with Mrs Swskier and it was definitely not flat she tweaked her knee and that was the end of her ski holiday
@BobinCH, i am a little bit lost. Where is the Plan du Fou chair? do you mean the Gondel?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I always recommend that first time visitors to the Quatre Vallées traverse the Chassoure mogul field in the télécabine first, before committing to it.
I’d agree with @BobinCH that you can find less challenging but still rewarding skiing across the 200 kms of pistes but some knowledge of the area is extremely helpful. Like many large Domains, it’s easy to choose an unsuitable combination of runs and lifts if you’re new to the area.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Tue 10-03-26 16:43; edited 1 time in total
Interesting, thanks for all tips!
How does the chassoure tortin compare to for example the Tunnel Run (in Alpe d'Huez) or Swiss Wall (PdS)?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
It’s (edit: mostly) not as steep as the Swiss Wall, and I think that’s what lulls people into underestimating it. And it’s wide, which makes it look more benign than it really is. But it’s relentless and there’s no flat side run to escape to if it’s too much. The photo covers about half of it - there’s the as much again in the opposite direction. It looks like you can fall and stop, but it’s still steep enough for me to have seen people sliding a long way before stopping.
I won’t generalise about how do-able it is because people’s abilities and energy reserves vary so much. For me, I haven’t done it for years because as a typical older intermediate piste skier, I’d use up so much energy in the process, that would be it for the rest of the day. It’s not worth it for me, because there are 200+ kms of other pistes to do in Verbier alone, even without venturing to Savoleyres/La Tzoumaz, Bruson, or Veysonnaz.
As I said, the main thing is to take a look first, see how you feel about it in terms of your own capabilities.
@BobinCH itinerary takes you over it in the gondola from above Lac de Vaux to Tortin. So you have an opportunity to appraise it en route.
Finally, I wouldn’t necessarily get obsessed with doing Chassoure if you have limited time in the area. A favourite of mine is the run down from the Col des Gentianes to La Chaux, with a stop on the terrace of the Cabin Mt. Fort on the way. And like many, for some unexplainable reason, I can do circuits of Lac de Vaux again and again and still enjoy another. I like trying to do Attelas to Carrefour without stopping - almost 1,000 vertical metres, although as I’ve got older this has got harder. In the Savoleyres sector, I also like the run down from the top of the Tournelle lift to the bar at Etablons (720m over 4 linear kms). Everyone has their favourites.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Wed 11-03-26 16:14; edited 9 times in total
After all it is free
After all it is free
@LaForet, good to know, thanks!
I guess picking the right time of the day (when the snow if softening up) is key then, especially for the 1st attempt
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@Gustavo the Gaper, Never been in Verbier (only to the other two), but from videos I think the Swiss Wall > Tunnel > Chassoure Tortin.
I’m not sure which is steeper, but I think Chassoure Tortin is wider, meaning there’s more space to make turns.
I think the Wall and Tunnel are really difficult in the first 200–300 m, then it gets better and better.
Chassoure Tortin, on the other hand, has more space right from the start.
But as I said, I’ve never actually done it.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
turms2 wrote:
@BobinCH, i am a little bit lost. Where is the Plan du Fou chair? do you mean the Gondel?
Yes
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Gustavo the Gaper wrote:
@LaForet, good to know, thanks!
I guess picking the right time of the day (when the snow if softening up) is key then, especially for the 1st attempt
It does not soften up. It’s north facing and in the shadow of Mont Gelé. The top 50m is steep and a fall could take you a long way. After that it eases up but is still quite unrelenting. If you can get there straight after a dump it’s fabulous but it sees a lot of traffic so is a mogul field after the first hour!
You can see the scale of it from above.
Most locals take that high traverse skiers right and round the corner to Mouche which gets a lot less tracks but that takes you into avalanche prone terrain which is not secured
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
turms2 wrote:
@Gustavo the Gaper, Never been in Verbier (only to the other two), but from videos I think the Swiss Wall > Tunnel > Chassoure Tortin.
I’m not sure which is steeper, but I think Chassoure Tortin is wider, meaning there’s more space to make turns.
I think the Wall and Tunnel are really difficult in the first 200–300 m, then it gets better and better.
Chassoure Tortin, on the other hand, has more space right from the start.
But as I said, I’ve never actually done it.
Makes sense! I actually found the Tunnel perhaps slightly trickier than the Swiss Wall, but mostly because of the top section (basically the first turn) which is really tough.
Then again, two things that really helped were (i) being able to do them in slightly softer conditions and (ii) having less pronounced moguls on the left side (which honestly is what I may have done). So considering LaForet's and BobinCH's comments, the Chassoure may actually harder in practice
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Interesting is which from these Routes is relative easy? Or better to say not so tricky/difficult?
As i see from the pic a good thing is that you can go up and if you change your mind go from the other side? Or not?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
turms2 wrote:
Interesting is which from these Routes is relative easy? Or better to say not so tricky/difficult?
As i see from the pic a good thing is that you can go up and if you change your mind go from the other side? Or not?
With the caveat that you are more than 20m from the itinerary poles so not officially avi secured (in practice it is), I would follow the red lines and avoid the blue area. But avoid it completely if it’s really scraped out after a long period without snow. You can always ride down and back up the Chassoure gondola once and see to what degree the people skiing it look like they are struggling
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Gustavo the Gaper, it's not as steep as the top of the Wall.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
In my experience it's not so much the steepness that is the problem as the number of exposed rocks when it is scraped. If you are going across to where the red lines are you need to be aware that dropping down early in the traverse can bring a lot of rocks into play.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I found the Swiss Wall to easier than Chassoure.
Unlike my friend @BobinCH I nearly always ski the blue area.
The traverse is long and very bumpy.
Arrive and GO!
That is what works for me.
Don't faff about thinking, planning,,,and worrying.
The first 4-6 turns are steep! Very steep! Much steeper that Swiss Wall...but after that it begins to dish out.
Often flatter stuff to be found skiers left.
The odd thing is that as one gets into "OMG this is steep" mindset...you don't get out of it even in the last 20% which is really not very steep
And even though I know this (here I am writing about it!) I still do it
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?
rungsp wrote:
Unlike my friend @BobinCH I nearly always ski the blue area.
The traverse is long and very bumpy.
Arrive and GO!
That is what works for me.
Don't faff about thinking, planning,,,and worrying.
You’re braver than me. My knees start aching just when I look at those first few big moguls!
Fast traverse and then attack the nice small chalky ones at the end
Siviez question. Potentially looking at doing bout 5 days in 4v the week after Easter from the Monday. Appt in Siviez coming up most affordable? Any reason not to trust lifts staying open that week?
Not arsed about nitelife etc.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
Siviez question. Potentially looking at doing bout 5 days in 4v the week after Easter from the Monday. Appt in Siviez coming up most affordable? Any reason not to trust lifts staying open that week?
Not arsed about nitelife etc.
If you are just there to ski then Siviez arguably the best base in the whole lift system.
Siviez question. Potentially looking at doing bout 5 days in 4v the week after Easter from the Monday. Appt in Siviez coming up most affordable? Any reason not to trust lifts staying open that week?
Not arsed about nitelife etc.
No risk until 19th April
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:
The odd thing is that as one gets into "OMG this is steep" mindset...you don't get out of it even in the last 20% which is really not very steep
100% for me as well! So much better just to drop straight in, rather than the avoidance tactic of traversing "until it gets easier/less steep/smaller bumps" which never seems to happen, and the mindset of which is disastrous, for my skiing at least!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@BobinCH, fabulous visuals as usual, though!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Queues for chassoure and gentianes were huge. Never seen them like that!
Can see why now!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@BobinCH, epic!!
@Rogerdodger, same for Adelboden, I think it was a bit heavier indeed (makes sense considering the similar altitude and location). Though the flat light, "only" 88mm underfoot and especially my poor powder technique didn't help either.
Freestyling went well though, landed a front flip (on my head (by accident))
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Gustavo the Gaper, I hope no damage was done. Interestingly I've just finished skiing from Kleine Scheidegg to Grund (Grindelwald) and found really good untracked powder high up, once again viz only average at best.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Rogerdodger, nice! I was there recently after some (light) snowfall and that route on/next to the slopes was incredibly empty indeed, especially the lower section (though the snow was already melting). Despite the rest of the resort being all skied out already
And fortunately no damage besides a bit of neck pain. Due to the flat light I didn't see the slope I was on actually turned right whilst I confidently went straight...
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?
We had a good Oak group on Sunday for the North Face of Mont Fort. Skis may finally get a service…
Unlike my friend @BobinCH I nearly always ski the blue area.
The traverse is long and very bumpy.
Arrive and GO!
That is what works for me.
I'm kinda on that one but I absolutely hate narrow, 'roller coaster' paths. They're my personal room 101. Sometimes they piste the (blue bit) top 50m or so, though you've got to watch out for the odd rock poking out. Understandable as the whole bowl is like a quarry in the summer.
Couple of weeks ago I missed the last (new) lift out of Lac de Veux, had to ski/trudge my away across from the top of the fast 4 and by the time I got up to Chassoure, I was knackered and there was no option to download. Had to ski it in failing light, in my 'sun' goggles, which were surprisingly good considering but I was going very slowly. Luckily only had one fall on the very last bit down to Tortin, then bugged out and took the path mid-way, round to Tortin, I was really struggling to see anything clearly by that point. It did occur to me this could be really bad if I have a fall, break something and my phone at the same time.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Booked! Will be in L4V from next Saturday morning to Monday evening. If anyone sees an idiot with a rubber duck on the helmet, give me a shout out!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
I haven’t skied that this season
she tweaked her knee and that was the end of her ski holiday 
