 Poster: A snowHead
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Brian's been looking out for this so here it is, the full write up and loads of pics. Enjoy!
I'll put an acknowledgment re photos up front. Some are mine; most are Rupert's (another member of the group) - he's responsible for most of the good ones!
When our guide, Richard Marchant, said, "Come on, it's only 20 meters to the summit," I should have taken this with a pinch of salt. After all, this was a man who had warmed up for the tour with a two day ascent of the Eigerwand. After a short snow plod we were confronted with a ridge which required us to do a couple of proper rock climbing moves then scramble (with varying degrees of grace) along an extremely exposed ridge to the summit of Roche Faurio (3730m). The ridge almost felt like it overhung on the northern side. Thus culminated a typical day of ski mountaineering in the Ecrins.
The original plan had been to use the lifts of La Grave to access the Chatelleret Refuge (2232m). This would have offered plenty of downhill with minimal walking. The hot weather deprived us of this - we judged that since the lifts didn't open until 9, the south facing slopes above the refuge would be unpleasant at best. Instead, we elected to drive to La Berarde and approach the refuge from there. This was a relatively short approach so we filled time by climbing up the beginning of our route for the next day. This involved some slightly exposed skinning but afforded a pleasant ski down over spring snow.
walking up from La Berarde
S face of La Meije
an interesting gully on day 1
A 5am wake-up on the second day set the tune for the rest of the week. Our objective was to cross the Col de la Casse Desert (3483m) and we left the refuge as quickly as we could with the intention of getting past the initial tricky parts of the ascent before a large CAF group. We achieved this, although we were mixed up with them by the time we reached the Col. The whole route was reasonably steep and we alternated between crampons and couteaux. On gaining the col we descended a short way on foot before traversing on skis to the Col de Neiges (3348m) which finally gave access to the Adele Planchard refuge (3169m).
approaching the Col de la Casse Desert
looking back at the col - we put sks on about half way down
walking across from Col de Neiges
Refuge Adele Planchard
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 8-05-07 9:52; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Arno,
Great effort, fantastic pics.
Up for a repeat to LG next year..?
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Some fantastic photos there! Hope you can put some forward for next year's calendar!
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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.
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Hoppo, most of the good ones weren't taken by me!
JT, i'm organising an Eagles trip to the Oisans so you'd either be very welcome to sign up for that or I am sure we can tack a bit of Snowheads action on at the beginning or the end... or we can just organise our very own trip again. i'm up for it!
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brian
brian
Guest
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Arno, excellent, thanks. 
I'm up for a La Grave repeat as well.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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> eports suggested that the slope down from the Col des Ecrins was icey and not much fun
A friend of mine was helping skiers on the col when a French woman slid to her death this year. The col has little snow cover with the cables way out of the snow and the slope below is very nasty apparently. My friend had set up a 90 meter rappel down this face but the woman who died had tried skiing the face rather than using the rappel.
Where did you go after the col de Monetier?
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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.
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davidof, we just headed down to Le Monetier, had lunch then got a cab back to where we had stashed the cars
brian, glad to be of service
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Fantastic report and photos! 
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You know it makes sense.
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That looks fantastic- great report very jealous
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Arno, what stunning pictures. It's so beautiful here. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Arno, Excellent report and the photos look amazing ! Were you sleeping in tents over night ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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debbi, no - not that hardcore. we were in mountain refuges which can be a bit basic in terms of bathroom stuff but have catering and beds
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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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superb effort all round....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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wow !
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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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Brilliant pictures.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Words fail me .... thanks for the pics and report
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Arno , excellent report and photos,
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Arno, thanks for taking the time to post the report.
One day!
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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.
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Arno, Great report, and top pics, just a quick one, what is a SERAC?
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Liam, it's a part of a glacier which has become separated from the rest of the glacier - so it's basically a big chunk of ice. occasionally, they fall over under the force of gravity and it's not good to find yourself underneath one!
in his spare time, I believe SMALLZOOKEEPER enjoys serac tipping 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Arno, From your picture i doubt it would be nice getting cosy with a serac 
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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.
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Nice, Tour de la Meije is high on my "to do list" and the Barre des Ecrins - although may not be great on a board, with that long glacier 
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Wonderful! Nice reading. Very nice couloirs to ski. Thanks for posting, you're pictures and the story reminds those places we went ski-touring around Chamonix. Nowadays too much work...
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You know it makes sense.
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I just referenced this in another thread and I am going to give it a shameless bump because it finished exactly 1 year ago today and I don't feel I have had my ski mountaineering fix this year 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Arno,
And well worth a bump...!!! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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good bump JT,
Arno, amazing and awe inspiring...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Brilliant, Arno. I've walked up a few pitches like those (but only 30 mins or so) and wished I'd had crampons on. I don't fancy that bit of rock-climbing - I just HATE climbing on rocks in skiboots - I feel extremely vulnerable. I really must learn some proper rope stuff now we are edging into that area.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 21-04-08 11:59; edited 1 time in total
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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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Arno, Good work on the bump, I missed it the first time. I was reading it going, this can't be right there is MUCH more snow there than that. Beta from la Grave: lifts reopened after three days due to snow / bad weather. 1m plus on wind loaded slopes... I can pick you up from Grenoble...
Aren't you just back form somewhere or is that next weekend?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I was thinking the same....it's not possible, all the week was snowing and there is tons of snow much now than last year......
But, still, I didn't read it and it's brilliant
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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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parlor, heading out this weekend. last I heard, Andermatt was the place - we're meeting up with a guide so it's in his hands. anyway, according to some of the usual sources, andermatt is scoring BIG, although it's due to warm up over the weekend
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Arno, sent you an e-mail.
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Arno, amazing report! Had this been booked for long, or was it a last minute choice because you really lucked out with the weather?!
One day i'd love to get into this, will have to get my skills improved off-piste first though
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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.
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Markus, you could say it was a long time in the planning! i first signed up for a tour in the ecrins for the end of the 03/04 season but managed to rupture my ACL the week before. i got myself fully recovered and when this one came up, i signed up immediately (this would probably be august time). the ecrins is a really wonderful area - totally wild, big mountains, steep slopes, not many people. it provides some of the most serious touring in the alps so it's definitely something to work up to. i was only just fit enough for this trip. i'll probably have to work harder on that aspect next time i go back there
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easiski, the ridge up to the Roche Faurio was one of the most exposed things I have ever been on. the other side from the one with the pic of me climbing up was unbelievably steep and it was hard to judge the distance looking down - partly because you didn't want to spend too much time doing so!
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