Alpe d'huez : The Tunnel

A snowHead

I am off to ADH in a couple of weeks, just how difficult is The Tunnel to ski. Please advise is it really a black, experts only.

I know we will end up doing it at least once, just want to know what to expect

A snowHead

bumpy tunnel, no big deal but that opens to a short entrance to a steep field with big moguls. Yes it's a black.

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

Vertical drop, huge icy moguls.

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was gonna give it a crack over new year. On my third day I met a guy from Wrexham on a chair lift who had a place in alpe d. To cut a long story short I asked him the same question as you Kel, to which he recounted a rather nasty story involving ripping his head and arms to bits last year - unveiling the bone on his arms when he fell (a long way!!!!) on the tunnel last year Skullie

. Needless to say that I decided to give it a miss!!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Is the tunnel the only access to the Sarenne run?

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no - tunnel is a different run from the Sarenne.

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

Didn't try The Tunnel when I was there a couple of years ago. We asked our ski instructor what it was like and he advised us to avoid it, although I think that was more due to the conditions than anything else. From the look of it when we went over(and what I've heard) it's drops out of the tunnel onto a very steep black with moguls. Give the Sarenne a go though, not really a black, more of a long long red. I think it's only rated as a black as once you get on it you can't get off until you get to the bottom - it's a very long run.

After all it is free

It's going to depend massively on how many skiers have been down and created a traverse with various drop offs, how much fresh snow there has been and wether it's warmed up and soft or hard n icy.....

However I would say the first pitch is one of the tougher blacks out there, have you skied Tortin or the front face of Mont Fort, I'd say it's similiar in pitch and moguls to those areas.

regards,

Greg

the tunnel is steep but they have blasted a track for those who get to the top and bottle out of it
another tip is to ski the first couple of moguls then traverse hard right. this takes you onto a slope which is possibly steeper but isn't mogulled and often has very nice snow. you need to traverse back across at the bottom because there are some small cliffs at the bottom

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When I did it a few times 4 or 5 years ago it was certainly a proper black by any standards. Harder than the difficult top section of the Sarenne Gorge... whether u attempt it or not depends how much bottle you have, and whether u want to "ski" runs or just "survive them". It's not fun for anyone other than an avanced and expert skiers, but getting down it certainly gives you a sense of achievement !!! Best avoided if it's icy I think. The one saving grace is that it's not too long, and unless you die at the very top i'd suggest its fairly easily accessible for a helicopter to get u off it! Be very very careful... it's not for the faint hearted. Maybe try it on blades first if theres no fresh or deep snow... might find it a whole lot easier.

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look at the amazing skill shown by these skiers!!! If you're not up to this very high standard, then don't even contemplate it!!!!

http://youtube.com/v/91ZQw4HEErI&feature=related

seriously though, if these folk can get down it without falling then there's hope for anyone!

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Is there a logical reason why it is called the tunnel?

You know it makes sense.

Ray Zorro, you go through a tunnel to get to it. Pay attention!

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

Lizzard, thank you Laughing

shoogly, that video is helpful - it doesn't look so bad from that, but then the snow looked reasonable. Can anyone confirm whether that bit is as hard as it gets?

A snowHead

It gives you a good feeling of what a poo-poo feels like just before deposition! Very Happy

A snowHead

Is there a logical reason why it is called the tunnel?

Yep... u ski through a tunnel in the mountain to access the top of the run.... quite unusual.... but perfectly named!

......... because a vertical sheet of ice is going to be better on something with a shorter edge and less hold.

...but steep runs with big moguls without loose or fresh snow are easier to negotiate on something shorter and more maneuoverable for not so good skiers who want the experience of completing a run they probably couldn't otherwise attempt .... even if it is cheating to the purists! I've never seen anything other than huge moguls or fresh powder covering huge moguls on the tunnel run.... I'd agree with u if was just sheet ice, like, say the Streiff on the Hannenkahm in early spring...

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

Like most runs, if there is good snow on it and you are intermediate level it shouldn't be a problem.
When it gets icy, that's you're call. The bold will have a go, the timid will crap themselves.

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I skiied it a couple of years ago, in similar conditions to the youtube video. Skiied out to the right (looking out of the tunnel) along what I assume is the blasted track then down and back under the tunnel entrance. Bar about the first 5 turns from the tunnel I didn't find it too hard, but conditions were nice, decent sized moguls and softish snow. I found the run down to the tunnle entrance harder as the moguls were bigger, the piste was icier and the areas between the moguls much more lacking in snow.

Didn't see anyway of bottling out of the run (bar going back through the tunnel), but from waht friends said, who skiied it several years ago, that then they basically had to do a short drop off from the tunnel entrance, I'm assuming the blasting was just to make entry to the start of the bowl easier?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I skied it a couple of times last week Very Happy

But now i'm home Sad

But I didn't fall or break anything Very Happy

Seriously tho , it is the hardest run i've done and it has been open the last three years when I have been in ADH , last week the snow was good and the moguls not to high and no rocks showing. this is the best time to do it.

In the past when its been icy its exremely hard and thigh burningly knackering with massive bumps, remember if its icy you dont want to fall cause it will hurt and you'll be bouncing a long way rolling eyes

There top part is the hardest as it is long and steep but a bit further down there's another steep short section which is not very wide and if busy causes a bottleneck which leads to this bit of advice:

if you want to do it and need to do long traverses across the run do it when the snow is good and it's quiet you dont want to get wiped out by somebody falling from above , and remember you have to get down the narrow section.

Have fun and if in doubt do the sarene its only black in a few places and as long as the snow is good its fine, also if you dislike borders its funny to watch them struggle on the bottom couple of miles through the valley which Is so flat you couldn't even call it a green run Toofy Grin

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anybody got any pictures of sarrene and tunnel?

how do they get snow into the tunnel to ski on?

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

Dark in there too Smile

After all it is free

Kel, Go for it, in soft snow its fine, I'd hate it on an icy morning though. For a real challenge ski the Tunnel and then on down to Enversin de Oz - a great 2000m descent that gets the thighs singing, and mainly on blacks. Shocked

Christopher, Only got the one pic of the Sarenne and you dont want to see it Shocked

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Thanks for all that info, especially the you tube video. Doesn't really look too bad apart from the very top section.

Suppose it will depend on the condition's, if it is icy, no way. If there has been a dump and there's some nice soft snow Then I will be up there on the first lift of the day.

As for trying it on blades, my missus has some nice pink Salomon Axcess 120 short skis. I might take them and look like a proper girlie Razz

.

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I skied it a couple of years ago. It definitely is a proper black. Mogul after mogul. The thing that stands out in my mind is that when you go through the actual tunnel there are various shrines and memorabilia regarding previous skiers who never got to the bottom.

I have been skiing in alpe dhuez for 8 years . I have NEVER done the Tufnell however many of my friends and siblings have if you are somehow un aware 2 PEOPLE HAVE DIED ON THIS RUN it is not to be taken lightly one of my friends is a semi professional 20 year old skier who was once on a team with a top class Italian olipian said he found it extremely difficult and would not recomend it to anyone because it is so dangerous and I am sure most of you thinking about doing this are far of professional level my brother has done it twise once with ski school when he was 14 one of the girls nearly escaped a what could have been fatal accident when he did it again this year he found it MUCH harder it is very unpredictable snow and the only way out is down or in a stretcher aka a £20000 air ambulance if you have been skiing for years on end and are a extremely confidant black run skier think about it otherwise it is NOT worth dieng for

You know it makes sense.

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

A snowHead

@Sofia77354, I think the OP will have either done it by now, successfully or not Laughing

as 11 years have elapsed.

For the record the hardest thing about the tunnel is getting out onto the slope after you exit the tunnel. The drop downs / moguls from the traverse can be horrible, and there can be a knot of people, some skiless and not standing, blocking you way. After that if there is fresh snow and the sun is out it is a lovely, but challenging, black run with great views. If it's at all icy it's horrible, forget it and do something else.
It is possible to die on any ski run, the tunnel has been open for over 30 years I think so you pay your money and takes your chance Laughing

(And I say that as someone who has slid the whole length of the first slope after losing both skis (somebody skied into me, honest Laughing

).

A snowHead

@Sofia77354, this thread is 11 years old! But welcome to snowHeads anyway.

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

@skitow,

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Unfortunately the worst part if it was that 2 snowboarders kindly picked my skis up and expertly carried them down to me Embarassed

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@skitow,

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Alpe d'huez : The Tunnel

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