 brian
brian
Guest
|
The cast:
GrahamN
His bro Steve
BernardC
fatbob
His bro Phil
JT
... and our guide, Manu
My Ford Ka/Fiat Panda size turns out to be a smart car ! It's like driving a dodgem, semi-auto gearbox is like playing on a ps3  Seriously hard to keep in a straight line when the vent is blowing a tad fort ! Still, we get into La Grave about 1am, it's clear and cold and obvious that not much fresh snow has fallen 
Day 1:
The morning dawns bluebird but cold, a quick trip out to hire the planks and into the Autocar du BernardC, heading for Auris and hence l'Alpe d'Huez. Frustration #1, a lost txcvr means a quick run back to the car but no sign so we press on via several lifts only to run into frustration #2, the télépherique Pic Blanc runs out of gas, we're stuck in it for half an hour, then it trundles back to base and we make alternative tracks via 2 stages of Marmottes télécabine and a chair.
Finally, after 12, we're into the Grand Sablat. It looks inviting, but windblown crust gives way to sun crust and a bit of scoured crust. Almost every turn is different but we're all adapting and everyone gets down with not much trouble and a bit of "interesting" fun. The views are sensational and eventually we get down low enough for the sun to transform things to good old spring corn. A hike up to the Col de Sarenne and it's lunchtime. The day is fast disappearing but we squeeze in a trip to the Combe Charbonniere and the snow is a bit easier. It gets a little thin in the big bumps further down and Phil has an interesting pop out'n'in on his shoulder. Ouch.
Back to Auris, and the lost txcvr turns up, hurrah ! Bernard treats us to further luxury transport back to LG and a well earned beer.
Demain, les grandes bosses de La Grave  et peut-etre St Christophe. 
Sun kissing the peaks above La Grave
Le Grand Sablat at l'Alpe d'Huez, roughly in the middle of the pic. You can make out the top of Pic Blanc just left of centre.
Day 2:
Friday started badly, very badly. Cloudy and cold and too windy for the La Grave lift. Manu told us there was nothing doing off piste until the sun could get out to soften things up so he took the day off and we headed over to Serre Chevalier on the offchance of at least maybe finding some decent pistes. We did that and even wrung a little bit more out of the day. A north facing couloir off the Tete de Balme (?), a bit mogulled and thin at the pinch point but generally in decent nick. So good we skied it 3 times. The rest of the good spots known to the group were too thin or had unskiable snow or were scoured or ... you get the picture.
Tete de Balme at Serre Chevalier, couloir du gazex  35 degrees with nice bumps at top, 30-ish with teeth chattering hardpack lower down.
A La Grave - La Meije sunset
Day 3:
Today, the sun was back out and La Grave re-opened. So a more hopeful start. We skied a couple of descents of the glacier and through the Breche de Pacave back to P2 and then, after a leisurely lunch, headed off into the Vallon de la Selle to St Christophe. The sun had softened things up nicely and after a sketchy start on thin old rubbish, it opened out into a lovely descent in great spring snow, finishing with a little couloir. Then a not too pleasant traverse and a hike out but it couldn't take the shine off such a brilliant run.
Taxi back to LG and a couple of beers. Ski de randonée tomorrow, fingers crossed for some early sun for another soft descent.
The Girose glacier, spot the piste 
Transceiver check
The Aiguilles d'Arves and Mont Blanc
Sea of cloud
The unique 'pherique
Little hike through the Brèche de Pacave
Looking out over the Ecrins above St Christophe
Nervous moment, binding check above 40 degree entrance to the route
Phil surveys ...
... 1000m of descent 
Phil and Graham in the corn
Plenty of down left
From the bottom, route goes top left to finish in small couloir bottom right
The long traverse out (on left)
finishes with a hike
Day 4:
The last day saw us all on touring kit (3 total beginners, 3 old hands). We headed up to the tiny station of Le Chazelet above La Grave on the opposite side of the Romanche from La Meije. After handing over the princely sum of €3, we got a ride up the teleski to start the tour at about 2100m, then followed the long ridge up to the summit of Le Gros Tet at 2613m. The descent was via its east face, mixed powder/crust at the top and then a firm to gradually softening hardpack lower down.
Nice way to end the trip for me, as after lunch I headed off for the airport, just in time to catch the first drops of rain which would start giving the area some much needed new snow.
Skinning up
... and on the summit
Looking back at La Grave to Deux Alpes
Last edited by brian on Thu 13-03-08 12:50; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Cool pics. Cheers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
cool pics
la grave is on the list...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
fab- you lucky lucky bast4rds
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Wow, looks fantastic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Just re-did the thumbnails.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Good stuff - looks like you made the most of what was available.
I hope someone told Manu to get a haircut 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
| I hope someone told Manu to get a haircut |
NO! I was in La Grave in Jan with a group, Manu guiding, and loved it. Skiing wasn't bad either. Appreciating the photos...of the mountains as well, of course. Don't mess with my toot-toot!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
How was the snow then guys? Looks pretty spring like, a bit different to last years trip??
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What a shame about the snow.
I still haven't posted my TR from the start of Feb, will do soon.
It got nuked over the last few days... trying to see if I can persuade Mrs P to give me a couple of days off... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
nuked might be overstating it, but there have been a couple of nice snowfalls
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Snow...?? bombproof and even when it snowed you had the ice just underneath to trip you up every now and again.
Manu did well to make things interesting and he has a new gf so has gone all cool... !!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
La Grave - the beauty or the beast depending on snow conditions.......
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Graham,
Good pics.
Looks like you lucked out big time on your return. Looked very special...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
