Ski touring in the Queyras with Anaïs and Geoffrey: three couloirs around Châteaurenard, Longet and Clausis, with exceptional deep powder all day.
Two years after our A trip to Popow in the Ortles, Anaïs and Geoff are back—but as a couple this time, following a series of twists and turns in the group! No long-distance trip this time; we’ll save Austria and Norway for another time! On the other hand, being with Anaïs and Geoffrey gives us a free hand to tackle just about any kind of project! Corridors, steep slopes, untouched cirques, and beautiful valleys… As long as it’s skiable and it feels good, no problem!
To get them out of Haute-Savoie for a bit, a trip to Queyras is a must! No other mountain range in the Alps can compare to Queyras! Especially when the conditions are as good as they are right now!
Well, let’s face it—today is spring… at least on paper, because up in the mountains, winter doesn’t seem ready to give way just yet!! A nice, crisp breeze greets us on the climb up to Château-Renard, and the sun is overshadowed by some stubborn remnants of Italian fog. Luckily, we’re not sitting around up there, and after a 50-meter climb, we’re off into our first couloir of the day—La Baïonnette—in more than decent conditions! The first section is just right with a few uneven spots, followed by the little shoulder and a completely insane stretch of deep powder!
We reach the Longet valley, where we come across a few groups of hikers traveling together in a line! We also startle two unfortunate grouse buried under the snow, which, because of us, come close to cardiac arrest...
We follow the ridge that runs along the right bank of the Longet, taking a few precautions that are easy to implement with our small team. The wind has been blowing hard in the area, and the snow accumulations require careful consideration. We reach a couloir that allows us to descend into the Clausis valley. No snow-related concerns, but we still ski the beginning of the couloir by the book: one at a time, regrouping in safe spots. The first 100 meters are slightly uneven; the rest is deep powder that we take turns breaking trail through...
We’re not going to stop now that we’re on a roll—a short climb up the Clausis Valley could open the way to the Combe du Vel, which I imagine is perfectly firm and untouched... One last push for the day, and here we are at the top of the third—and best—run of the day. Not that the others were bad—far from it—but this one borders on perfection! The only thing missing was the sun, which we’re set to see tomorrow!
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