A ski loop via La Blanche’s west face, the Victor Chaud notch and the Pelas Vernet couloir: breakable crust, firm snow and powder to finish in style.
Today, we decide to favour simpler logistics, better suited to our intellectual abilities. After lengthy discussion, we conclude that a loop is what we need.
We get off to a flying start with an exhausting, painful chairlift ride. We struggle to catch our breath. Fortunately, it eventually ends, and we can finally rest while skinning to the summit of La Blanche.
Nothing has been left to chance. Our equipment has been carefully selected with lightness in mind. Once again, a simple principle wins: the lightest kit is the kit you leave behind. Anyway…
La Blanche’s west face is covered in a perfect imitation of fluffy powder, which turns out to be excellent, partially skiable breakable crust. Lower down, we finally find the soft powder blanket.
Climbing back to the Victor Chaud notch is a mere formality. Barely four litres of sweat between us.
Among the things we have remembered are two 60 m lengths of cord, very useful for reaching the skiable section of the Pelas Vernet couloir.
A brief hope of powder near the top gives way to firm snow with good edge grip. Another formality for our finely trained bodies. Barely 256 rests in the couloir!
We hardly have time to absorb the atmosphere and beauty of this remarkable corridor before reaching the soft powder on the apron below.
Then it is just a few minutes down the Celse Nière valley, so much more of a slog in summer…
Skiing really is a punishment!
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