For Marion's birthday, Arnaud got a few friends together to try ski touring for the first time... We don't know each other, but we hit it off pretty quickly!
For Marion's birthday, Arnaud got a few friends together to try ski touring for the first time... We don't know each other, but we hit it off pretty quickly!
The little group discovers their guide's strictness and punctuality, as well as his meticulously planned itineraries!!
Day 1 – Introduction to ski touring around the Col du Lautaret
Briançon. Meeting point. A quick glance around at the mountains encourages me to head toward the Lautaret Pass : That's where it's the most beautiful! The snow might not be fresh, but we'll have plenty to feast our eyes on!
It feels like spring: we're hiking in T-shirts and crossing a couple of patches of grass at the bottom. Winters in the mountains aren't what they used to be!
The terrain is well suited for a Introduction to Ski Touring : a few easy conversions—a chance for everyone to develop their own style!
The atmosphere at the summit feels a bit more like winter, with a steady wind urging us to head back down to the valley quickly... Luckily, Claire is there to tell us the names of the peaks, because I’m completely lost among all these mountains that look so alike!
On the way down, the snow conditions vary widely, ranging from perfect powder to that dreaded crust... A good learning experience, but not very flattering!
We spend the last rays of daylight practicing avalanche transceiver search techniques...
Day 2 – Saint-Véran – Refuge de la Blanche – Col de la Noire
Setting off for two days, including an overnight stay at a mountain hut... Snow is finally in the forecast!
Crammed into the van, we head toward Queyras, looking for a quiet mountain hut where we can enjoy some great skiing. Since Saint-Véran, we reach the Blanche Shelter. A chance to chat a little along the way!
A quick break at the shelter before tackling the Col de la Noire. Visibility is much better than expected, and the 15 cm of snow that fell today guarantees us a smooth ride down! The powder is flying, though we still have to watch out for rocks in this area.
Strangely enough, everyone feels better than they did yesterday!
Tonight, we're sharing the shelter with a group of cross-country skiers... It doesn't look like they'll be the ones to take the best tracks before us tomorrow, so we're in the clear!
Day 3 – Col Blanchet – Pic Traversier – Pont de Lariane
A quick morning powder session at the Col Blanchet and a lovely little glimpse of the Italian mountains. No signs of life except for those of mountain hares, stoats, and ptarmigans—which we’ll even get to see twice today!
It's 11 a.m. when we return to the lodge, with 500 meters of powder already under our skis.
To make the fun last a little longer, we head back up in the afternoon toward the Pic Traversier. Le Traversier is a lovely, exposed peak. On one side are gentle 30° slopes—which is the route we took up—and on the other, a 150-meter sheer drop dominated by ledges...
Everyone's wondering a little bit where we're going to go skiing!
"We're going to have to jump, but it's not very high—less than 10 meters."
At that moment, I sense that some members of the group are worried about the guide's mental health and their own physical safety...
In fact, a scenic but safe traverse along the ridge quickly leads to the gentle slopes that connect to the Longet Pass. Everyone, relax!
And here we go—off on a great powder run down to the Lariane Bridge, with a really fun finale in the forest. Excellent!
Everyone’s happy, and the mood in the car is pretty relaxed. Our timing is spot on—we even have time for a drink before dropping Luc off at his train!
Practical Info / Route Topo
Day 1 – Introduction to Ski Touring at the Lautaret
A first day around the Col du Lautaret to discover the equipment and basic ski touring techniques: skinning, kick turns and skiing in variable snow. We finish the day practising avalanche transceiver searches.
Day 2 – Saint-Véran – Refuge de la Blanche – Col de la Noire
We leave Saint-Véran and skin up to Refuge de la Blanche, where we spend the night. After a break at the hut, we climb to the Col de la Noire before enjoying our first beautiful descent in 15cm of fresh snow.
Day 3 – Col Blanchet – Pic Traversier – Pont de Lariane
A morning climb to the Col Blanchet for some powder skiing, followed by a return to the hut. In the afternoon, we climb to the Pic Traversier, traverse towards the Col du Longet and enjoy a long powder descent to the Pont de Lariane, finishing with a fun section through the forest.
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