Two days of ski touring from Fouillouse in Haute Ubaye: fresh powder around Mirandol, deserted summits and the simple pleasure of escaping the crowds!
After taking their first steps in ski touring last year, Laurence and Christophe are back this year for a weekend. We’re heading to the Haute Ubaye region, starting from the hamlet of Fouillouse (and the excellent guesthouse run by our friends Odilon and Inès!). It’s a place full of character, offering a wide variety of ski tours—ranging from the peaceful, scenic slopes of Mirandol to the extreme skiing at Brec de Chambeyron. There’s something to satisfy a very wide range of ski tourers!
Light snowfall toward Mirandol
A little surprise when I woke up in Champcella this morning: 15 cm of fresh powder right in front of the house! Have the bells taken up a new line of work—delivering powder snow? In the Ubaye region, the forecast had called for just a light dusting—5 cm at most. Here’s the result in pictures!
We set off toward the Col de Mirandol. Once again, the larch forest has a wintry feel to it.
We’re heading out to the vast Mirandol area today, taking in the beautiful scenery with this fresh layer of snow and the dance of the clouds in the sky... Laurence and Christophe come to the mountains for this—to soak up the atmosphere, to feel the thrill of being at one with the majestic natural world, far from the noise and ceaseless bustle of human activity! Skiing is just an excuse to be here. There’s no need to prove anything or reach the summit at all costs.
We reach an unnamed pass, not far from the Col de Mirandol. We take in the scenery while waiting for the clouds to clear so we can head down—not that the weather is bad, but the light makes all the difference for a skier! A beautiful powder run, just as the climb had suggested. Laurence and Christophe are getting back into the swing of things after nearly a year away from skiing!
Every now and then, a ray of sunshine peeks through the clouds... Moments of beauty.
Toward La Combe, above the Pré de l'A Pic
This morning, as we started heading out of Fouillouse on our skis, I still hadn’t decided on a specific plan. On this beautiful Easter weekend, the Alps are crowded, and I’m waiting to see which way the crowd is heading! Unsurprisingly, most skiers are heading toward the Chambeyron and the classic Tour du Chambeyron… So for us, it’ll be the other way!
Mappers seem to have treated the peaks that enclose the valley with disdain and didn’t see fit to name them… though they did bestow the name “Unnamed Pass” on the pass that blocks the valley we’re climbing. On the other hand, their creativity was at its peak when it came to naming the valley itself: Combe du Pré above l’A Pic. It’s practically a poem!
Our nameless mountain of the day will see only us today, and we’re delighted to hear the incessant chatter—of only limited interest—from some of our fellow humans fading away!
The hike from the pass to the summit is breathtaking along an exposed ridge, yet not difficult.
An hour at the summit to eat, take in the view, breathe—or even take a nap!
As for what's next, it's becoming a regular thing this year—more powder, again and again!
A wonderful day away from the crowds! See you soon!
Practical Info / Route Topo
Day 1 – Fouillouse – Col de Mirandol
- Starting from Fouillouse, we head towards the Col de Mirandol. We reach an unnamed col nearby, surrounded by beautiful winter scenery, before enjoying a lovely powder descent through the larch forests.
Day 2 – Fouillouse – Combe du Pré au-dessus de l’A Pic
- We head towards the Combe du Pré au-dessus de l’A Pic, away from the busier routes around Chambeyron. We reach an unnamed summit along a beautiful, airy ridge, before taking a long break to enjoy the views and finishing with a superb powder descent.
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