Two wild days of mountaineering in the Écrins with Alain: Pointe des Bœufs Rouges, the Bans traverse, deserted huts and a few unexpected detours!
This is already our sixth session with Alain! My girlfriend would have every reason to be jealous: I've spent more evenings one-on-one with Alain over the past six years than with her!
To kick off the five days we’ll be spending together in style (but not gently!), I suggest to Alain a rugged loop hike between the Vallon des Bans and the Vallon de la Pilatte.
Pointe des Boeufs Rouges as seen from the Refuge des Bans
After an intimate evening at the Refuge des Bans, all to ourselves, we got up early to tackle the 1,500-meter elevation gain separating us from the Pointe des Boeufs Rouges. Fortunately, the snow—still quite deep—made the climb more pleasant than it would have been over scree! A bit of climbing below the Col de la Condamine, then we made our way up steep snow slopes and a few rocky sections to the summit of the Boeufs Rouges.
Incredible weather and a breathtaking view of the Pelvoux-Ailefroide range... we really made the most of the summit, even treating ourselves to a well-deserved little nap!
The descent begins with a short climb down a ridge, followed by some easy snow slopes that lead us back to the base of the shelter...
The "short" hike back up to the shelter will make the beer and snack taste even better!
Tonight, La Pilatte is packed with at least 12 people... Mathilde and Mélanie always give us a wonderful welcome, and it’s definitely the best comic book library in the Ecrins!
Crossing the Bans
Simple plan for today: we’re heading back! Like true conquerors of the pointless, we’re returning to our starting point, taking the most complicated route if possible! First, we climb the Glacier des Bans, which is still completely blocked at the start of the season. The area is completely deserted… but where have all the mountaineers gone?
We emerge at the foot of Les Bans. A magnificent sea of clouds covers Italy and the Vallouise right below us... a quick break in the sun...
The morning sun is already warming the rock on the standard route up Les Bans. There’s nothing particularly difficult about this standard route, but it’s a lovely, enjoyable climb all the way to the summit! Today, once again, we’re feasting our eyes. The clouds put on a show, and we’re craning our necks to take it all in!
We then descended the south ridge, first over rock and then over snow... Caught up in the momentum, I pushed a little too far down and missed the right gap leading down to the oval snowfield. And a little extra climb just for fun to really work Alain’s thighs!!
We continued with a series of descents and rappels all the way to the Glacier des Bans. We had a great time sliding down through perfectly settled snow all the way to the Refuge des Bans... there’s something great about the start of the season!
We settled in comfortably on the terrace with Stef and his little family at the Refuge des Bans for a hearty feast before heading back down to the valley... what a great start!
Practical Info / Route Topo
Day 1 — Pointe des Bœufs Rouges and the Pilatte hut
- After a night at the Bans hut, Alain and I climb the Pointe des Bœufs Rouges: 1,500 metres of ascent, snow slopes and a few climbing sections below the Col de la Condamine. We take time to enjoy the summit before descending towards the Pilatte hut for beer, food and a relaxed evening.
Day 2 — Traverse of Les Bans and return to the valley
- From the Pilatte hut, we head up the Glacier des Bans and climb the normal route to the summit above a sea of cloud. We descend the south ridge, with a little bonus climb courtesy of the guide, then downclimb and abseil before sliding down the softened snow. One last stop at the Bans hut, then back to the valley.
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