La Combe Du Giclas

Ski-Areas > Northern Alps > Isère (38) > Chartreuse > Col du Coq > La Combe du Giclas

Description

From the Col du Coq follow the forest road to the north east direction Habert de Pravouta. Climb the fields to the south of the Habert to reach the summit of the Roc d'Arguille climbing through the rock bands. From the summit descend the slopes to the north west towards the end of the plateau. These are open but gentle slopes. You wil come across a funnel then a short couloir which takes you down the rock bands. After exiting the couloir carry on westwards across a small field and on entering the forest de l'Ocepe on the other side turn immediately northwards to the start of the Giglas.

The going is through fairly dense but skiable trees with some steep sections but the slope opens out when you cross the forest trail at 1420 meters. From here you are practically on a cut ski run which takes you to the Pre de Giglas (field) and then down to la Buissiere. The river bed is very clogged with trees for the last 200 meters and it is better to stick to the summer path high on the left bank, this neccesitates a left turn around 1150 meters.

This route is a favourite on high avalanche risk days. The summit slopes are low angled and the initial steep slopes are in dense woodland. The Roc d'Arguille is in a protection zone for the Roc Ptarmigan and access is restricted.

Variations

Can be done starting at le Perquelin for the Chartoussiens. From the col des Ayes climb to the col de Pravouta via the summer trail. These slopes are prone to avalanche.

Trip Reports

22nd December 2007

The south and east facing slopes were a mix of transformed snow and crust, not fun to ski. The North-West slopes of the Roc d'Arguille were still powder as were the north facing slopes in the Giclas. The route is much more open compared to la combe du Giclard making it more skiable. The snow has destructured over the last 10 days of cold weather with a great of surface hoar between 900 and 1400 meters. In some places the entire snowpack consists of these crystals which can form a weak layer if there is fresh snow.

• Weather : Sunny and fairly mild
• Avalanche Risk: Low (1/5)
• Participants: Alone
• Snow level: 900 m

23rd March 2008

The snow was extremely light (50 kg per meter cubed according to Meteo France - about half the density of normal European powder). There was no base below 1200 meters. We skied the loop Col du Coq -> Giclas -> Perqueillin -> Ayes -> Pravouta for 1250 meters of vertical. The best skiing was on the west face of the Pravouta but the snow was too light for my thin rando skis.

The avalanche risk was 4/5 but was probably a big 2 where we were (slopes less than 25 degrees, forest, no clear slopes above and given the altitude < 1800 m).

• Weather : Heavy snow, low cloud, cold
• Avalanche Risk: High (4/5)
• Participants: David, Luc
• Snow level: 300 m (1000m skiable)

Category: Trip Reports

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