Ski-Areas > Northern Alps > Savoie (73) > Maurienne > Saint-Colomban des Villards > Selle du Puy Gris by the combe des Roches
Park in the car park just at the entrance to the village. From here walk up into the village and take the first right to a bridge (a cross marks the spot where a three year old child was washed away by the torrent in the 1930s). On the other side of the bridge take a narrow forest track that climbs the right bank of the river. At 1350m there is a cross-roads and a bridge to the left bank of the river. You may find it easier climbing on this side to Orselle (it is at least sunny in winter). The Orselle ruins (signpost) are reached at 1720m. From lOrselle the col the Gleyzin is reached on the slopes to the right and the Puy Gris is visible as a pyramid shaped mountain to the left. Climb up the middle of the wide slope to the left to the glacier du Puy Gris (2300m). The glacier is relatively flat at first but steepens towards the western end. At the end climb to the col to the south.
It is possible to descend the south facing slopes into the col du Tepey and Valmaure. Return to les Roches is 15 minutes on foot.
From the col du Comberousse you can ski down the glacier du Gleyzin and climb to the passage de Clarant to return by the glacier de Clarant.
| Mountain Range | Belledonne |
|---|---|
| Summit | Selle du Puy Gris |
| Altitude | 2758m |
| Orientation | East |
| Starting Altitude | 1125m |
| Vertical | 1635m |
| Maps | IGN TOP 25 3433 OT Allevard |
| GPS Waypoint | N 45.2959° E 06.1435° |
| GPS Route | Google-Earth:Saint-Colomban |
| Grade[1] | Danger: 1, Climb: PD, Ski: 2.2 |
| Snowboarders | The glacier du Puy Gris is flat and the forest path is narrow |
| Equipment | ski crampons |
| Road Access | A43 -> St Etienne de Cuines -> D927 (col du Glandon) -> St Colomban -> les Roches |
| Author | davidof |
We left les Roches at 8h30. Surprised in this poor winter to put our skis on from the start of the forest track. The powder was light and about 30cm, fortunately the track had been made on Friday. We took the left bank after the bridge to take advantage of the sun before crossing back into the refridgerator of the glacier de Selle du Puy Gris with its biting north wind. There were not too many people on this side of the valley but at the col the sun worshippers arrived from the Tepey valley! Some were traversing over to les Roches and the valley was tracked when we started our descent.
The powder was excellent except at the col with was icy and windblown a little lower down with a few bits of icy hidden by the fresh snow. The wind was persistent at the col and was transporting snow onto the south facing slopes with a large cornice that was forming. We removed our skis at around 1250m as the path had some hidden stones.
This is a short video of the tour of the Selle du Puy Gris
Category: Trip Reports
<< Cime de Sambuis North Face | Saint-Colomban des Villards | Selle du Puy gris from Valmaure >>