I don’t remember posting this but looking at the snow on the Belledonne today reminds me of this ski tour we did to the west couloir of the Grand Replomb close to Grenoble in the French Alps in March 2008. We started from Prabert (before they started closing the road in the winter) and climbed over the Orionde taking in the north bowl of the Orionde on the way back. Those present: Guy, Anny, Loic, Maxime and David.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy6zGL1k2do

That is quite steep skinning at the end, is it worth it or should you just bootpack it ? I think I would just walk up.

The traverse looks like it goes over a big snowfield at around 35 degrees, could be nasty if there was a slide.