Possibly the last trip of the season, an old classic that has fallen out of favour, the North couloir of the Dent du Pra in the Belledonne range.

There is about 250m of portage from the ski resort (or 0 if you take the fire road to the Oursiere chair lift - but there is a sign warning of fines if you do this. A weekend in June is probably not too risky though but after being “denounced” to the Swiss police last week for some poor parking I didn’t want any more fines !

at 1750m you reach this snow tongue in the bottom of the Pra valley.

There have been big changes since I last passed this way in 2005. Where there was once a pleasant alpine path a hugh ski piste has been blasted and bulldozed down the mountain to the ski resort of le Pleynet.

The refreeze was non-existent below 2600 meters, despite clear overnight skies and the skins didn’t really grip well on the snow.

The final climb up to the Dent was hard going on foot.

The obligatory entrance shot, the slope is about 45 degrees at the very top but flattens out to more like 35 a bit further down. Actually the worst snow was just out of the shadows - a layer of new, rotten snow on a firm base. Lower down was neve and pleasant to ski although with a lot of debris such as stone chips and dirt.

Dahu are very rare in the French Alpes these days having been hunted almost to extinction, they are now a protected species

This is an Dahu ascentus frontalis which has front legs shorter than back legs to aid in climbing slopes. You can catch them by approaching from behind with a large sack, if you then surprise the beast it will turn and lose balance falling into your bag.

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

a reminder that spring is well and truly here, even at 1750 meters.

http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/Dent-Du-Pra-North-Couloir

I’m sure I saw a Dahu once, but it was 2.00 a.m and I was heading back from a boite de nuit!......

That is always the best time to spot them, along with pink elephants, although it is too cold for them in the Alps.

Thanks for the video - very informative. But I feel, as a Welshman, that I must point out that these phenomena are not new. As far back as the 1970s, and without EU grants, Welsh hill farmers reported similar findings in their sheep. They had evolved shorter legs on one side in order to enable them to stand comfortably on mountains while grazing. Unexpectedley, this has proven of even greater advantage to farmers, enabling them to provide legs of lamb in two diferent lengths, as supermarkets have become much more demanding of their suppliers over recent decades.

Good to see that you’re still finding such good lines so close by. Guess there’s going to be skiing up higher into July.

But lost to me because I’ve had to switch to cycling.

Surprising, last week I rode my road-bike higher than the Dent du Pra

Sonora Pass in California at 9624 feet = 2934 meters.

Here’s the snowpack (and me) lower around 2400 meters.

Ken

Interesting bike, looks a bit like my Decathlon Hoptown 20 which I’ve just bought to sling in the back of the car.

I’ve been over Sonora pass, amazing these high altitude road passes. On the BBC top gear programme they attempted (and failed - but they were in ancient 4x4s) a road pass in South America that went over 5000 meters, can’t remember the name.

The nearest we have in France is something like the Col de la Bonette, I think you’ve ridden that at some time.