Another year, another Grand Van. It seems like a good bet due to the high road access (1400 m for the Casserousse ski run), the ski pistes which would probably still have snow and the south-aspect with a change of some spring skiing condtions. It would also offer 1200m of vertical for a bit of a blowout.

The snow was hard on the N/W facing piste (which was closed - they probably didn’t need to spend all day recovering injured skiers), we turned off onto the Pourettes trail which was in generally good climbing condition although I would not have wanted to ski back down. Finally at the 30 degree breche robert sud we fitted ski crampons for the 50m climb. No point having a nasty accident given the rocks, trees and frozen lake below. We circumnavigated the lacs Robert, the ice looked solid enough to cross but they do ice diving on the lakes and it wouldn’t be fun to fall into an old diving hole. Finally couteaux again for the climb up to the Vans.

Here is the group at the summit

Lucky it is a big summit with room for everyone

Surprisingly good spring snow, Anny was worried about the ski touring death yesterday and had sensibly brought a helmet

Jean skiing the crux of the Vans bowl

an interesting group of bare legged ski tourers at the Col de Lessines

they did not have ski crampons and one of them slid the full length of the slope with bare legs, ouch!

We descended by the closed Casserouse piste

which, except for some obvious bare patches was in great condition.