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TR: Bec Charvet Backside
Posted: 27 February 2011 09:57 AM  
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On Friday I decided to check out the Bec Charvet above the defunct ski resort of the Col du Coq:

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The spot holds the snow well. It is a pity the Col du Coq shut in 1995 as it would be the only resort that could operate normally this season and all that without snow canons. The pistes were skiable but the top of the Bec had sections without snow, I would have to ski down the backside. This is a nice run, just under the summit on the West face there is a cliff, under you find a clear bowl which you can ski down to 1350 meters where you meet the second of 2 tracks. The area is avalanche prone.

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The forest still had a lot of ice in places.  From the summit you got a clear contrast between the fresh snow and green Chartreuse valleys.

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You ski down just north of the summit to avoid the cliffs then follow a couloir before traversing back into the bowl. In the woods it was old powder snow on a frozen surface. In the open bowl the snow had turned crusty. Finally back to the Col du Coq pistes which, although crusty in the morning, had softened up to spring snow by 11am.

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The Dent de Crolles was not looking on form… maybe after some fresh snow?