Vertical Climbed: 750 meters (2,461 feet)
Avalanche Risk: 3
Snowline: 1,000
With considerable avalanche risk in the Chartreuse, large skier triggered slabs possible on north facing slopes according to the bulletin, it was not a day to tempt the devil. Return to the ski tour I did with the Tot on Sunday but starting lower down and, if conditions permitted, climbing to Pravouta.
Starting low proved to be a good plan. Arriving at the 1220 meter parking I saw the road hadn't been ploughed, the snow plow had just arrived with a queue of impatient skiers behind. They would have a long wait while the carpark was cleared. The downside is that I would have to break trail to the summit.
The passages in the forest are now skiable and there was less snow under the trees so less trail making. Reaching the base of the Dome de Pravouta there was less than the 40cm forecast in the bulletin. Keeping close to the forest perhaps 20cm of fresh on what seemed to be a stable base (SE slope). It was still quite a climb to the summit but I tried to make the most intelligent route possible although a little steep in places to give rollovers a wide berth. I joined the summit ridge at 1650m and here there were some accumulations. I skied straight off the summit - principally for esthetic reasons. The 20cm of snow were not quite enough to hide the firm base with my touring skis and close to the ridge the snow was windblown, still possibly some of the best conditions overall this season.
Further down the snow improved, lighter, less cohesive. Excellent in the fields above les Meunieres but lacking some depth at that altitude. Still great to ski down to the villages this year.
Route Taken: From les Meunieres, which adds a couple of hundred meters.
Weather: Sunny, some cloud.
Access: Snow covered from the tunnel, unploughed at 9am
Country: France Area: Chartreuse Trailhead: Col Du Coq
