Slope Aspect: South
Trip ReportsVertical Climbed: 650 meters (2,133 feet)
Avalanche Risk: 3
Snowline: 450
With good valley snow cover over the last few years this route has become quite popular with people touring from their houses in Bernin and Crolles. The window for such tours is pretty short but there have been at least 20 days this season where it was possible to climb from the Manival at 450 meters. The track is popular with snow shoers so it can get quite tracked to the Cabane de Manival.
I went a couple of days after a big fall. The south facing tracks were skiable crust but from about 600m there was powder. I was limited in time as I had to pick my son up from school but there was a good ski track to the col. There are about three or four couloirs you can ski. These are fairly narrow and steep. Some 35 to 40 degrees with steeper sections in places. I found the far left couloir unskied than traversed to the far right couloir which came out by the cabane.
Weather: Sun at start, clouding over at the end.
Access: Clear on road but all side roads covered in snow and ice
Country: France Area: Chartreuse Trailhead: Manival
