Thu, 3 January 2013
Vertical Climbed: 885 meters (2,904 feet)
Vertical Descended: 887 meters
Rating: 4.2
Avalanche Risk: 2
Snowline: 1,060
The Pas de Ragris is located 200 meters north of the Couloir en Virgule. It is just below another couloir (which has a narrow entrance blocked by a tree). The start is flat for 5 meters then very steep. Depending on snow cover a rope of 15 meters x 7mm is useful (belay of a tree) as well as crampons.
At the bottom of the couloir descend to the right to rejoin the Virgule. It would also be possible to pick up the summer forest trail to the left.
Trip Report
Not the best days ski touring. the Pas de Ragris, which I'd counted on for some nice powder, was covered by a windslab which I purged after descending a rappel. A nice break of 20 to 25 cm of slab on a bed of 2cm of depth hoar. There were slabs left on the side slopes. Take care on similar configurations over the next days. As a consequence I had to ski down over avalanche debris - at least it filled in the couloir. There was no track in the Lance de Mallisards, lots of snow transport visible in the valley. The avalanche risk was 2 on the slopes from NW to SE - so the Ragris was concerned by this information.
Aulp du Seuil: transformed, humid snow
Vallée de l'Aulp de Seuil: 15cm of powder on a hard base, you felt the base on each turn. Surface frost forming.
Crete de l'Aulp de Seuil: transformed snow, a little slabby
Pas de Ragris, couloir rectiligne: windslab
Forest: wet snow with a small surface crust
