Minimum altitude: 1,244 meters
Distance: 43.4 km
Slope Aspect: Various
Vertical Climbed: 806 meters (2,644 feet)
Vertical Descended: 810 meters
Started off on the south plateau. Snow was ok, a bit bare down at the far end where the black was closed but all skiable with no problems. Then set off for a long ski from la Feclaz to Crolles via the very steep Bois Brule - not much snow depth which makes the climbs steeper than normal plus the snow was getting soggy at 11h30. No drinks at Crolles, the snackbar is shut so I set off to St Francois and the restaurant at la refuge de la Plate. Only it seems to have been shut for years ! Probably a victim of global warming as the access piste isn't always open these day. So a long drag back to la Feclaz, 10km in 1 hour under the noon day sun. I was please to get back to the car an refreshments !
-- after checking the refuge has been shut from the start of this winter. The town hall didn't want to continue with the manager and obviously haven't found someone new.
Temperature at car park at 10h 7C. At 14h - 17C !. Pistes hard, refrozen in the morning. Only visible piste prep was on the south plateau; snow cover must be too thin elsewhere to prep every day. Not too many stones and all avoidable but a slush fest after 11h30 and very sticky skiing back.
