Mon, 22 December 2025
Minimum altitude: 1,320 meters
Distance: 7.1 km
Slope Aspect: West
Vertical Climbed: 880 meters (2,887 feet)
Vertical Descended: 683 meters
Rating: 2.1
Avalanche Risk: 1
Snowline: 1,500
I had to go to the 7 Laux ski resort as I had something to pick up. I decided to arrive early and do a small ski tour. I don't like climbing on open ski runs so took the close Ardoisiere then the branch into the combe de Bedina. I'd vaguely thought of climbing the NW couloir to the Jas de Lievres but the snow was not going to be fun and I branched to the Col de Bedina to ski down on the pistes. This was always my back up plan. Strava gave my VAM at over 600m/h - I think it was a bit less but the climb on the steep Bedina slopes was quite complex. A 1 hour HR of 162 is really nicely into Zone 4 for me.
The piste from the col was closed and very hard snow but reasonably ok to ski, afterwards nice conditions but a few stones kicked up by the piste bashing.
From 1320 to 1400 I took advantage of the man made snow on the closed black piste. After it was very hard icy snow and I had to fit ski crampons which I rarely do and I kept them all the way to the col. The combe de Bedina was rutted and icy and not really skiable, at least not with reasonable safety. 5C in resort and overcast but weather improved later.
