Wed, 18 April 2007
Vertical Climbed: 1,210 meters (3,970 feet)
Vertical Descended: 1,210 meters
Rating: 4.1
Avalanche Risk: 2
Snowline: 1,550
Route
Autoroute Pontcharra exit -> Allevard -> St Hugon
From St Hugon take the road to the baraque de Cohardin. This is a private road and car access not allowed on the Isere side and there is a danger or rockfall it is a 4x4 track on Savoie side. If you park do it on the right hand side of the stream in the Savoie as you can get a 135 euro fine on the Isere side!
Cross over the Bens river to climb the path on the right bank to the Pre Nouveau refuge (closed). After the bed of the Bens river is infested with brushwood. You have two choices, either traverse the Bens to follow a forest road not shown on IGN maps which climbs to the chalet de la Balme chalet (45.377057 , 6.173383) or continue towards the plan des Ferices and at 1600 meters cross through the brushwood towards a large avalanche zone which descends from the Grde Cristalliere. Continue to the south-west to arrive in a suspended valley. The couloir is obvious, at the end of the valley on the left.
avalanche. See track in red. Descend back to the Ferices.
Variants
Combe de la Balme (red track). The real summit but the final can be a bit exposed needing a bit of cramponing.
Col de la Bourbière (2352m). Climb via the col de la Bourbière or descend via this route if the couloir is not in condition. Short, steep couloir (45° over 50m, 40° over 150m), danger of avalanches from the Cristalliere/Charnier
Collet d'Allevard. If you are concerned about the St Hugon road you can descend from the summit of the ski area. Ski down the east slope from the summit to 1770m to the Claran refuge.Put on skins to traverse to the chalet de la Balme.
Trip Report
The road was clear to Cohardin. I took the option of climbing to the Balme and then the long traverse over to the Cristalliere valley. The refreeze was poor. I climbed the last 100 meters of the couloir on foot. It alternated between soft snow and refrozen crust. Not great for the descent. After the skiing was on very soft snow, like ice soft icecream but not unpleasant to ski. Avoid the bed of the Bens river which is like an tropical jungle with the brushwood, instead head to the west before reaching the valley to traverse to the Balme forest road.
Very Warm, Sunny, Poor refreeze
