Ski-Areas > Southern Alps > Hautes-Alpes (05) > Oisans > Col du Lautaret > Col Du Laurichard
From the car park follow the summer trail to the left of the Laurichard drag lift and climb into the bowl of the réserve naturelle de Combeynot. There is a valley dead ahead after climbing a steepish slow. Follow this valley to the south-west into the relatively flat combe de Laurichard. The Pyramid de Laurichard rises up to the right and the Pic Ouest de Combeynot is to your left. The col (pass) is just to the right at the top of the valley. The final 50 meters are a steep climb and the col is airy. You have a view over the glacier de l'Homme and la Meije to the west.
| Mountain Range | Ecrins |
|---|---|
| Summit | Col du Laurichard |
| Altitude | 2654 meters |
| Orientation | North-East |
| Starting Altitude | 2002 meters |
| Vertical | 650 meters |
| Maps | IGN TOP 25 |
| GPS Waypoint | N 45.0155°, E 06.3905° |
| GPS Route | Google-Earth:Col-du-Lauteret |
| Grade[1] | Danger: 1, Climb: PD, Ski: 2.2 |
| Comments | The slopes under the col are at risk from windslab, be careful esp. if there is fresh snow and winds from the south to south-west. |
| Snowboarders | Upper valley is flattish |
| Equipment | ski crampons for the col, which is exposed |
| Road Access | Col du Lautaret |
| Author | davidof |
Returning from Briançon I noticed that there was quite a bit of snow at the col du Lauteret. I got my Wed'ze out of the boot and started in the direction of the col du Laurichard. The bowl had a lot of light powder snow but the higher one climbed the more rocks were poking up, probably the terminal moraine of an extant glacier. I stopped at 2525 meters. There were some small soft slab avalanches while climbing and I didn't want to chance the final slopes to the col which had been sheltered from the recent strong southerly winds. There was also a lot of cross loading in the small valleys.
There seemed to be a bit of snow to the south on the Trois évêchés, the col du Galibier and the road were closed and snow covered.
Contributed by davidof on the 20/11/2006
<< Useful Information | Col du Lautaret | Pic Ouest de Combeynot? >>