Wed, 1 April 2026
Minimum altitude: 1,253 meters
Distance: 6.6 km
Slope Aspect: West
Vertical Climbed: 930 meters (3,051 feet)
Vertical Descended: 924 meters
Rating: 2.3
Avalanche Risk: 2
Snowline: 1,200
After a morning spent gliding along on cross-country skis, legs already a bit worn but motivation still high, I finally took advantage of a break in the weather. The strong northerly wind that had been sweeping the ridges over the past few days had dropped. The silence returned almost suddenly, bringing with it that fleeting feeling that the mountains were accessible again. I set off for Chamechaude, a reliable and favourite after-work choice, its west-facing slopes catching the last light of the day.
The conditions reminded me of 2013; that long spring when we skied until May in the Chartreuse. Perhaps there’s slightly less snow at the col this time, but overall the snowpack is holding up well. If the weather remains stable, there should still be a couple of good weeks ahead locally.
On the ascent, the snow already told its own story: shaped by the wind, frozen by the cold, then slowly softened again by the sun. Higher up, the effects of the strong northerly became noticeable. The original plan, to ski the Canyon, faded as footing became less reliable. Without crampons, and faced with icy snow at altitude, caution wins over ambition. I had ski couteaux in the sack but never like trusting them entirely.
The descent travelled between two worlds. Pockets of cold, almost powdery snow alternated with already transformed spring snow. Skiing was a matter of reading the terrain: enjoyable on the plateau, playful in the forest, more straightforward on the pistes. Mid-slope, however, the snow turns heavier, a clear sign that the seasonal transition is underway.
A short outing, almost suspended between winter and spring. One of those tours where the goal isn’t perfection, but simply to be there at the right moment, when the wind eases, the sun sets and the mountain opens up again.
Route: summit then Passe de Lapin / Cordes
