Long gone are the days when you could make first tracks on a Sunday after snow on the Virgule.

Another wonderful day in the Chartreuse. We climbed by to the Belles Ombres by the eponymous col. Descent by the couloir which was a bit ravaged with "steps".

I'd skied this couloir with Luc in 2009 after a detailed reccy in 2006 both in the winter and summer. Unfortunately it was skied a few days prior to our visit.

If snow cover permits park on D282 main road 500 meters after village on parking on right (pt 941).

The col de l'Arzelier is a small ski station on the east barrier of the Vercors mountain range. The are 3 drag lifts and chair offering 350 meters of vertical.

Anny said she'd found good powder on the NW bowl of the Orionde.

From the Car park at Prabert follow the road then forest trail to the East to the habert d'Aiguebelle (refuge) at 1740 meters.

I've meant to visit Mont St Martin in the winter for a long time. The climb is known to road bikers as "le petit alpe d'Huez" due to the number of zig-zags.

From the corner at 780 meters at the top of the village follow the Lanfray river to 921 meters (les Combes).

The avalanche bulletin is stuck on 3 at the moment with dire warnings about strong North winds and consequential skier triggered slabs even at "low altitudes" in forest clearings or as you c