Le Granier Pas De La Porte

Hiking -> Routes -> Chartreuse -> Le Granier Pas De La Porte

Description

From the carpark there is a well made forest road however it is quicker to follow a small path that is marked with yellow paint stripes. This rejoins the forest road which you follow for about 1km to the south. You will see a couple of paths leading up to the right with red markings, ignore these, follow a wide path which narrows after a bend marked with yellow markings. This path crosses and recrosses the forest road. At 1120 m you come to the "les Routes" crossroads, from here a path leads to Bellecombe and the Porte de l'Alpet (signpost) follow the path to the Pas de la Porte. After crossing the forest road for the last time the path steepens and can be quite slippery. You will see a steep glade to the left then the path leaves the forest at around 1600 meter. Do not follow the steep couloir dead ahead but follow a traverse to the south-east on a narrow but well made path. This leads into the Pas de la Porte valley. From the Pas de la Porte a track leads to the right (north-west) and climbs up through some very small rock bands onto the Granier plateau. The trail follows the outer rim of the plateau which not only gives views over the valleys but avoids the dangerous lapiaz.

Lapiaz

Lapiaz or Sciallets are pot holes formed by chemical erosion of acidic rainwater in the limestone rocks. Many of the Chartreuse summits have these potholes and the Granier is very prone. There have been a number of deaths due to falls and the area is extremely dangerous in winter (same risks as glacier travel). If you snowshoe or ski tour you should know the route well and also carry a rope and climbing harness. Do not travel alone in winter. Some of the pot-holes are very deep and bodies are not always found.

Comments

The weatherman said it was the hottest 14th of November since records began, around 20C and climbing in shorts and a t-shirt despite being on a north-east face I could well believe it. The valleys were full of mist, or was it pollution? The path was slippery under the Pas de la Porte and I was pleased to have my Scarpa rather than Decathlon boots with their Vibram sole.

Contributed by davidof on the 14th November 2006

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