I am looking for a good guide to the area french or english this will be my third year in the area and i have gone about as fare as i can go from resort ADH and back in a day so looking for new turns.
Any help would be ace and if anyone else is in the area this winter and wants to go touring that would also be cool.
Cheers Tom

The only book that I know of is the Vamos guide (it is notoriously imprecise though).

You can get an idea of routes in the area from Pistehors.com

http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/L-Alpe-D-Huez-Off-Piste

http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/Alpe-D-Huez-Clavans-Off-Piste

Just note that at 3000m you are skiing on glaciers with crevasses. Some of the routes are quite avalanche prone, particularly stuff on the Grandes Rousse side and off the Pic Blanc.

Thanks but i know all these areas and the other side of etendard already i am looking for more of a touring guide i have maps for all of the surrounding areas and there seems to be lots of routes and huts marked but i haven’t found any books with suggested tours or hut information.
Thanks for the advise. maybe hanging out in French bars is the way to go.
Cheers Tom

ok which huts and routes did you see?

Some of the thing i looked at last year where the tour from hameau de valfroide to aiguille du goleon, le grand galibier, refuge communal des sources above boug d’oisans, refuge communal de la muzelle touring up to roche de la muzelle. refuge des ecrins, le rocher blanc above lac de grand maison. I just thought with the amount of options out there they maybe some kind of guide the same as for climbing.
Thanks for your help.
Tom

You can get these guidebooks:

Ski de randonnée Savoie, by E. Cabau, Guide Olizane Sport (Editions Olizane).

Ski de randonnée Isère, by E. Cabau + H. Galley, Guide Olizane Sport (Editions Olizane)

These two include all the mountain groups for like 20-30km or more in any direction from Alpe d’Huez. The second includes the section of the Ecrins mountains around le Berarde which is south off the backside of La Grave ski lift area.

About two lifetimes of ski touring (if you have a car to get to the trailheads).

If you want to start into that, some of us might want to join you for tours and share driving this winter and spring.

Ken

P.S. If that’s not enough, you could also get this one:

Ski de randonnée, Haute Alpes, E. Cabau, H. Galley, Guide Olizane Sport (Editions Olizane).
which includes tours around Col de Lauteret and Refuge de l’Alpe d’Arene and in the Pelvoux area of the Ecrins mountains.

and also this one:

Ecrins Nord (Toponeige)

Hi Spenski,

Sam here from Alpe d’Huez; hope your summer in Chamonix went well. I’ve got the Topo Guide for Ecrins Nord which we’ve used for a number of tours in the last few years so feel free to pop in and borrow it when you’re back in ADH mate.

spenski - 27 October 2010 09:34 PM

le rocher blanc above lac de grand maison. I just thought with the amount of options out there they maybe some kind of guide the same as for climbing.

Hi Tom,

there are the French guidebooks mentioned above. Otherwise having a 1:25000 series map is often enough. The Rocher Blanc is a big undertaking from the Oisan valleys. The road above the Riviers d’Allemond is closed until mid May and is very avalanche prone on skis during the winter. It is a great area for wildlife. Allemond is a great starting point for ski tours to the Pas de la Coche, Ferrouillet, Col de la Pierre, Col de Roche Noire etc. A bit further down from Articol (2 parking spaces I think) you can access col de la Balmette.

http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/Col-De-Roche-Noire-East-Face
http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/Pic-Lamartine-East-Face

Regarding huts, le Chazeau is reached from Allemond via la Traverse (road blocked around 1100m. in winter) and you can access the Pic de Belledonne via a large east couloir and you can also tour the Grand Lance d’Allemont (via the col de la Portette) and Grand Charnier. The are some steep couloirs of the back of the Grand Charnier.

Returning to the Rocher Blanc, the refuge de la Combe Madame is open in winter but you will need a sleeping bag and matresse. Many of the Belledonne refuge are very basic.

http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/Combe-Madame-Refuge

This is some info about touring from the Glandon

http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/Col-De-La-Croix-East-Face
http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/Cretes-De-La-Marmottane-Tour
http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/Breche-Du-Chien
http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/Aiguille-D-Olle-North-west-Couloir

Above Vaujany you have the col du Sabot from where you can access le Cote Belle and les Aiguilletes. The cote Belle is avalanche prone. You also have the Rochers Motas and Rissou which are a bit “terra incognito” as far as ski tourers are concerned.

http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Isere-Drome/Les-Aiguillettes-De-Vaujany-North-West-Bowl

All good advise thankyou everyone. Sam ill be in ADH on the 25th so ill pop up to launge to see you. Yes i have a van and im always looking for touring partners so ill be in touch and like wise if any of you guys are around let me know.
Cheers Tom

P.S Sam not a lot of work in cham so i had to come back to the uk and now ive got so much on i don’t know if im going to get it all done before i leave. ha ha.

Hi
I’m staying in Les Deux Alpes from 3/12 till 3/17 and like to join some day trips while my wife is lift skiing. I can reach La Grave easily from there.
Anybody around?