Thu, 21 March 2013
Vertical Climbed: 550 meters (1,805 feet)
Rating: 2.2
Habert du Pravouta. Not guarded. Under NW face of Pravouta.
Comments on route: The Col du Coq / Pravouta is a wintering site for Rock Ptarmigan. Take care to stick to existing climbing routes. Avoid any bumps in the snow which may be their nests. Do not cross into areas protected by yellow/black ropes.
Access: Grenoble > St Nazaire les Eymes > St Pancrasse du Touvet > Col du Coq (D30E_ > Hairpin at 1220. This is the limit of snow clearing and has been turned into a car park. Or higher from mid March just to the Col du Coq.
Equipment: Ski Crampons
Country: France Area: Chartreuse Trailhead: Col Du Coq
Description: Park just after the pottery at 1000m on a left hand hairpin. Climb from the village on a walking trail to the right of the Meunieres brook to pt 1123 meters (IGN map) then NNE to a prairie with Ruines of barns. There are electric pylons overhead. Continue across the prairie keeping the pylons to the left to join the road at a right hand hairpin at 1280 meters. Descent by the same route or via the fields above the reservoirs at 1033 meters.
Rating: 2.2/E1
Orientation: South-East
Vertical: 760
Description: From the village of le Baure (1100m.) climb to the Col du Baure then north under the Bec Charvet to the Col du Coq.
Rating: 2.2/E1
Orientation: South
Vertical: 700
Description: From the summit of Pravouta descend either directly into the SW bowl (avalanche risk) or via the south ridge to pt 1700m if the conditions are not stable then into the SW bowl. Exit onto the trail at 1450m after passing through some woods. You can also climb this route to make a loop.
Rating: 2.3/E1
Orientation: South-West
Description: From the summit either follow the west ridge (watch out for the corniche on your left) or descend the NW slopes to ski open slopes to a forest road at 1450m. Rejoin the Col du Coq and descend.
Rating: 2.1/E1
Orientation: West
Vertical: 580
Description: From the summit ski the NE slopes to the Col des Ayes - Perquelin trail at 1450 meters. This is a good plan at the end of the season. The slopes are often skiable to late April. They are avalanche prone. Both from slab avalanche in winter and purges in the spring. 3 skiers, equipped with airbags, were killed here in 2010. The corniche at the Col des Ayes can be an obstacle.
Rating: 3.1/E1
Orientation: North-East
Vertical: 580