Vertical Climbed: 970 meters (3,183 feet)
Vertical Descended: 970 meters
Avalanche Risk: 3
Snowline: 322
A col du Baure from home. It is only possible every 2 or 3 years and you have to seize the day. Monday would have been better, I could have put my skis on at home instead of walking to the fields behind the village. The snowplow has banked snow up on the pavements and they are impossible to ski. There was a good track made by snowshoers to the Manival refuge then a ski track to the col. The only problem were two fallen trees - one snapped in two by the weight of the snow. These took a good 10 minutes to climb round. It was chilly at the col and night was arriving so I quickly changed to downhill mode.
The skiing was excellent. 5 to 10cm of fresh powder on a soggy base. Very safe feeling for skiing on the steep couloirs that traverse the woods. Regarding stability, not sure the quantity and density of the fresh snow was the ideal combination. After the Manival hut the forest trail had been well trodden by snowshoers. Not wide enough to be a ski piste but well packed so you picked up speed easily. This made the descent a bit tricky at times. I fixed my head lamp to give a bit more viz in the gloom and also to warn the trailers who run the route after work.
Route Taken: As topo but climbed from home
Weather: Cloud base at 1200m. Cold and a bit damp.
Access: n/a
Country: France Area: Chartreuse Trailhead: Manival
