Sun, 5 February 2023
Minimum altitude: 932 meters
Distance: 27.8 km
Slope Aspect: South
Vertical Climbed: 454 meters (1,490 feet)
Vertical Descended: 464 meters
Description
The Lachat mountain centre has 46 km of marked and groomed cross-country ski trails for skating and alternative skiing. For beginners and kids there are 2.5 km, 5.5 km and 9 km loipe in the middle of the Moussières forest and around the old farms of the plateau. If you are a sportsman try the more technical and physical 12 and 16 km trails that will take you up to the Belleroche pass and into the most remote parts of the area. At the Lachat mountain centre you will find a rental shop where you can hire equipment at very affordable rates. For those who are already equipped, you can park directly next to the little hut to get your slope pass and find out about the day's conditions.
Access
The area is 95km from Lyon taking the Nantua exit from the autoroute (1h approx) and 65km from Geneva via Bellegarde.
Trip Report
Indeed it is true, folks! I parked next to the little hut on the cross roads and a very helpful guy told me about the trails and conditions. Things have degraded over the last days with a number of trails shut or short of snow. Principally the return via the Combe Ramboz was shut. I took the south loop from the start, it was a bit sporty with debris on the trail. The pisteur had warned me. Then I rejoined the main trail, la Chaneleuse to climb over to the Col de Belle Roche through summer pastures, woods and villages. This was a pleasant 3 to 5% climb so nice and relaxing. The return was fast, apart from a short rise you got the impression of descending all the time. Not always the case this year with the poor snow which has had me pushing on the polls even to descend. 13km round trip.
Skiing back up the trail I took the Moussieres black variant to rejoin the Col de Belle Roche directly then looped back round the Mortier red. The temperatures were positive and the sun was shining and the snow getting sticky - pushing on the descents even so I called it a day as I had to be home for lunch.
The loop to the south of the start had stones and was a bit icy at 9am, I didn't repeat it. The road was visible in places, about 3-5cm of snow in the thinnest spots. Icy snow before 10, perfect between 10 and 11, sticky snow afterwards. Warm, above freezing at the start when I left.
