Specifically timings, route choice, do you stop in La Fouly or press on to the hospice, any other useful information, gratefully received.
StephenGoulden
we did this many years ago, so response to my comments needs to take that into account. We did the Grand Lui variant to La Fouly, and stopped there, in a small hotel (can't recall the name). La Fouly is quite a village, so there could be some choice. The route from La Fouly to the HStB isn't difficult, as I recall it, although the last descent is south facing and quite steep. To do the whole stage in one could be a bit long. More difficult is the choice from the Hospice. We headed for the Cab Velan, which involves crossing 2 or 3 cols from the small ski station of Bourg St Bernard, a very committing route choice. Skiing down to Bourg St B, down a much travelled road, in the cold of the morning, was desperate!
The route from La Fouly to the St Bernard Hospice can avalanche in some conditions. I have tried it twice without success. The first time we duly had an avalanche with serious consequences - described in an Eagles yearbook article later (2006). The second time I went up there (2008) the snow was obviously dangerous, which at least made the decision to turn back easy. On the way down we passed a larger group with a Swiss Guide and had a chat. We met them later on our tour and they had also turned back after trying an alternative line up the valley.
It deserves an early start from La Fouly and good snow conditions.
There is a simple hotel near the top of La Fouly, on the left hand side as you go up. They are used to ski tourers. There are one or two hut-style bunk rooms and they will do a hut-style breakfast very early in the morning. The hotel manager has a background in mountaineering and is quite a 'character'.
If the snow is bad you can get a taxi round to the St Bernard valley and get out at the bottom of a back road that leads up to the monastery. From here its a straightforward skin up to the monastery. The La Fouly hotel helped us order the taxi.
I have only pushed on once and I would be very reluctant to do so again. The group would have to be very strong and be very careful of the temperature on the section up to the Lacs de Fentre... this slope is prone to full depth slides and if the freeze has not been good you will want to be beyond this before it gets too soft.
If you are working out your timings then also make sure that you plan the descent down to La Fouly correctly... often people try to shunt this through from the Argentiere hut... possible if you are very fast but remember that much of this descent faces East, so you are usually looking to be in La Fouly by Midday.. i.e. starting the descent at 1030ish... obviously any timing ideas depend totally on the time of year and the conditions of the day
The Hospice is good but the Plan de Jeu hut is better, as you get to ski down below the hospice when the snow is good, rather than frozen in the morning.
Thanks for advice. All completed. Would highly recommend this route. We skied alone from the Col de Chardonnet until the Pigne d'Arolla. The circus of the HR after that was quite a shock!
StephenGoulden
we did this many years ago, so response to my comments needs to take that into account. We did the Grand Lui variant to La Fouly, and stopped there, in a small hotel (can't recall the name). La Fouly is quite a village, so there could be some choice. The route from La Fouly to the HStB isn't difficult, as I recall it, although the last descent is south facing and quite steep. To do the whole stage in one could be a bit long. More difficult is the choice from the Hospice. We headed for the Cab Velan, which involves crossing 2 or 3 cols from the small ski station of Bourg St Bernard, a very committing route choice. Skiing down to Bourg St B, down a much travelled road, in the cold of the morning, was desperate!
cdpej
Hi Tim
the year book search page is very useful for this sort of problem;
http://www.eagleskiclub.org.uk/search-yearbook-articles
Try putting in La Fouly and a few hits come up.
TimDavies
Thanks everyone
PeteShone
The route from La Fouly to the St Bernard Hospice can avalanche in some conditions. I have tried it twice without success. The first time we duly had an avalanche with serious consequences - described in an Eagles yearbook article later (2006). The second time I went up there (2008) the snow was obviously dangerous, which at least made the decision to turn back easy. On the way down we passed a larger group with a Swiss Guide and had a chat. We met them later on our tour and they had also turned back after trying an alternative line up the valley.
It deserves an early start from La Fouly and good snow conditions.
There is a simple hotel near the top of La Fouly, on the left hand side as you go up. They are used to ski tourers. There are one or two hut-style bunk rooms and they will do a hut-style breakfast very early in the morning. The hotel manager has a background in mountaineering and is quite a 'character'.
If the snow is bad you can get a taxi round to the St Bernard valley and get out at the bottom of a back road that leads up to the monastery. From here its a straightforward skin up to the monastery. The La Fouly hotel helped us order the taxi.
RickMarchant
Hi There,
I have only pushed on once and I would be very reluctant to do so again. The group would have to be very strong and be very careful of the temperature on the section up to the Lacs de Fentre... this slope is prone to full depth slides and if the freeze has not been good you will want to be beyond this before it gets too soft.
If you are working out your timings then also make sure that you plan the descent down to La Fouly correctly... often people try to shunt this through from the Argentiere hut... possible if you are very fast but remember that much of this descent faces East, so you are usually looking to be in La Fouly by Midday.. i.e. starting the descent at 1030ish... obviously any timing ideas depend totally on the time of year and the conditions of the day
The Hospice is good but the Plan de Jeu hut is better, as you get to ski down below the hospice when the snow is good, rather than frozen in the morning.
Good luck
Rick
TimDavies
Once again, thank you all for your advice.
Tim
TimDavies
Having stayed in the plan de jeu I would definitely go there again. Better food, shorter route and the guardian is a guide. And a shower!!
TimDavies
Thanks for advice. All completed. Would highly recommend this route. We skied alone from the Col de Chardonnet until the Pigne d'Arolla. The circus of the HR after that was quite a shock!