We have a team planning to visit the Vanoise next week (Monday 4th April) and would welcome any recent information on the snow conditions from avalanche and crevasse perspectives. The HAT site indicates there's still a lot of depth-hoar around and a mate who's just returned from Chamonix (yes - I know it's not in the Vanoise) tells me there are yawning chasms on most glaciers. Can anyone confirm these observations or provide more info?
SimonChristy
Hi Dan,
Whereabouts are you/the team planning on heading in the Vanoise?
The last week has been very warm, but with intermittent snow down to 1800m, though 0 Isotherm due to rise to 3000m by Friday/Saturday.
Skied from the Pointe de la Rechasse (above Col de la Vanoise hut) last weekend (20th March) - reasonable cover up there, can't comment on glaciers further over as haven't been, but classics like Col de la Grande Casse, Col de Gliere, Rechasse, Pte du Dard have all seen lots of traffic.
re Snow its definitely a bit 'interesting' at the moment - a big layer of rotten stuff underneath everything on most aspects - N/NW seem to have been the main areas of concern, though slabs & wet snow slides evident on most aspects depending on when/where you look !!
On current conditions I would definitely be looking to get up high (2800m +) and stay as high as possible.
If you want any more info drop me a line here (don;t come on that often though) or at simon 'at' offpisteskiing 'dot' com.
Simon
DanCarron
Have just returned from the Vanoise. Original plan to do Femma > Plan du Lac > Felix Faurre abandoned due to very poor conditions above Tignes/Val (hard crust on rotten base and very hot at the end of last week). Avalanche activity all around.
We settled on 3 nights in the Felix Faurre hut (now Col de Lan Vanoise hut since rebuild early this decade). Hut at 2500m so several routes viable (Pointe de la Rechasse, Grande Casse etc.). Pralognan bottom chairlift was running on Weds but Rf Barmettes, by the top of the second and now not running top charilft, is now closed.
Advice is to stay high (>2600m) and start very early. It cooled down a bit on Tues/Weds.
Many thanks to Simon Christy for some expert local knowledge and advice.
A full write-up of this trip in flowing prose and accurate grammar will be submitted to the yearbook editors by Dr Rob Greaves (retd). All jokes of dubious quality, decency and political correctness, of which there many, will get the blue pencil.