MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES IN THE MAURIENNE
by
Andy Hodges
2 POLICE SQUARE, MILNTHORPE, CUMBRIA LA7 7PY
About the Author
Andy Hodges was born in Wigan in 1967. He has been enjoying adventures in the outdoors since joining Cub Scouts in 1976. Learning to read a map and being allowed to tackle adventures were instrumental in nurturing a life long love for mountains. Student days allowed extended visits to the Provence region of France and he became a modern sports climber, while a summer holiday job saw him leading walking groups in the hills and mountains of the UK. He has been a volunteer member of Mountain Rescue for 16 years and is part of the Hasty Team, a fell running element of the rescue team.
Since discovering the Vanoise in 2004, he and his wife Sue have climbed, walked and cycled hundreds of miles of this beautiful region. There are hundreds more still left to be explored…
© Andy Hodges 2011
ISBN: 978 1 85284 621 3
Printed in China on behalf of Latitude Press Ltd
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
All photographs are by the author unless otherwise stated.
© FFRP 2011 for all GR®, PR® and GRP® paths appearing in this work
Advice to Readers
Readers are advised that, while every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of an edition. Please check Updates on this book's page on the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk) before planning your trip. We would also advise that you check information about such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Cicerone, 2 Police Square, Milnthorpe LA7 7PY, United Kingdom.
Warning
Mountaineering can be a dangerous activity carrying a risk of personal injury or death. It should be undertaken only by those with a full understanding of the risks and with the training and experience to evaluate them. While every care and effort has been taken in the preparation of this guide, the user should be aware that conditions can be highly variable and can change quickly, materially affecting the seriousness of a mountain walk. Therefore, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law, neither Cicerone nor the author accept liability for damage of any nature (including damage to property, personal injury or death) arising directly or indirectly from the information in this book.
To call out the Mountain Rescue use the international emergency number 112 (118 in Italy): this will connect you via any available network. Once connected to the emergency operator, ask for the police.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my parents for making me stick at Cubs for a month; if I had left, I would never have learned how exciting and challenging the outdoors can be. Their trust in allowing me and two friends to go to the Lake District for a week when we were only 13 further instilled this adventurous spirit.
I would also like to thank my wife Sue for being my partner, not just in life but also on every route in this book. Some of the most spine-chilling episodes of our mountaineering careers have occurred in the Vanoise – these routes never made it into the guide!
To all my climbing and walking partners, from Scout days to present-day rescue ‘missions’, I offer my thanks and gratitude.
I would also like to celebrate those volunteers who pass on their skills week in and week out, be they Scout or cadet leaders, teachers or youth workers. Their selfless commitment is rarely given the recognition it deserves.
Front cover: West ridge of Pte. de Cugne (Route 18)
Looking across to the Glaciers de la Vanoise from Plan du Lac (Route 49)
CONTENTS