Many of the tours start from resorts, though tours that are basically off-piste trails are not included; good off-piste skiing guides already exist for many of the major resorts. The guide should, however, be useful for people who would like to tour for just one or two days as part of a resort holiday.
The organisation of the guide follows the natural division of the Savoie département into its various geographical areas. The various types of tours were selected, as far as possible, to reflect the atmosphere of these areas and to provide interesting and homogenous excursions. In general, preference has been given to multi-day, hut-to-hut tours but in some areas it is more logical to do a number of day trips from a mountain hut or a base-camp in the valley. The tours involve up to six day’s skiing, although most can be lengthened or shortened to suit time constraints, weather conditions and fitness.
The final slopes below the Pointe Francesetti on Day 5 of the Carro/Evettes tour
Given good snow conditions, most of the tours are within the capabilities of any competent skier (ie. someone who is at ease on black slopes), but it must be remembered that snow conditions are not often perfect when you are touring. A final chapter describes some classic tours that fall more into the realm of ski mountaineering than ski touring. None of the tours in the guide can be considered extreme skiing.
It must be remembered that ski touring is both a physically demanding and a potentially dangerous sport; it is important not to over-estimate your fitness or technical abilities. Skinning uphill, with four kilograms of ski, binding and boot on each foot and a 10–15kg rucksack on your back, is an exhausting business. Do not expect to be able to do a 1500m climb every day unless you are very fit.
Most serious accidents are caused by avalanches, although crevasses, seracs and steep slopes, especially if there are cliffs in the fall-line, can also be extremely dangerous. General mountaineering knowledge and experience is at least as valuable as skiing ability if you want to have a long and safe ski-touring career.
Geography
This guide covers the mountains south of Mont Blanc and north of the Ecrins Massif. The western part is defined by the Grésivaudan Valley, which runs from Chambéry to Grenoble, the eastern edge by the Franco-Italian border.
This area is divided into three sections by the valleys of the River Isère (the Tarentaise Valley) and the River Arc (the Maurienne Valley). The Vanoise National Park, which lies between these two valleys, contains most of the highest mountains. The largest ski-resorts are on the northern and western edges of the Vanoise and provide convenient access points to the area. The Beaufortain lies to the north of the Vanoise, the Lauzière and Belledonne to the west and Valloire, Mont Thabor and the Haute Maurienne to the south.
Access
To get to all of the locations described in this book, it is necessary to pass through Chambéry. Chambéry is about 80km south of Geneva and 100km east of Lyons. There are regular, cheap flights from the UK to both these airports as well as to Chambéry itself. There is a shuttle-bus service between Lyons airport and Chambéry and a train service from Geneva airport to Chambéry.
On the summit ridge below the Levanna Occidentale on Day 2 of the Carro/Evettes tour
Skinning up the Col de Corne Noire on Day 2 in the Beaufortain with the Crête du Rey in the background
From Chambéry it is possible to get to most of the larger resorts using a combination of train and bus services. Unfortunately, public transport starts to become less reliable when the resorts close in the middle of April; the best time for touring in the higher areas is generally April to May. Contact the relevant tourist office for further details (see Appendix 3).
By far the easiest way to reach the start of most of the tours is by car. The road access from Chambéry is described at the start of each section.
Snow Conditions and Avalanches
Snow Conditions
As in all mountain areas, the weather and therefore the snow conditions can be very variable. The snowpack can be very unstable in winter, especially in the higher areas (above 2500m). The best time for ski touring is March to May. If you want to go touring earlier in the season, it is best to stay in the lower massifs. All skiers dream of finding 50cm of virgin powder; that light, ‘fluffy’ snow that gives you the sensation that you are floating down the mountainside. Seasoned ski tourers know that spring snow, produced by the freeze-thaw action of the sun, can be equally sublime to ski. They delight in finding rock-hard névé, knowing that when the top few centimetres melt as the day warms-up, they will have the perfect skiing surface. It is rare for powder to last long on south-facing slopes, even the middle of winter.
On the other hand, after two weeks of good weather, spring snow can be found sometimes as early as February. With an astute choice of itinerary you can usually find good snow. No one makes the perfect choice every time and, because many tours include slopes with different aspects, you will undoubtedly come across difficult snow conditions from time to time. In crusty or very heavy snow, survival skiing becomes the watchword: ‘hop and hope’ often being the best turning technique! When slopes are very icy it may even be best to descend in crampons.
Avalanches
In an average year, 100 people are killed by avalanches in the Alps and you must be aware of the dangers. Please see the table on Avalanche Safety Information on the next page.
Information on snow conditions and the avalanche risk can be obtained (in French) by telephoning 08 92 68 10 20. These bulletins are updated every day at 4pm. The information they give is extremely useful in planning a tour but conditions can still vary locally. A seven day weather forecast can be obtained by dialling 08 92 68 02 73. The forecast is updated three times a day, at 7.30am, 12 noon and 6pm.
AVALANCHE SAFETY INFORMATION
This book is not a guide to avalanche awareness but some general points must be borne in mind when deciding where, or even whether, to go.
1 It is difficult to assess the snow conditions in an area without good knowledge of the terrain and recent weather conditions. Telephone snow reports, hut wardens, local mountain guides and, if you are in a resort, the ski-patrol can all provide indispensable information.
2 Even after several days of good weather, certain slopes can still be very dangerous. Weak layers in the snow-pack can last a surprisingly long time.
3 Learn to read the signs that may indicate unstable accumulations of snow; for example cornices, ripple marks, snow dunes etc.
4 If you are uncertain about the stability of a slope and it is impossible to avoid crossing it, do so one at a time and only stop in ‘safe’ zones, such as behind large rocks or trees.
5 The first person to ski a slope will not always be the person who triggers an avalanche. Sometimes several skiers can pass before the slope avalanches.
6 All members of a group should carry an avalanche transceiver and know how to use it. Each skier must also have an avalanche probe, in order to pin-point the exact position of the victim, and a snow shovel, to dig them out. A person buried by an avalanche has a good chance of survival if they are found within twenty minutes, however, by the time outside help arrives they will probably be dead. Your ability to find and free an avalanche victim could save a life.
7 There is no such thing as zero risk. Each party must assess the risks involved at any particular moment and make a decision accordingly.