Mont Fouchon from the col du Grand St Bernard.

Hiking up to the summit of Mont Fouchon, the Monastery from where we started is visible in the background.

Just got back from a great couple of days over at the Col du Grand St Bernard.

With a perfect 2 day weather window on the cards I formulated a quick plan to head over to the Monastery at the Col du Grand St Bernard.

The Monastery at the col du Grd St Bernard.

The Monastery there was first built as a hospice for stranded travellers in 1049, the pass being a major trade passage through the mountains and prone to bad weather and terrible conditions. Over the centuries it has grown in stature and become a fully working monastery catering as always to visitors passing through the high mountain pass at 2469m both Summer and Winter.

last Summer I visited the pass for the first time in ages riding it on my bike the day before the Tour de France was due to pass through a damn site quicker than I did. The first time I passed this way was as a child on one of our annual family voyages around the Alps, my Mum and Dad pointing out the peaks and sites of interest from over heating VW camper van before forcing us up some towering peak which on arrival we could have climbed via a 5 minute cable car ride. Character building stuff we were told!

Having never visited the pass in Winter but heard all about the great touring to be found around this region I have always been keen to get over there and find out what all the fuss was about. With a private guiding week underway and 2 perfect days forecast this was the perfect opportunity to get over there and explore.

Mont Fouchon 2902 is just behind and right of the sharp pointed peak (Pain du Sucre 2909m) in the center.

I quickly set about some research and came up with the perfect itinerary with a peak hidden away just beyond the Col called Mont Fouchon at 2902m.

On Monday morning we headed over to the Super St Bernard ski area (one gondolla lift) where which to our amazement (it being Easter bank holidays) was quiet and a blue bird powder day! We rode the lift a couple of times scoring powder both sides of the single piste before grabbing our touring kit and heading from the top of the lift down into the valley behind and hiking up to the Monastery at the Col. The hospitality there is amazing (although I'm obviously used to the hospitality of the Mont Blanc refuges and the Chamonix valley so anywhere were they say hello and smile at you is amazing in my book!) and we settled in for a relaxing and educational (with a quick tour of the museum) evening.

We woke to choir music and perfect weather and after a relaxed start headed out the door for just after 9. The route first descends following the deeply buried summer road around onto the Italian side of the pass nipping though one of the road tunnels before the climbing begins. Fortunately for us there were a group of skiers just one step ahead (guided by a good friend of mine) putting in a good track. Even so, with fresh snow underfoot and a heavy pack I was still sinking knee deep on every step and with 1000m of up ahead we knuckled down for some heavy work.

About here I started wishing for a split board! Hot work and deep snow!

About an hour into the climb I started dreaming of getting a split board again, the terrain over there definitely lends itself to skiing over snowshoeing and the potential for split board access over snowshoes is amazing. If only they were as good going down as up! Maybe next year!!

Alistair on the ridge just below the summit.

Anyway, we made the summit for about 11:30am, a fine pointed peak with standing room on top for 2 and spectacular views 360 degrees.

The descent was by the way of ascent.

Some of the potential for the descent in more stable conditions, today the avalanche risk was just to high!

There were some pretty good looking alternatives around but with the temperatures rising steadily, a foot or more of fresh and strong winds the previous day the avalanche risk was steadily rising off the scale and safety was priority.

As usual I took very few shots on the descent as I didn't want to stop but here's Alistair getting his fill.

Even so a good big descent saw us with about an hours ascent back up to the monastery and then a quick ride back down to the car at the Super St Bernard lift.

A great day out and a quick peek at the massive potential offered in this area. It's got me thinking about running a split board touring week next year... I've got some ideas for it so watch this space!

All is good.

Neil.