Splitboard touring! End of winter bonus freshies!!

Split board touring week this week and although for most the winter is now well and truly over, with most resorts now shut (including everything in Chamonix except the Grand Montets) and the temperatures hitting the mid 20's, for those in the know and with the means and dedication the late winter freshies await!

Monday we did a splitboard introduction tour, the group are fit, keen and experienced regulars and so we headed up high straight away and had perfect spring conditions up and down the Glacier rouge du Dolent way up the Argentiere basin.

With a mixed forecast for Tuesday but a good one for Wednesday we then headed up to the Col du Grande St Bernard for a 2 day outing.

We hiked up to the refuge, the hospice du Grd St Bernard (which happens to be a Monastry that dates way back into the 18th century, initially a refuge for stricken travellers trying to get across the major trade route that the col used to be right up until the St Bernard tunnel was built in the mid 1900's!).

The weather started out not so bad but came in rapidly as we left the trail to the refuge to hike up the Combe de Barasson which we then descended in total zero vis.

Once back on the trail we reached the Refuge in the early afternoon and settled in for a relaxing evening whilst the storm raged outside.

An early start and the weather still appeared to be bad as we ate Breakfast but a sudden clearing revealed that the cloud was only socked in on the actual Col (which is very common here) and the peaks above were in glorious sunshine.

Moody skies and an early morning start from the refuge (back right).

We headed out the door and began to traverse around the frozen lake into Italy.

Andy Cook trying our new idea, a sport sliding on two planks! We sacked it off, it'll never catch on.

We kept the splitboards split with out the skins on for the first traverse around the lake, a weird idea that could be a strange sport in its own right, one long sliding thing on each foot with a pole in each hand. In the end we decided it wasn't that much fun and would never catch on.

We headed off towards the Fenetre d' en haut following initially the road across the col and down onto the Italian side of the mountain.

Leaving the road for the peaks above!

After riding through a tunnel to the first switch back we left the road and headed up into the peaks above.

Perfect conditions for hiking and riding!

Touring up towards the col d en haut.

The storm had left a beautiful fresh coat on everything and the mountains were in perfect condition for hiking and riding.

Tricky crampon work to access the final couloir.

The final couloir, starting to get a bit steep!

And the exit is a bit steeper still!

On reaching the col above we descended and traversed around behind the point de Drone and climbed a steep couloir with Crampons to access the Combe de Drone on the other side which with a new coat of fresh snow was now in perfect condition.

Whilst every one else bakes in the sun on the Grande Montets, Andy C gets some late winter fresh!

And so does Pete!

And Lee charges the upper bowl!

Gwri is back out again and getting deep in in as usual!

Andy Mantle charges the lower slopes.

With 2 new knee caps Darren (aka Piglet?) loves the smooth fresh!


Loads of room and fresh turns for all!

It was a nice surprise to find some proper deep fresh powder on the upper slopes and in the areas sheltered from the cold North wind.

A great late winter bonus for sure and the ride was long and in perfect condition!

The circular tour from the refuge took us up and around the Pointe du Drone with the descent taking us straight back down to the Van parked down at Bourg St Bernard to finish a perfect couple of day out on the mountain.

Mixed weather tomorrow but better on Friday so we're looking to head up through the Col du Chardonnay and over to the Trient hut tomorrow and from there hopefully a perfectly fresh descent of Glacier des Grandes on Friday!

I'll let you know how we progress!

All is good!

Neil.