La Grave, learning to become a skier and mountaineer in the high-alpine

The ski area beneath La Meije and above La Grave is truly unique and like no other anywhere else in the world. One gondola-style pulse lift carries skiers and mountaineers to a high-mountain pass at 3200 meters elevation located right next to the mighty summits of La Meije and Le Rateau. Once up there, a small surface lift serves to pull you leisurely up the glacier to access the area’s one and only groomed run. Other than these two lifts there is nothing… or perhaps everything depending on your point of view: glaciers, couloirs, open bowls, steep north faces, and knife-edge ridges. It goes without saying that this is an exceptional playground to “freeride”, but it is also a fantastic place to learn and to improve one’s skiing and mountaineering skills. Enjoy a quick tour with the ski patrollers and high-mountain guides of La Grave.

March 21, 2014, La Grave, the lower station of the Téléphérique de La Meije (gondola-style pulse lift). The day’s objective is to combine glacier skiing with mountaineering techniques. Of course the goal is also to enjoy the incredible high-alpine setting that will serve as the training grounds. It is 08:45 and we are planning to meet up with Pascal and Per, our two guides, as well as Ulysse, Mayeul, and Jérôme, all three ski patrollers in La Grave.

Ski patrollers you say?

"Here, other than on the one marked run," explains Ulysse Perrier, "skiers are responsible for themselves in this high-mountain environment. That means no marked runs, no grooming, and no avalanche control."

"Four of us monitor conditions and provide information, and we are all employed by the town of La Grave. The team consists of three ski patrollers and one high-mountain guide, considered a 'surveillance guide.' Our role is one of prevention with regard to the clientele, essentially to provide an objective analysis of the conditions and danger on any given day at the area: snow quality, avalanche risk, weather conditions,…," adds Mayeul Riffet. "In the morning we provide information to both skiers and mountaineers. Even if we can’t to require anything, we do try to get the message out not only regarding the importance of carrying a transceiver, shovel, and probe, but also about the importance of carrying the necessary glacier kit. Our main goal is to make sure that people clearly understand the nature the terrain and to encourage them to develop a ‘mountain mindset.’ We are also constantly out in the field to observe the conditions as they change and to gain an overall picture of what is going on.
During rescues, we act under the guidance of mountain rescue units such as the PGHM or CRS, who evacuate victims via helicopter. If the weather is bad, we work with them to evacuate the injured by sled."

Understanding conditions, carrying the right gear

As the gondola rises towards our 3200m destination, the amazing landscape comes into view. First the forest, then the wide open bowls, and then even further, the legendary Pan de Rideau, Trifides couloirs, and Enfetchores; today everything appears bone dry. When one thinks of La Grave, the first thing that comes to mind is usually light champagne powder. Today is a much different story. Ulysse Perrier explains, "The avalanche forecast calls for a risk rating of 2, or moderate. However, the avalanche risk is not right here. We have experienced high winds and warm temperatures recently, and no snow has fallen for at least two weeks, so the snowpack is firm in general. The major descents are not at all in condition and considered no-fall zones at the moment. We recommend staying away, and no local guides are skiing them either."

Firm snow at Col de la Girose Pass

We take advantage of the lift ride to talk about gear. Pascal Guiboud opens his backpack, "Today my pack is pretty full, with all of the essential gear that allows me to head off the beaten path, including my climbing skins, ski crampons, an ice axe, crampons, a harness, a rope, a glacier kit with ice screws, slings, carabiners, a progress-capture pulley to perform a crevasse rescue, a first-aid kit, food, a thermos, and an emergency headlamp. This pack allows me to be reasonably self-sufficient."

A day of instruction

The lift finally drops us off at 3200m. The day’s playground opens up before our very eyes, incredible. With Pascal and Per, our high-mountain guides, we put on our climbing skins and start skiing up towards Col de la Girose Pass. For Pascal, this is a great place to learn. He explains, "The Girose Glacier offers every situation imaginable, crevasses, a wide-open bergschrund, seracs, relatively steep slopes where there is often a boot pack. In short, this is the perfect spot to learn how to ski roped up, cross the bergschrund on foot, climb the dome above, maybe even as a pitch or two, and then on the descent make a few steep turns on a slope that is not too exposed."

Practice makes perfect…

From Col de la Girose Pass, the key crossover point to reach the upper Selle Valley, it is also possible to continue to the base of the Rateau’s west ridge. “The regular route is not very difficult (PD) if you climb the ridge via the summer route, which includes a few short sections rated 3+ (5.4) or 4 (5.5). By following a series of ledges, the route is pretty easy and climbable in winter, just like the area’s other classic, La Grave Peak, which offers an easy route (F) often completely covered in snow in the wintertime."

"Opposite the pass, towards the north, another ridgeline appears just a short walk from the top of the lift and that is climbed frequently: the southeast-northwest traverse of the Trifides spires. This rock traverse starts at the notch at the top of the Pan de Rideau and heads towards Trifides Peak. The route is rated AD (moderately difficult), and usually climbed in the summer, providing the opportunity to traverse a technical knife-edge ridgeline that is well-protected by bolts, with exceptional views of the Rateau’s striking north face. "In winter, one-third of the route is covered in snow and can be climbed with crampons. From where we're standing, it appears closeby and not very high up, but right behind it  looms the gigantic 500-meter high north face. If the ridge traverse turns out to be more difficult than you expected or if the weather takes a turn for the worse, the route is not very committing. You can make a quick and easy 50-meter rappel to the Girose Glacier."

Reviewing rope technique

To end the day, we ski down the Chancel run via Col du Lac Pass, the only way from where we are to ski all the way down to La Grave. We arc big turns to the top of the Patou couloirs, just above Puy Vachier Lake. As predicted, the snow is firm. Tension mounts a bit and everyone regains focus before we cautiously enter the couloir one by one, keeping the minimum required distance behind the skier below. The goal is to avoid skiing on top of each other and stopping along the side of the couloir. We then ski back to P1, the gondola’s lowest mid-station, and down through the moguls to La Grave!

What is the take-home message after a day like this?

Simply that La Grave not only offers world-class skiing, but also exceptional and moderate terrain to train, to learn, to use your gear, and to gain both ski and mountaineering experience.

So what are you waiting for to go stop by the La Grave patrol shack and say hello? Tell them we sent you!

To go even further:

• La Grave
• Ski patrol