06 April 2004

Col de Mont Cenis, France

The weather had been good up to now, but this morning the clouds were out and there was a threat of precipitation later in the day. Looking across to the Val Cenis ski area we could see the clouds down around the col level.

Anxious not to waste a day so early in the trip we decided to return to the ski area and skin up to the col de Cenis, and take a look at Italy.

We followed the same initial route as we had the first day and took to the lower nursery slopes.

From here we followed the Blue run diagonally up the ski area from here. The slope was quite gentle, and we made good progress.

Across the valley things looked much the same as as our side, with the green valley contrasting with the white cloud.

As we reached the the end of this particular piste, we were near the top of the chair coming up from Lanslebourg to the col.

We paused to get our bearings before setting out for the col. This section was relatively flat and we made good progress.

We continued over the col so we could see into Italy and the frozen lake.

Then we headed back to the chapel on the col. The wind was rattling through the col, and this offer some shelter.

Time for a rest and some food, before we took off the skins and got ready to head back the way we had come.

Part of the way along the route back, we hopped over and down a red run, before slipping gently along the valley slopes back to where we started.