Areches, France

Chris, M-j, Katie and I joined forces for today's enterprise.... the marked tour route at the top of Areches... we had done the bottom section last year, and this would complete the route.

Taking the lift to the middle station (where the bottom section starts) then the top chair.
The route goes away to the right of the exit to the chair.,.. with all the usual warnings

The bottom section was an interesting meander through the rocks and hollows of the ridge ... made all the more interesting by the lack of snow cover and the route took some really innovative options.

The first tranche over there was an opportunity to bail before the top tranche. You could jump onto the piste here and continue or go down.

We chose to stay on the trail, which headed up the rounded ridge end with several steep turns getting narrower and narrower.

Once on the ridge crest (or almost), the route traversed around the shoulder, and along the side - grass interspersed with snow sections, and a couple if hairy descents.

As the ridge ended (or dropped down to meet us) we cut across the bumps back towards the piste and the top of the highest drag lift.

There was not much debate about continuing to the col de forclaz ... only a few meters above us.

Time for lunch and some photos, then we were back down the piste again .. as previous days this trip , very little enjoyment to the sides as it was hard and corrugated.

The the ride down the lift at the bottom .. facing outwards always takes a little getting used to.