We were back up at the Faschina pass before 8am ... this year we had successfully managed to be out on the hill for all the major days at or around this time ... it still did not save all the soft snow, but did help and today would be a classic example.
Parking on the side of the road by the lower lift we prepared to climb.
The peak standing proud at the head of the ski area.
The route started up the blue piste from the side of the road. we were heading for the bottom station of the next chair lift up the valley.
the last step up the piste was at the limit of the skins ... we slipped occasionally, causing a few palpitations.
At the lift station we angled left aiming for some scrub in the off-piste.
The track dropped down a little to the stream bed before heading up the other side. in a right to left rising traverse.
We (and the party next to us) were the first ones up here this morning. Overnight a film of spin drift had settled over the established track. When this was added to the delicate nature of some of the snow meant the track occasionally broke under the outside ski - not critical just annoying.
Once the track reached a rising "shelf" we turned right and would follow this all the way to the col.
we continued on the track up folds in the terrain.
Getting to the top of each fold, revealed the next step, with the summit getting closer each time.
The last slopes up to the col
the col .... two parties of three ahead of us.
We could now see why everyone stops at the col .. there were no tracks going up to the summit, and it was icy and sparsely covered in snow. If we were to go on it would be on foot, but again very scary without crampons and ice axe (which we did not have today) as well as the unknown snow drifts.
Looking west and East from the col.
Setting off downhill, we soon found that the snow was in almost perfect conditions ... the light covering of spin drift giving plenty of bite over the compact under-layer
being early on the descent also gave us some good choices of lines ... within a coupe of hours these faces would all be chossy
As we dropped we passed numerous parties all making their way up. .. good timing.
As we came down to the piste, the side off-piste continued to draw our attention ... this was some excellent skiing conditions.
The final section was down the piste and back to the car ... it was not yet 11am and we had completed the route.
back to the apartment for lunch and a snooze.
