After the usual lazy stat to the first day of a trip, where everyone gets used
to the time zone changes and also the need to re-pack bags and find the ski
clothes. The weather was relatively sunny with high cloud and the odd
wind gust.
We opted to walked down through the village from the apartment - about 750m -
for the Grand Mont chair lift into the Areches ski area. Climbing the steps up
to the kiosk for tickets - opting for a 4 hour ticket as we reasoned it would be
a bit cold after 3pm when the sun dropped over the skyline. Like last year the
snow level was below 1000m, although it was a little thin down to the bottom
station and the return run was closed.
The ride up to the middle station on the Grand Mont chair was very cold when the
sun disappeared behind the clouds and I soon realised that I should have more
layers on (and thicker gloves). From the middle station we dropped down to the
second tranche chair - Bonnets Rouge to the top station.
Here Steph and I left Bryon and Jenny to go down the Blue - (also Bonnets Rouge)
and repeat, whilst we popped over the shoulder to the back bowl and dropped down
to the Grangettes Poma, we started on the liaison track, but soon dropped off
into the off piste beside the red - Combe de Chasseurs.
Up the poma and across to the top poma - Forclaz to reach the top of the ski
area.
With our experiment with the off-piste working well and the snow still quite
powdery we chose to drop down the gully beside the red - Grand Rognoux.
As we descended below the smaller of the two bumps on the ridge of the Grand
Rognoux, there were several parties climbing up the skyline with skis on their
backs - not a route I think I would like to do!
Then cutting the corner off to continue beside the red - Bonne Combe. This gave
me the opportunity to check out the valley with the lac de St-Guerin, and
potential routes beyond and/ or above. Finally reaching the bottom of the
furthest poma - Rognoux.
After riding this we dropped straight down to the refuge for coffee and chips,
and to catch up with Bryon & Jenny.
Well fortified we continued down to ride the Rognoux poma and following that the
Forclaz to reach the top once again. this time dropping down the blue - Perdix,
then Grangettes (we actually rode the inter piste slopes).
From here it was down the blue - Sarrazine back to Le Cuvy - a long and often
cold track which ends at the Cuvy poma. this brought us back to the big plateau
beside the chair from Areches and the gondola from Le Planay.
The red run - Perches down to Le Planay was open and we then followed that down.
This starts with a very gentle track as it winds around the slope of a tongue
reaching out above Le Planay. Then it changes dramatically as a steep slope down
the valley (Les Perches). No incidents on the steep slope with Jenny showing how
much she remembered from last year.
The slope eases up as it comes out to the valley bottom chalets and we followed
the now flat track of the piste down to the chair and gondola lift stations in
Le Planay.
Over the road and onto the link run back to Areches - Boulevard de liaison
- a very simple track that is also used by walkers, snow shoes and rando. and
ends in the car park below the Grand Mont lift.
The final stretch was to walk back up through the village to the apartment.
