Ski crossing
Duaphiné
Ski Traverse
Südtirolalpin
Certified Mountain Guide
IFMGA - Mountain Guides Associations
Mail suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Prices from
1.600,- €
ABOUT THE TOUR
A wild ski traverse through the Écrins Massif, with the Meije, the Grande Ruine and the Dôme de Neige des Écrins as the big names along the way.
5 days · Difficulty S (SAC ski touring scale) · Écrins Massif
Dauphiné Ski Traverse: a ski traverse that outshines many of the classics in the Alps. The Haute Route de Dauphiné, as it is also often called, is a ski crossing of superlatives. Anyone choosing this adventure on skis must be aware that it demands solid ski technique, even in extremely steep terrain with sections of 40°–45°. You should also be comfortable with a climbing harness and abseil sections. There are hardly any truly easy crossings to be found in this area.
It is no coincidence that the Dauphiné is also known as the “Karakorum of the Alps”. At the latest when you pass the incredibly forbidding and spectacular walls of the Meije, the Grande Ruine and Mont Pelvoux, coated in rock, ice and snow, or make your way through the Val des Agneaux, you understand where this term comes from. The highest summit on the programme is the Barre des Écrins, or more precisely the Dôme de Neige des Écrins, the southernmost and at the same time westernmost four-thousander in the Alps.
The description already suggests that this tour is something truly special in the logbook of any ambitious ski mountaineer. Everything has to come together here: the snow cover, the conditions and the weather. For the reasons mentioned above, we travel in a small group of no more than 3 participants through a ski touring area far from the crowds, one that could scarcely offer a richer experience.
INFO
Services
Included in the price:
- Entire organization and guidance by a state-certified mountain guide
- All necessary reservations are made in advance
Additional costs:
- Transfer to and from the meeting point
- 4 overnight stays with half board in the huts
- 1 cable car ride from La Grave
- Taxi from Les Monetier to La Grave
- Mountain guide expenses (hut, lift ticket)
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per piece of equipment)
Facts
Location:
Dauphine
Best time of year:
April
Duration:
5 days
Meeting point:
La Grave - cable car valley station
What you need
Requirements:
- Safe skiing on extremely steep slopes (>40°) – no fall zone!
- Clean and safe switchback technique
- Experience with crampons and ski touring on glaciated terrain
- Very good physical condition for tours with 1,600 to 1,800 meters of elevation gain in challenging terrain
PRICING
Participants:
max. 3 people
Prices:
1 person:
2 people:
3 people:
3.500,- €
2.100,- €
1.600,- €
If you have any questions or need further information, please write them in the comment field of the inquiry form.
Before submitting your request: Please read the "important information" about risks in mountaineering carefully.
Dates:
upon request
PROGRAM
Day 1: La Grave to Promontoire
We meet in the morning at around 8:30 a.m. at the valley station of the famous cable car in La Grave. Here we carry out an equipment check and then ride up together on the first lift. The first day of the tour is all about the Meije. Via two steep cols, the Col de la Girose and the Brèche du Râteau, things get serious right away before we reach our first stage destination, the Refuge Promontoire, with a final re-ascent.
Total time: 5 h | ↑ 1,050 m | ↓ 1,150 m | Difficulty: S
⌂ Refuge Promontoire
Day 2: Via the Col du Pavé
Day 2 begins with a short descent below the south faces of the Meije. At first still on skis, but soon equipped with crampons on very steep ground, we climb to the next col. Over the Col du Pavé we change valleys once again and, after a steep entry onto the Glacier Supérieur des Cavales, enjoy a magnificent descent past the winter-closed Refuge du Pavé, below the impressive north faces of the Grande Ruine. Our stage destination is the Refuge de l'Alpe de Villar d'Arène.
Total time: 4.5 h | ↑ 550 m | ↓ 1,500 m | Difficulty: ZS+
⌂ Refuge de l'Alpe de Villar d'Arène
Day 3: To the Refuge des Écrins
Today features a demanding ascent over the Col Émile Pic. First we head ever deeper into the impressive Vallon des Agneaux, before ascending left into the steep slopes below the Pic de Chamoissière. Here too we will switch several times between skis and crampons and, if necessary, abseil from the col into the south face in order to reach our stage destination, the Refuge des Écrins.
Total time: 6 h | ↑ 1,400 m | ↓ 300 m | Difficulty: ZS+
⌂ Refuge des Écrins
Day 4: Dôme de Neige
Day 4 — and the highest summit of the Dauphiné is on the programme. The tour to the Dôme de Neige des Écrins is spectacular. We begin the day at an easy pace, following the flat Glacier Blanc farther into the valley. Our objective rises ahead of us, ever more imposing and steep. Suddenly the glacier steepens, and we climb past massive seracs over steep slopes to the winter summit. On the descent we leave the Refuge des Écrins to our left and ski down to the lower hut, the Refuge du Glacier Blanc.
Total time: 5.5 h | ↑ 950 m | ↓ 1,450 m | Difficulty: ZS
⌂ Refuge du Glacier Blanc
Day 5: Descent to Monêtier
On the final day, the crossing of the Col du Monêtier still lies ahead. How could it be otherwise: on this crossing too, at some point we will have to strap the skis to our packs and continue in crampons. Our reward is a long descent that, depending on snow conditions, leads us far down into the Vallon du Grand Tabuc to the village of Le Monêtier-les-Bains, almost 2,000 vertical metres lower. The crowning finale of an impressive ski traverse. We return by taxi to our cars at the valley station of the cable car. We will arrive there in the early afternoon and then begin the journey home.
Total time: 4.5 h | ↑ 800 m | ↓ 1,850 m | Difficulty: ZS+
Any changes to the program that may be necessary for various reasons (weather, conditions, accommodation booking situation, etc.) will always be made in consultation with the participants.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - (FAQs)
Who is the Dauphiné Ski Traverse suitable for?
The tour is intended for very good and experienced ski tourers who move confidently even in steep terrain. You should be familiar with kick turns, steeper descents and long days on skis. Confidence with crampons and willingness for short abseil sections are also part of the package here.
How technical is the route?
The Haute Route de Dauphiné is not a leisurely hut tour. Several crossings are steep and, depending on conditions, we repeatedly switch between skis and crampons. Added to this is high-alpine terrain around Glacier Blanc and Dôme de Neige des Écrins, which demands experience and clean ski technique.
What equipment do I need to bring?
You will receive the detailed packing list with the confirmation email. Naturally, your ski touring equipment and suitable ski crampons or crampons are essential. Missing equipment can be hired from Südtirolalpin for a small wear fee.
