TR: Getting rad in massive Swiss Couloirs (posted a bit late, from Jan 26th 2013)
Living in Switzerland for the past 3 years, I've been up the Dents du Midi 3 times in the summer, and had thought it would be awesome to head up it in the winter to shred some of its massive couloirs. The mountain is actually a series of peaks along a massive ridge. The north face of the mountain is littered with 5 impressive couloirs.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-C.../s901/Topo.jpg
Although I had a few friends who really wanted to come ski it, only one was able to join me. We decided to go for the one on the right. The climb starts at 1200m through the trees. At about 1400m you poke out of the trees.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-H...i8/s902/16.jpg
We stopped at 1700m for a quick snack.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-L..._Y/s747/17.jpg
At 2200m we reached a plateau where the couloirs start. Notice the size of the three people in the apron. They skied the less steep shorter left branch, while we headed for the right branch.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6...9g/s902/18.jpg
Halfway up the couloir and I’m stoked!
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-H..._A/s902/14.jpg
The climb continues. Funny too, because at this point it dawned on me that my two weeks back in Salt Lake City over the holidays, had made me forget how massive the alps really are.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-d...6uY/s902/5.jpg
We top out at 3200m, 2000m = 6500 ft above the car, soak in the much needed sun on this cold January day, get our gear ready, and then sit down for a nice picnic before the descent.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-V...8tE/s901/1.jpg
Dropping into awesome steep pow.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8...To/s902/12.jpg
Good thing is was so cold. The rock on the Dents du Midi is so flaky that on warmer spring days this couloir can be filled with a lot of debris.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-C...PU/s747/11.jpg
This so beats the valley fog!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1...DiM/s747/3.jpg
And I love making jump turns the whole way down.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-t...RBk/s747/2.jpg
Approaching the steepest part at the midsection just above the ski wide choke.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x...YPo/s747/9.jpg
Which was luckily bumpy and uneven.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-p...Ec/s902/10.jpg
Gregoire posing. 1000m down and a 1000m more to go!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5...fF0/s747/8.jpg
I’m pretty happy with that line.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M...ExY/s747/6.jpg
Looks pretty aesthetic especially before sunset. Thanks Gregoire for an awesome day and for the shots!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-B...LJg/s902/7.jpg