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La Grave’s iconic ski lift, shut down this winter due to a snapped cable, is finally set to reopen March 15—restoring lift access to one of the most legendary, no-fall-zone backcountry zones on the planet.
If you know, you know—La Grave is the mecca for lift-accessed big-mountain skiing. It’s the kind of place that sticks with you, haunting your dreams and ruining all other ski trips by comparison.
A Brutal Start to the Season
The Glaciers de la Meije lift was originally set to fire up on December 21, 2024, but a final safety check revealed major cable damage, delaying the opening indefinitely. According to The Connection, the closure cut visitor numbers in half, making La Grave’s already niche economy even more fragile.
Then, just as things were looking up, another setback—on January 20, a cable snapped during repairs, damaging a pylon and likely causing at least a few workers to rethink their career choices. Thankfully, all 20 workers on-site were unharmed, according to La Grave’s mayor, Jean-Pierre Pic.
The Comeback Plan
Despite the chaos, Pic has confirmed that the lift will reopen on March 15, running through mid-September. Weekday operations will continue through April and May, with weekend service beyond that. If all goes to plan, spring missions in La Grave are officially back on the menu.
TGR Bonus Fact
La Grave played a starring role in TGR’s Almost Ablaze (2014) and has been living, as the youth says, “rent-free” in the minds of adventure skiers ever since. If you need a reminder of why this place is worth the hype, check out this classic Behind the Line episode from back in the day:
See you in La Grave—just don’t forget your harness, beacon, shovel, and probe.