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Saturday, April 07, 2007
Ski tour in the Ecrins national park, France
Ski tour in the heart of the Ecrins national park in the southern French alps with guide Olivier Laborie, Sam Pritchard and myself. In 2005 due to bad weather and tough climbing conditions we failed to get to the Glacier Blanc, so this was well earnt. On 6th April 2007 We start in Monetier-Le-Bains to climb 1,100m across two glaciers and two cols to reach the Col du Monetier and see the huge Glacier Blanc (Photo 1). We ski down the Glacier Jean Gauthier in the afternoon sun and spring snow with alpine scenery that matches any alpine views in the world (Photos 2-5) to reach the Refuge de Glacier Blanc at the foot of the Barre des Ecrins (Photo 6).
This area is our guide's "home turf". The refuge offers a great dinner, but a sleepless night in a room of 24 people. At 6am on 7th April we leave the hut and skin up the Glacier Blanc for 860m vertical (Photo 7), then climb a final 80metres beside a cornice (Photos 8-11) to reach the Col Emile Pic (3483m). Ski a long ridge then a huge colouir (Photos 12-13) then traverse Lac du Glacier d'Arsine (Photo 14) to Le Casset to finish the tour with a cold beer, then drive back via la Grave.
posted by Guy Nicholson, 9:52 pm 
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