Pelvoux on skies

In March 2022 Menno Schokker and me climbed and skied Pointe Puiseux (3.943m) of the famous Mont Pelvoux massif.

The first day we go up to the Refuge du Pelvoux, a long skin from the village of Pelvoux ( 1.200m-> 2.704m). A cold evening and night follows..

..but the next day comes quickly. After gaining height behind the refuge, we traverse towards the Coolidige couloir. We skin up untill it’s too steep, put the skies on the back and go on. But the snow is soft, the legs get heavy, and the ambition to ski this couloir is soon gone, so we make a depot and leave our skies behind.

After finishing the couloir, we walk on the enormous glacier plateau towards the summit of the Pelvoux (Pointe Puiseux). We enjoy the view over the Alps, before starting the long descent. During the down-climb of the couloir all attention is needed. But even more attention is needed if we start skiing. Conditions are totally bad. Every turn you make your skies break through the thin crust to reach the slushpup snow underneath. A shit show. After the refuge we have to walk from time to time. Close to the valley floor we can start skiing again, however, on even more horrible snow than I have ever experienced. With utmost care we try to put the skies in the right direction here. Happy to reach the campsite and the best part of the descent follows on the icy car road back to Pelvoux 😉

So to wrap it up: a bad ski experience but a beautiful day on a majestic major summit, in very good company!