the couloir vallancant
The vallancant is one of those runs that used to be “off the guide book trail” but is now very popular and hard to get first track. Which is understandable because it is truly an amazing descent with a very short hike. Now, there are plenty of variation which are rarely skied in the same zone so if you really need to be the first that day it should be easy. I just wanted a good ski out of the cold and wind and in the sun. too fuckin cold these days. the wind was depositing massive amount of moisture snow all around and i was a little worried about that run. I proved right , a big slab released half way down the couloir and went down to the glacier bed . It happened right before us and probably just as the 2 skiers before us exited the couloir, hence their fresh tracks on the apron. the skiing was marginal between slabby hard chalk and soft snow…we met a few chamois and were out of there on time for apres ski…
Cedric Bernardini 