Pic de la Belle Étoile
The ski season gets off to a beautiful start!
With David.
The latest weather systems from the west have given the Chartreuse and Vercors massifs a good soaking. Further back, the Belledonne massif has also received a good share of the precipitation and has the added advantage of higher altitude, meaning a better-built snowpack, especially above 1800m. So we opt for this massif.
With no precise objective, we put on our skis, a little sceptical about the conditions we will find. In the end, after crossing the Col de l'Aigleton, a first exquisite descent awakens our sensations, dulled by the summer.
Super-motivated, we head for the Dent du Pra. The slightly packed powder is easy to break trail in, and our pace leads us to branch off towards the Pic de la Belle Etoile.
All these classic valleys are deserted today. An ocean of cloud is spilling over the Pic du Pin. The descent in the late-afternoon light looks excellent and lives up to its promise. The first turns of the season are a treat in this soft frisette snow.
One last skin-up and we are back at the Col de l'Aigleton, welcomed by the last reddish glows.
No hidden rock bit into our bases on a last, still powdery descent that slides us under the cloud, caught by nightfall.
The season is well and truly under way!
Photo gallery...