COULOIR SKIING AT SUNSET

Avoiding unpleasant surprises on the slopes

It’s the beginning of December 2019, the French massifs of Isère are already covered in a thick blanket of snow, and without hesitation we can begin frequenting the mountain for early season ski tours. I’m a math professor and to balance my work with my passion for the mountains, I often go out before or after class when the conditions are good. When that’s the case, I’m tight on time and I know it’s better to play it safe and stick to familiar terrain. On this particular day, with only three hours of class in the morning, I can start a tour in the early afternoon. But there’s no time to waste because the sun sets early this time of year. It’s for this reason that nothing is left to chance. I’ve already skied the couloirs west of the Grande Valloire twice. The elevation gain is still difficult, but I know the route well and manage to do the ascent quickly. Knowledge of the terrain is essential for this kind of tour!