Les Courtes, Croulante Couloir

Croulante Couloir Les Courtes

The 600/700 m line of the Croulante Couloir in red.  I skied Angelique on the left last year – http://rosshewittblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/couloir-angelique-traverse-of-les-courtes/

After having the Chamonix ‘cough’ for a couple of weeks I was getting fed up and wanted to get some long days training in. With high wind forecast at altitude and 60% sun we decide to go the long way to the Courtes from the Midi with the idea as the weather deteriorated, we could turn round. It is a fair hoof in there but 6 hrs of up was just what the doctor ordered.

Croullante Couloir-3

Gimp cave.

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Still miles away.

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Getting closer. Just as well, the sun beats down in the Talefre basin like the Sahara.

Michelle Blaydon Croullante Couloir-10Aiguilles Ravannel and Mummary

Ross Hewitt below Croulante

I tried this route 15 years ago, solo, from first bin in February. That time I was nuked by the sun by this point.

Michelle Blaydon Croullante Couloir-12

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Flat light as some high cloud comes in. The snow was hard anyway.

Ross Hewitt skiing Croulante Couloir

Ross Hewitt skiing Croulante Couloir Les CourtesMichelle Blaydon skiing Croullante Couloir-20

Michelle Blaydon skiing Croullante Couloir-23Croullante Couloir-27

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