Looking up at the summit from the west ridge. The Petit Pertuis is the line directly down from the little col right of the summit.

Ski Tour & Conquer the Mighty Peaks of the Portes du Soleil

A collection of ski tours taking you around the alpine giant that is the Portes du Soleil.

Ski Touring Easy, Moderate, Difficult, Severe, Extreme

Description

Proclaiming to be “A genuine powder reserve deep in the Alps” (http://en.portesdusoleil.com/), Portes du Soleil is not only fantastically huge, but it has the wicked combination of being sun-rich and snow-sure. This alpine giant is one of the world’s biggest ski regions, with over 450km of runs covering about a dozen French and Swiss resorts including the famous Avoriaz, Morzine, Champéry and Châtel. So there’s more than enough skiing to keep everyone from amateurs to experts satisfied.

Here is a collection of 6 ski tours taking you up the prominent summits, down the lesser-known couloirs, and into the heart of Portes du Soleil’s backcountry. Sources Thorne, P. (2014) Powder- The Greatest Ski Runs on the Planet. (2014) London: Quercus Editions Ltd. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/articles/best-destinations-for-big-ski-areas/ http://en.portesdusoleil.com/

Routes included

Contrebandier's Couloir

An awesome couloir that takes you from France into Switzerland.

Difficult Ski Touring

Distance: 2.4 km
Ascent: 78 m
Descent: 649 m

Les Hauts Forts: South Face First Couloir

Sunny backcountry tour with steep couloir.

Severe Ski Touring

Distance: 789 m
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 468 m

Pointe de Ressachaux: West Side

A secluded summit squeezed between Morzine and Avoriaz with a steep ascent and short but beautiful descent requiring good snow cover to be worthwhile.

Difficult Ski Touring