Aiguillette Couloir

The 2566 metre summit of the Prorel dominates the Chantemerle and Briancon sectors and there are rideable routes on every aspect, ranging from the fairly straightforward to the highly exposed. The hike to the summit is up the west ridge and generally takes 20-30 minutes. If the climb is icy it is much more comfortable to use crampons as there are one or two places where you really don’t want to fall. The exact route depends on snow conditions and it is often necessary to move away from the ridge a bit and find a passage through the rocks on the first half of the climb. The Aiguillette couloir cuts into the mountain’s north ridge and provides a beautiful, varied line with a big mountain ambiance. From the summit, follow the ridge down to the north. Your equipment may thank you for taking it easy here, as it can be a rock minefield if the wind has been unfavourable. Cruise through a gentle, wide section, still heading north, until an obvious narrow and steeper slope to the right. This leads down into the main section of the couloir which gradually widens as it heads towards the forest at the top of the Aiguillette chairlift. At the exit of the couloir, keep going in the forest leaving the Aiguillette piste to your left. You can rejoin the piste whenever you’ve had enough! In powder, if you connect all the way down to the bottom of the Aiguillette chairlift, you’ll have done 800 vertical metres of pure perfection. If you reach a snow covered road (roughly 500 vertical metres below), don’t go any lower or you’ll have a lot of walking to do. Instead, walk or skate to the left, following the road until you see the bottom of the Aiguillette chairlift or the piste.