From the Adele Planchard Hut the climb up la Grande Ruine is about 600 vertical metres on reasonably steady slopes. You reverse your tracks from yesterday, but instead of going over the Col des Neiges, you continue on up to the obvious peak above. It steepens up towards the end, where the easiest way up is to bootpack up a couloir to the ridge, with an easy scramble to the top. Axe and crampons may be useful for the couloir. There is a wicked view in all directions, particularly of la Meije. Descend the couloir to your skis, then you have a choice of 2 descents.

I have marked the way down past the hut again, this has the advantage of being able to go lighter in the morning as you will be returning to the hut. The other is to recross the Col des Neiges and descend more gently, down the Glacier de la Casse Deserte. Apart from the crossing of the Col des Neiges this is an easier descent. Assuming you return to the hut, don't delay too long as you have a long, steep and sunny descent below the hut to gain the flat glacier below. This is often fantastic spring snow and takes a sneaky line between rocks low down, before opening out onto the huge glacier below. Follow the valley floor downwards for several kilometres to the Refuge de l’Alpe de Villar d’Arène.