Combe des Roches

A fine short tour which gets you a long way from the lifts in a short time, with great views onto the Grande Casse, Grande Gliere and more as you near the top of the skin! Starting from the Col de Chanrossa take the traverse under the Roc Merlet face to below the 2 small rock towers, where a short skin or bootpack will get you to the obvious shoulder. Ski down from here passing the Merlet refuges and take one of the many options to finish up in the valley floor at the Chalets de la Grande Val. 350m or so of uphill awaits to hit the Plan des Baux at the top of the Combe des Roches - a diversion to the right (or coming via the Col des Saulces) will give great views of the high peaks beyond Pralognan. From the plan des Baux follow the gentle slopes and shoulders leading Northwards into the Combe des Roches. At about 2200m a short steeper section allows a rightwards traverse to the Plan des Tincavets and some open tree skiing down to Le Biol, where you join the classic Les Avals exit. Be aware that the skiers right side of this lower slope is occasionally prone to large spring avalanches...