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Col Sereina

Crévacol

A popular ski tour with a long season and excellent skiing.

Ski Touring Moderate

Distance
11 km
Ascent
958 m
Descent
958 m
Duration
5-6 hrs
Low Point
1.7 km
High Point
2.5 km
Gradient
29˚
Col Sereina Map

Due to its high altitude parking, the Col Sereina can be a good day tour from early in the winter until late in the season. It can be a good choice in variable visibility as the navigation is fairly straightforward and a lot of it is in the trees. The terrain is mostly easy angled but there are big slopes above you as you approach the col and this is something to be aware of when assessing the snow conditions and stability. The slopes are North East facing and can hold good snow after a period of little fresh snow.

Description

Skin from the back of the car park at Crévacol along a track which takes you under the road bridge. Follow the flat terrain of the stream bed until the track climbs up past a hairpin bend and a building. Ahead is a large clearing in the trees where you pass another building before entering a steeper slope in the trees. Skin up this with a couple of kick turns and exit onto gentle slopes and sparse trees (which can be useful in poor visibility). The Col can be seen from here and it is a long easy skin up the wide valley. As you approach the col, the terrain on the slopes above you steepens, and the passage becomes narrower. There is often a large wind scoop just before you arrive at the col. Enjoy the views down to Planaval and the surrounding mountains and transition for the ski down.

There is plenty of scope for fresh tracks in the wide, fun and playful terrain below, and even when you get to the thicker trees there are good clearings for some fun skiing. As you drive back down the road enjoy some Italian hospitality at one of the Cafés in Étroubles.

Difficulty

Moderate

Slopes become slightly steeper at around 25-30 degrees.

Low Exposure (E1)

1 out of 4

Exposure is limited to that of the slope itself. Getting hurt is still likely if the slope is steep and/or the snow is hard.

Remoteness

2 out of 4

Away from help but easily accessed.

Best time to visit

between December and April

Features

  • Bowl
  • Tree Skiing
  • Single Descent

Equipment required

  • Skins

Similar routes nearby

Guidebooks in this area