A long traverse and a small hike will take you in another wild valley far away from slopes

Statistics

1 - 2

hrs

77

m

807

m

36

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Difficult

Description

From the top of Arp traverse rightwards (the same beginning as for the Vesses couloir) to reach the Col Youlaz.

Keep traversing (now leftwards) into the big bowl and continue almost to its end.

When you see the Col above you at 2442 metres (the same one that is used in summer time for the Tour Mont Blanc hike) take your skis off and hike/skin up to the Col.

Take care because this part and the last traverse can be prone to avalanche when there is a lot of fresh snow, wind slabs or high temperatures.

The slope you climb faces east-northeast so check the avalanche bulletin beforehand to check conditions on this aspect).

The Col has an amazing view of Mont Blanc, the Combal lake and all the most remote parts of Val Veny.

From the Col ski down, staying slightly left, to reach the middle of the valley where a stream runs in summer time.

Then look left to spot a small tree and traverse leftwards for about 70-100 metres to reach another evident small bowl which was not visible before.

Ski down this to the summer road and follow it to Zerotta chairlift via some flat sections which require poling. This descent, due to the length of the traverse from the Arp, the climbing and the long flat at the end mean it can be unpleasant for snowboarders unless they are well prepared with splitboards, poles or snowshoes.