A stunning tour with solitude, mountain beauty, multiple cols and a great journey

Statistics

1

day +

2,049

m

1,937

m

23

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Difficult

Description

This is one of the most enjoyable days ski touring in the area.

Whilst you are not visiting any summits, you traverse a succession of high cols, with an increasing sense of remoteness.

Despite perfect weather and amazing snow we didn’t see a soul, just the odd track. Leaving Maison Méane it is a short distance down the road to Larche.

You can leave the road at pt 1708m, on a bend in the road, traversing the ski pistes to then cross the stream at 1750m.

Head N to the Col de Mallemort at 2558m, with the nearby ruined military building. The descent the far side is minimal, with a long traverse, then gentle slopes past the spur that comes down W from the Rocca Blanca.

You are heading for the col immediately to its N, the Col de Stroppia, which is quite steep in ascent.

The far side is easy, into Italy, in the upper reaches of Val Maira.

Next up is Col Infernetto at 2783m, with a steep N facing pitch to take you down into a remote bowl.

From here your final high col can be seen, the Col de Ciasralas at 2950m.

This is your high point for the day and is very likely to be powder in descent.

It leads you down, with barely any re-ascent, to cross back into France at the Col de Maurin, 2641m.

Your hard work is done for the day now, as you descend NNW, down the Maurin valley to the gorgeous hamlet of Maljasset, with several options for the night, including a CAF hut, the recommended Auberge de la Cure, http://maljassetgite.fr/main-en.html and one or two other guesthouses.

Maljasset is a real ski touring hub, in the upper reaches of the Ubaye valley, a great spot to relax in the afternoon sun!