Description

This is an amazing route which very rarely sees many visitors throughout an entire season, which is surprising due to its easy access, visibility from the Merles chairlift and the first class quality of steep skiing on offer! The ‘Jambe du Chien’ is accessed by hiking up to the ridge straight in front of you as you get off the Grattalu chairlift.

This ridge is split by a couloir that is easily skied down towards Lac du Grattalu and onto the backside of Pointe du Chardonnet.

Keep your height and traverse skier's right to save too much of a hike before taking your skis/boards off on the back (west) side of Pointe du Chardonnet.

Don’t boot up directly to the summit, rather head for the ridgeline between the two peaks to access the top of this hidden gem. Aim for the ridgeline to your right (the left hand col is the freeride descent of Café Liégeois).

Once at the top of the ridge, the narrow and steep top ramp of Jambe du Chien is revealed in front of you.

The first turns at the top of this ramp are in a fantastic position, with the summit of Pointe du Chardonnet just a stone’s throw away, yet not feeling overly remote and exposed. The steep ramp then leads to a dogleg (hence the name) which then points you straight down the fall line and into the Chardonnet Bowl.

It’s also possible to head into the next couloir over on the skier’s right from the dogleg, just keep your height immediately after the initial face to pop over the ridge in front of you.