Snow report Les Trois Vallees, 04/28/2018

Snow condition

Four-day tour from Pralognan (small station east of Courchevel) and Col de la Vanoise over the glaciers of the Vanoise to the Refuge de l'Arpont and through the Passage de Rosoire (picture 3 top left) past the Glacier du Genepy (picture 4) back to Pralognan.from the Fontanettes parking lot there is enough snow to get to the Col de la Vanoise (picture 1) and the Grande Casse (picture 2). On the way back you have to carry 20 minutes to Pralognan and above 2000m there is still a lot of snow!

Snow quality

Strong winds have exposed hard frozen snow in places. In the night from April 29 to 30, there was 5 cm of fresh snow, which allowed two good descents from the Col de Chasseforet to the Refuge de l'Arpont and from the Col Superieur du Genepy.

The return to colder temperatures has brought more stable conditions. On some of the steeper western slopes, snow slabs have come loose in the past warm week (image 6).

Overall impression

If the conditions for the Grande Casse are not suitable, the glaciers of the Vanoise offer alternative routes away from the crowds.

For (late) spring summiteers:
The hut at the Col de la Vanoise, at the foot of the Grande Casse, is open in May and June (very good crepes with Nutella or blueberry jam)!