It starts with an email from a friend: "Have you seen this line through the cave?" he asks, adding a link to the website of a local extreme skier who had skied this unique descent through natural caves and tunnels. When I see the pictures, I can hardly believe my eyes: simply amazing! Skiing through a cave system. We simply have to do this descent. The plan is quickly made. Together with my (ski) partner Sandra and a friend, we set off into the "Chourum Olympique", the name of this unique cave couloir.
The Devoluy is a mountain range to the west of the famous Ecrins massif (La Grave). The Devoluy mountains are known for their soft, water-soluble limestone, making them a real paradise for caving tours and hikes. There are countless caves and tunnels in the region. You can even marvel at an underground glacier - if you are prepared to climb down to it. But only a few of these tunnels, which are called "Chourum" in the local dialect, are accessible on skis or snowboards. For skiers, the wild Devoluy mountain range offers some easy ski tours - but there are also many very steep and exposed couloirs.
Chourum Olympique at Grand Ferrand
During the entire ski tour, around 1700 meters of altitude difference, which are peppered with some difficulties, have to be mastered. The actual cave is about 450 meters in altitude. The first 1200 vertical meters are a fairly leisurely ski tour in moderately steep terrain and are therefore completed relatively quickly. As the area is located in the southern part of the French Alps, you can usually expect little snow at lower altitudes. This was also the case on our tour: there was just enough snow to get through to some extent.
The landscape is breathtaking and steep: chaotic, unevenly arranged slopes, gullies and peaks surround us - they are riddled with caves and holes like a Swiss cheese. In the high valley below the Chourum Olympiques, we thought we were in the wrong place, the rock faces towered so steeply in front of us. From a distance, the rock face simply looked impassable. But a double check on our map and we were sure again: the cave must be right here in front of us, in this almost vertical rock face. And indeed, we could only see the entrance just below the cave.
Even the tips of our toes are tingling with excitement: We stand in front of this limestone monument like children in front of a Christmas tree. The snow seems easy to ski on and has good grip. We've never seen anything like it before, let alone driven on it. We start our ascent through the tunnel. Skis on our backpacks, crampons on our boots and ice axes in our hands. Steep rocks surround us, a frozen waterfall hangs just above us and a magical shimmering light guides us to the tunnel exit. At the exit of the first cave, we look back into the steep slope below us, which disappears into a hole in the rock.
After a steep climb up the slope between the two caves, which we have to master, we reach the second tunnel. This slope in the cave is even steeper than before, especially as we climb through the second rock tube. However, we quickly reach the glistening, bright cave exit and stand at the summit of Grand Ferrand. Most skiers descend here on the other, easier side of the mountain. We, on the other hand, have climbed up with the aim of skiing back down through the caves.
With a gradient of 50° and some large rock bars in the middle of the steep flank, however, the descent is a serious undertaking.
The first turns on the flat summit plateau are quickly behind us and we dive straight into the first tunnel. After a few turns, we become more confident and feel quite safe. The feeling of skiing through the narrow rock tunnel is so unique that we wish it would last forever. All too soon, we are back at the bottom of the two tunnels.
A unique experience lies behind us. We look back at the rock face and almost can't believe that we skied through it. A few last turns in the gently sloping run-out of the slope bring us back to our starting point. A tour as unique as the steep limestone caves filled with snow.
We will never forget the tour through Chourum Olympique!
More pictures in the gallery
Information
Location: Devoluy (Southern French Alps)
Mountain: Grand Ferrand
Maximum gradient: 50°
Exposure: East
Special dangers: Danger of falling
Metres of altitude uphill/downhill: 1700 m
Best time: February to March
Necessary additional equipment: 2 ice axes, crampons, harness, helmet, carabiner, ice screw(s)
Note from the PG editors
We already published this tour on PowderGuide several years ago. However, the devil has eaten the data, which is why we are happy to present this magnificent tour to you again here.
