Crossing the Grandes Rousses in ski touring

Starting from the Pic Blanc, the Pic Bayle (3465m) will be your first objective: the highest point of the massif with its winning metre over the Etendard, it's after a 300m ascent that you'll reach its summit. From here, a superb descent to the Quirlies glacier awaits, with its magnificent seracs. A short climb back up to the Col des Quirlies gives you access to the fabulous glacial cirque of Saint Sorlin, dominated by the Crêtes du Grand Sauvage, the Pic de l'Etendard and the Cimes de la Barbarate and de la Cochette. This is where the options open up to you: from the col, you can climb to the Pic de l'Etendard (3464m), to descend to the summit and the Col de la Barbarate and access its glacier by abseiling down its west face: for a varied atmosphere and scenery! But you can also extend your journey to the brèche or cime de la Cochette for an exceptional all-round crossing of the Grandes Rousses. A magical experience!

A splendid itinerary, combining ascents in sealskins interspersed with exceptional descents in a wild setting, at an altitude constantly approaching 3,000m and with a positive vertical drop of around 1,000m. And what's more? A 2000m descent to round off this splendid journey to the heart of the highest peaks in the Rousses massif.

For anyone with a good level of skiing and able to descend slopes at 35 ° / 40 ° in all snow. A first experience of ski touring is recommended. Long route, requiring good physical condition.

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