| Guest26. 01. 2012 14:52:07 |
Pic du Lac Blanc or Pic Blanc in the Grandes Rousses massif (Dauphiné Alps) is located above the place Alpe d'Huez in France and is the highest point of the namesake ski resort (but not the highest point of the massif, where the nearest neighboring peak is Pic Bayle at 3465 m). Since skiing is not enough, my colleague and I decided one day to go for the sunny sunrise on the top of Pic Blanc via the ski slopes. Nevertheless, this is a very demanding hike, as in terms of elevation gain and distance traveled it is comparable to the path from Krma to Kredarica, plus about 900 m higher starting point than the above-mentioned path. In addition, most of the path is quite steep, in the most difficult total 300 meters the slope of the ski slopes is between 30° and 45°, which corresponds to "hiking" couloirs, especially since snow can be very hard in places. It also adds the altitude with rarefied air, as the target is over 450 m higher than Triglav. In addition, the hike to the summit was nighttime, which means that due to lack of markings you need to know exactly which ski slopes of the branched ski resort to take.
Most of the path (also the most difficult part) runs on the western side of the massif, to the eastern, from where you get to the summit, you go through a 300 m long tunnel for skiers, which is closed at night, but it could be opened. To the summit from the tunnel entrance (the slope is also called Tunnel) you can also go directly from the western side up the slope itself, but it is much more difficult, exposed and more dangerous, and you would need to go with two ice axes and roped.
Alpe d'Huez is a large and diverse ski center, and in addition it offers a huge amount of excellent terrain for ski tourers, as well as for ice climbing, alpine ski touring and climbing in couloirs. So if you ever go there for a week's skiing, it's worth taking an ice axe and crampons too.
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