Finally we got out at a reasonable hour, though we were delayed by a 20 minute line for lift tickets. There is now an RFID card usable by most Swiss resorts (including all 4 so far this trip) which can be reloaded online in advance. I will do that if we return to Verbier.
They were still blowing snow on the return trail to Madran.
Good idea, as that trail takes a tremendous load of end of day traffic.
We took warmup cruisers on both sides of Fontanet with better surfaces than the prior two days at south facing areas. View of Attelas from Fontanet:
The small red circle at far left was the site of my 3PM off piste adventure.
View of Mont Gele from Fontanet:
We went up to Attelas, backside view of Lac des Vauz lifts and runs from there.
Closeup of unusual rocks:
Liz was ready to try the off piste itineraries she had not done on two prior days at Verbier. We started with Chassoure-Tortin, which I had never skied either but is the shortest at 2,000 vertical. Liz followed the yellow skiroute markers while I traversed right and skied the bowl in background here.
About 1,500 feet down an exit trail to Tortin has been groomed.
You can stay off piste through the lower part if you want.
I thought we needed to get to Tortin expeditiously while the weather remained favorable.
When we got to the top of the Gentianes tram, thin clouds were forming.
View up to Mont Fort:
The tram up there had a big line for those wanting to check out the view as we did in April 2022. You can see that the run off the top is mogulled as it was then. It was fully groomed my first visit in 2004.
Here’s Liz at the sign warning of 2,700 vertical of ungroomed ahead.
Here’s the bottom of the poma which skiers who come down from Mont Fort but want to stay on the groomed can use to get back to Verbier.
A few people were traversing to get some tracks.
Liz is on her way again following the yellow skiroute markers.
Scouting on our tram ride I had other ideas. I traversed left to ski a NW line into the lower drainage from Mont Gele. View up Mont Gele north side sector:
View up of the bowl I skied under the tram:
Lower down I looked back and saw three other skiers who came the same way I did.
There was one more steep shot below where I took the last pic, and I was very deliberate as the light was getting flat. I decided a continuous run off Mont Gele’s north side was a bad idea if it remained cloudy.
With my explorations Liz got down to Tortin before I did. The Chassoure-Tortin and Gentianes-Tortin runs make it official that Liz’ skiing has not been degraded by her knee replacement.
We rode the Gentianes tram again and skied the long Gentianes piste to La Chaux. For part of it we were tempted to divert off piste skier’s right. I’m the speck low in this pic
Liz followed me.
We rode up to Fontanet and had a view of the distinctive peaks between Verbier and Chamonix.
I had never skied off piste from Attelas and so decided to give that a try. It faces into the afternoon sun so the light was manageable even with the overcast. The light was worst on the traverse getting there.
I also had to sidestep over some rocks in the foreground outcropping.
I eventually reached this summer hiking trail sign.
The saddle where I will drop in is just ahead to the left.
View down above the drop in:
The west exposure that made the light better also made the surface under the couple of inches recent snow firm, so it was mostly one turn at a time on the steep part.
View back up about halfway down the steep section:
Below was a crack similar to those we had seen at Crans-Montana. I diverted well right to avoid it.
Between the two rocks at center is a skier skinning up! I believe he had a parapente in his backpack as one passed over me a few minutes later.
View up once I reached mellower terrain:
At the line of trees below is the Etiertses piste.
Exhausted, I skied to the 1936 yurt just above Carrefour. At 3:30 I met Liz and local Bob Mazerei. He was skiing with fellow telemarkers Henrik and Hans from Denmark.
After a couple of lively rounds we headed down to Medran after 5PM.
The snow down there was better than I recall my other two days here. Perhaps the midwinter snowmaking helps.
Vertical was 16,200, and this was one of those days where quality was what was important.
They were still blowing snow on the return trail to Madran.
Good idea, as that trail takes a tremendous load of end of day traffic.
We took warmup cruisers on both sides of Fontanet with better surfaces than the prior two days at south facing areas. View of Attelas from Fontanet:
The small red circle at far left was the site of my 3PM off piste adventure.
View of Mont Gele from Fontanet:
We went up to Attelas, backside view of Lac des Vauz lifts and runs from there.
Closeup of unusual rocks:
Liz was ready to try the off piste itineraries she had not done on two prior days at Verbier. We started with Chassoure-Tortin, which I had never skied either but is the shortest at 2,000 vertical. Liz followed the yellow skiroute markers while I traversed right and skied the bowl in background here.
About 1,500 feet down an exit trail to Tortin has been groomed.
You can stay off piste through the lower part if you want.
I thought we needed to get to Tortin expeditiously while the weather remained favorable.
When we got to the top of the Gentianes tram, thin clouds were forming.
View up to Mont Fort:
The tram up there had a big line for those wanting to check out the view as we did in April 2022. You can see that the run off the top is mogulled as it was then. It was fully groomed my first visit in 2004.
Here’s Liz at the sign warning of 2,700 vertical of ungroomed ahead.
Here’s the bottom of the poma which skiers who come down from Mont Fort but want to stay on the groomed can use to get back to Verbier.
A few people were traversing to get some tracks.
Liz is on her way again following the yellow skiroute markers.
Scouting on our tram ride I had other ideas. I traversed left to ski a NW line into the lower drainage from Mont Gele. View up Mont Gele north side sector:
View up of the bowl I skied under the tram:
Lower down I looked back and saw three other skiers who came the same way I did.
There was one more steep shot below where I took the last pic, and I was very deliberate as the light was getting flat. I decided a continuous run off Mont Gele’s north side was a bad idea if it remained cloudy.
With my explorations Liz got down to Tortin before I did. The Chassoure-Tortin and Gentianes-Tortin runs make it official that Liz’ skiing has not been degraded by her knee replacement.
We rode the Gentianes tram again and skied the long Gentianes piste to La Chaux. For part of it we were tempted to divert off piste skier’s right. I’m the speck low in this pic
Liz followed me.
We rode up to Fontanet and had a view of the distinctive peaks between Verbier and Chamonix.
I had never skied off piste from Attelas and so decided to give that a try. It faces into the afternoon sun so the light was manageable even with the overcast. The light was worst on the traverse getting there.
I also had to sidestep over some rocks in the foreground outcropping.
I eventually reached this summer hiking trail sign.
The saddle where I will drop in is just ahead to the left.
View down above the drop in:
The west exposure that made the light better also made the surface under the couple of inches recent snow firm, so it was mostly one turn at a time on the steep part.
View back up about halfway down the steep section:
Below was a crack similar to those we had seen at Crans-Montana. I diverted well right to avoid it.
Between the two rocks at center is a skier skinning up! I believe he had a parapente in his backpack as one passed over me a few minutes later.
View up once I reached mellower terrain:
At the line of trees below is the Etiertses piste.
Exhausted, I skied to the 1936 yurt just above Carrefour. At 3:30 I met Liz and local Bob Mazerei. He was skiing with fellow telemarkers Henrik and Hans from Denmark.
After a couple of lively rounds we headed down to Medran after 5PM.
The snow down there was better than I recall my other two days here. Perhaps the midwinter snowmaking helps.
Vertical was 16,200, and this was one of those days where quality was what was important.
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