Grand Lui West Face

Skiing Grand Lui west face and Couloir d’Arpette the following day, with Stephan Shaw, Eva Eskilsson and Wolfgang Huber.

When skiing Couloir Barbey a few days ago, we spotted a nice looking face opposite, on the west face of Grand Lui, that we skied today.

Getting there is a long way from Grands Montets. Starting from the first lift, we quickly skinned up Col du Chardonnet to get to Saleina glacier. A short ski around the north side of Aig d’Argentiere, and then we could climb the actual face.

After skiing Grand Lui, we continued through Fenetre de Saleina and to the Trient hut where we spent the night. The next morning we skied one if the Couloirs d’Arpette from Pointe Orny, over col d’Encrenaz and a long cruising ski down to Trient.

  • West face of Grand Lui seen from Aig d'Argentiere a week earlier
  • Skinning up to Col de Chardonnet
  • Steph looking over Col de Chardonnet
  • Big turns down, around the north side of Aig d'Argentière.
  • Approaching the west face of Grand Lui
  • Boot packing up the still crusty couloir
  • A short climb along the ridge to the summit
  • Summit of Grand Lui, overlooking Glacier de Saleina and de l'a Neuve, and onto Aig d'Argentiere, Mt Dolent and Grand Combain
  • And view onto the east face of Col Sup de Tour Noir, new plans are being made already!
  • At 2pm the couloir has softened up and Wolfgang puts the first turns in
  • The snow is perfectly smooth, soft on the surface and firm underneath, on Grand Lui west face
  • Grand Lui West Face Ski
  • Skin up to Fenêtre de Saleina, Grand Lui behind us
  • A good meal and a long night's rest in Trient hut is very welcome after 1700m uphill and lots of good skiing
  • Up at Point d'Orny, picking between the many, steep couloirs to ski down to Val d'Arpette
  • Having a good look at all of the couloirs
  • Now that is the one we will ski!
  • Taking the most east facing couloir that is already soft from the morning sun
  • 800m of steep slushy skiing
  • Great corn snow down to Val d'Arpette
  • A short skin back up to Col des Encandies and we get access to the Trient glacier
  • Looming seracs on Trient glacier
  • Cuising the mellow slopes down to Trient
Activites: Ski Touring.
Locations: Chamonix.
Seasons: Spring and Winter.