Col Superieur du Tour Noir

Skiing the east face of Col Superieur du Tour Noir down to La Fouly, with Steph, Wolfgang and Eva.

Skiing the Grand Lui 3 days ago we got a good look at the nice looking east face of Col Superieur du Tour Noir. So 2 days later we climbed there from the Argentiere refuge and skied all the way down to La Fouly in Switzerland, where we had already placed a car. The face is about 300m, 50-45 degree steep, the a long cruise down to La Fouly on the De La Neuve glacier.

  • Ascending to the Argentiere refuge from the last lift to Grands Montets
  • Argentiere hut is a great place to be in the evenings
  • Lots of memories, discussing ski descents and climbs with friends
  • While the sun sets on the old glacier mopped
  • and behind the Aiguilles Rouges
  • First morning light on north east facing mountain side of the Argentiere basin, we are already skinning
  • 2 hours of skinning, then climbing up a small colouir
  • Leading us up to col Superieur du Tour Noir
  • Sunshine! At 8.30am we reach the col
  • Time to relax, at Col Sup de Tour Noir
  • and watch the Italien friends ski off the Courtes behind us
  • and have a second breakfast
  • Seeing our line on Grand Lui west face that we skied 3 days ago
  • From Grand Lui we could see well over to where we are now having our second breakfast and the face we will ski
  • At 9am the snow is perfectly soft, Wolfi on the first steep turns
  • Some fun steep turns in good spring snow down to the Glacier de la Neuve
  • Now its cruising time, in perfect spring conditions
  • with Aiguille d'Amône and Mont Dolent in the background
  • Broken up glaciers and
  • creamy corn snow
  • all the way down de la Neuve glacier
  • Skiing all the way to La Fouly, last few meters are a bit patchy, the flowers are out
  • Its still early, but not too early for a beer!

More images from Col Superieur du Tour Noir east face by Luca Pandolfi.

Activites: Ski Touring.
Locations: Chamonix.
Seasons: Spring.