We left the Refuge des
Drayéres at 8 and started skinning east towards the Col des Muandes (2828m). The trail was pretty flat but also pretty long
so mileage was more of a delaying factor than elevation gain. We were at the pass
at about 10:30 and from there we had a wide open view towards Italy. This day we got to make up for the lack of skiing from day one.
Below is our route
with the day 2 route in black (click to enlarge):
Topo map: 3535OT (French IGN reference)
Dominating direction: NE then SE
Starting elevation: 2180m
Pass elevations : 2828 (Col des
Muandes)
Hut elevation: 1780m (Refugio I Re Magi)
Here are some pictures of day 2 (click to enlarge):
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| Jean Marc, Laurent and Frank bright and early |
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| Wide open spaces... |
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| Yours truly |
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| You get enough time out there to get into the zen of the mountain |
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| Skinning some more... |
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| ...in surroundings where you can find an infinite amount of appealing lines... |
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| ...and amazing winter landscape. |
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| This one is here just because... |
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| ...and this one too. |
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| At the Col des Muandes with a view into Italy. |
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| Starting to make up for no downhill ski yesterday. |
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| Jean Marc plying his trade... |
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| ...and Frank too |
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| Nice Aiguille |
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To the left Pointe Balthazar - to the right Pointe Melchoir,
and, as I found out later from an Italian guide: in the middle
Couloir de la Gallina. I will have to come back for that one. |
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| This is where we stopped for lunch... |
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| ...for which both Jean Marc and Frank brought a bottle of Graves and some cheese... |
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| Enough sitting around, back to work... |
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| View into Vallée Etroite at the bottom if which we'll find the hut. |
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Refugio I Re Magi which translates into the three wise men. The three peaks
dominating it to the West are: Pointe Gaspard (2808m), Melchoir (2948m)
and Balthazar (3153m). |
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| The expedition staff... |
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| Grand Séru at the end of the Vallée Etroite. |
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| This is what it looks like when an avalanche runs out from Pointe Gaspard. |
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| Entrée... |
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| Main course of polenta and sausages... A fitting end to any ski day. |
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