South Face of the Grande Motte (Face Sud Intégrale, 5.3 E3) (Tignes) 02/02/18
It was 3rd time lucky to ski this face for me, have been up twice before in spring 2 years ago to try and ski this face. Both times before we were halted by tricky windslab perched at the top of the couloir. We were treated with much different snow conditions this year, with some brutal ice pretty much the whole way down, making things that little more interesting.
All in all, an amazing day skiing a super line in some fantastic surroundings!
The Téléphérique de la Grande Motte was sadly shut (due to technical reasons or something) so we had an extra 400m of ascent for us in the morning. We quickly passed groups touring up to Couloir 3500 on our way up (we were initially worried about the snow warming up, but this would never be an issue given the frigid temperatures!).
It was a double duvet jacket kinda day with some f*cking freezing temperatures on the summit of the Grande Motte, the views more than made up for it though…
The snow conditions relented at times, giving some amazingly exposed turns in great scenery.
