A busy weekend (part 2)...

After Saturday mornings last-minute trip to the North face of Bellecote a quick dash home gave me time for a quick shower & change, then back up to Champagny with Ginny for the 900m vert skin up to the Plan des Gouilles refuge for the night.
The start wasn't quite as hoped, with lots of 'skis on, skis off' to get through the forest, and some technical tree-climbing skills were put to use:



Finally we got out of the woods for the rest of the skin up to the hut:



An early start saw us leaving the hut in the cloud, but with signs of clearer skies above:



Yesterday's summit looking mighty fine!:



Looking up the main glacier face:



Plenty of opportunity to practice kick turns:



Not far now:



Big cornice on the summit:



Ginny on the summit ridge:





Looking down the West face:



Croix de Verdons & Saulire from the Grand Bec:



Grande Casse:



Good powder high up:



Getting a bit crusty now...:



Some nice sections of spring snow:



One section of 'technical sideslipping' through some avalanche debris...:



Looking down on Laisonnay:



The only bit of the descent without snow...:



A long skate along the cross-country tracks took uys back to the car and a welcome drink at the Refuge du Bois before heading home in time for the Paris-Roubaix bike race... perfect...!