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:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih963bd5AZYsZUwuSpLtgaWYfgAIUYXyxZlatVNMedsBZdIA7sAbU8YaOFLmYh5zLJumMd3EinqWZCYk6HUjOsGlFzrZmQ70Emxv2mhSGaHxMPC9D8Aj3eDcPk8MQkvFeXLtR5sGS-diA/s320/IMGP2180.jpg)
Finally we got out of the woods for the rest of the skin up to the hut:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrRA9otcmvebeQGMl6Fe6J3ovWgbq-TXscnU33G1ASjgBrVpJPGMCjJSYzviSJG5tgTNG3U932wyUtwehwu9orkrw0cvMSuazmXxpecTQ6CZgOYyG64lxeNBCBFgzJRcYJaLCNKyOCMM/s320/IMGP2182.jpg)
An early start saw us leaving the hut in the cloud, but with signs of clearer skies above:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjroGabCMgASOWqWFubZR504gvJwEX-IGjuOdrKFFSIwzcLdVmr9jK8oJduLQftOuDrQ68Tl_MxstUp0JjZbioWniRBSTmSR5jWnxX1QzF9FHRR8mX6cV-JQmrtUuB5d5A_Y1TZ-sqX8FE/s320/IMGP2183.jpg)
Yesterday's summit looking mighty fine!:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjH-mAom-rNWsA3sLkU8yNIgoX0rEaq7YI9OVbAPnOp1e-wlVEyb33AfvdJBRwn3HcdKqKRpky3cdJPEgOm0ew_Lm8T4dnj1vUmvKnMpaaHGJiLsfolan4XRW2zL8INc7a1WmwWiqUwM/s320/IMGP2184.jpg)
Looking up the main glacier face:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mogNglIJPqHVZbitu3m1OmIAQzbQqzkWrMiVR80Z7523o1vNeOiEJ29P35h3K-fSErMIlE4YiB9vIgtM0ujAlf1d4gj7YSkME0PThMWF33zIt0lnNldCRWaqqu2lECE0U03dgER9hIc/s320/IMGP2186.jpg)
Plenty of opportunity to practice kick turns:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKelHWUTRcvquJSyFLkNEPqrl50O6R5TCZpyqIKAzQ8JlifqSv8RWfQmiRnQ_0uTfSNBFaH8-wL_rOnWMNfMRK0HexQIY4NQxgBQJa1XqoZcIb4lvdmiKzpnOWBqirnS5AJfCxwllxF34/s320/IMGP2189.jpg)
Not far now:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24Xb8ft3Wzz_GzfU1ibSEHT5Z4EgK3atMO5qUTWlozDg7C7sn5s5w50_qQsWy6tPlSuv678Lvvxv1y9zHF1UZs-EzUryZmgjXWVPXfed0Y7JfVC8izTxtIzOwhIAb0xkodS0drHTmpCM/s320/IMGP2188.jpg)
Big cornice on the summit:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBIwzaVta7k0CbPyF28Dd-ijkxmx3tjAuI0Eafi2yvqf9NneezSGyqDbBjAFAgBKtmqYQvGWy2l6EZ_vbfpfIKhyEdimRqAhVHot_Vt6JBSQFRU2q6HZMBP-3oCcXR3RzJWIRypQ6_iA/s320/IMGP2192.jpg)
Ginny on the summit ridge:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5nZcO-nVGS05FuPbu_TbrDT3hlmtf4OQeYIORjQR45KDxh5j7bw-b4CnYDoObQ5x1e4cex-s9xtydVQ8WNXgulEiKyHUiH6RBWeZs6IhsbMZXIEceC1VgEfmHi95chDmx9XsxrmmSDc/s320/IMGP2193.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipf7Sq5BK4d5WA76Ii6oEkAI5BGktwcJY7UwNyO4Ha6XYEbQYrgadaBpZUTmk3PY1ivboh3LySgJ2Q8pUuwZBEFjzihUC8Hy8lX3R1hHvjx-y9ykUE8HRH0p0WF6cBVCW9j-IKJCH7Mag/s320/IMGP2194.jpg)
Looking down the West face:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8EiwB9x21fwsyNZ917UsIRQFvFx4n8bWWSWFGNvamsl-cfrAg9UXvMLB1rmbxUap03-PALznrx_64_ysuOes2CuENBmi4u-k3hY6HBRiGOOp4iIwng5d6JFogioGNPFaqwTdrULkiio/s320/IMGP2191.jpg)
Croix de Verdons & Saulire from the Grand Bec:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhON7jMLj_4wNtm0WPpAW4FxLLpBBealzo2Zgs4fDKrPJc4u2bkYNGoZuXG98IfLoWlbGBtN-xiub5LuESLE6zmZR_jyi2B9UaHb9yT6sUnK0FqvJrv5sYFZLLCDkcxOVXbMrxp-RrA-44/s320/IMGP2196.jpg)
Grande Casse:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5mDs1fICxkrU12kNmuGvb2fhA5rLAnGguH8fHKq01YwjWP9C_QMrew_gvCjklV55sO4Udh21lmCLL9563B7LEbK1Pm2ufi5NReJswBbcVfcbDb7iqXLwBHc9MxpYNmFr3beR9wVZBY0/s320/IMGP2197.jpg)
Good powder high up:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCMRfADJrSGCiU_Fj0D4tGpNnf5EXhSakoJSlwRMAgFojdxK219pp0-DejpTAMF3NynfPWEJi0WRymmprUZE8Ni8X208OC49B3180eM52VZC7EPuc1VLYA2Dyzmi-EVWe4pFZ2zuuHB8/s320/IMGP2199.jpg)
Getting a bit crusty now...:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViYZv-mHuXTMEPP-fveJpZOkczQG9Z6TTqw5cLF1dZp6FibXZ9059aA9o_nSHmUZV4OdXO23fpqhnqJt48JBVQIJfjf4g_Z9GZMQ7FkFnZAz5OwaHaQ8nauUJTx0gs0Rj_q3pUnI9T2U/s320/IMGP2200.jpg)
Some nice sections of spring snow:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_n289hcg17orZ0qjZfvDx4dHInHZ2HDN8edrYbHqtiydRh0AM4z1Jmy9tP30ur8N4NlYJlrCdhqORthIis61YiwWg9qpTiIz-39S8u2AnvTG-FyavY1r-LJNuWf4nR4NYZ42h4ILH-s/s320/IMGP2202.jpg)
One section of 'technical sideslipping' through some avalanche debris...:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjvYPpXzBMw7PTxhcJW2ijc7mXbbAQvw2hGNp7RLawWQAPpnXA-IxRZsLBeLCjaxwm4hnUZnBZOVansKQCGP7vipzZ5yJK2sWC-dwpl8iayBOCbci-8HB0MZ1265WCqwyItl7Jb6a8DI/s320/IMGP2203.jpg)
Looking down on Laisonnay:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWwznC_4gg2eWVuKH0q6aizVA-7Swr2Oz3RDO9MNvUl7Df2uN7R_H9fuju7b-EZk7Im5r-79UlN5UBSzaBevcTc6O8-31OXUNn3zTXjepSXo3lAZYFTFdCgbu4zSnmjENJEi8Xe0OHT4/s320/IMGP2205.jpg)
The only bit of the descent without snow...:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xTUImNImjPlmMzWuLlSb2PRG22Bdw8Ku8IlIls9Yl5uyZDJM3ezEFEpmj1HzK6kTeVsSCgMBVk5ucuf-s3JrP8Fzl4eGdZkyuhF6Of66xR6dKN3I75E83m57l2qK4vVvvQzWH6IhdDI/s320/IMGP2206.jpg)
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...!
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