+ 25
Col D' Arp
Backcountry Skiing Route
Details
3.65 mi
101 ft
A classic skier/boarder route; long, remote and starting from a stunning viewpoint.
This run is a wonderful off piste journey starting from the magnificent viewpoint of the Cresta d'Arp, overlooking the wild south side of Mont Blanc. It's the kind run that will take a half day at least. It's usually ideal in the morning as it faces south and east and gets early sun. Allow around 3-4 hours door to door. If you are a boarder take poles and be prepared to walk or boot pack. As a skier if you do have skins then that would be ideal to take them, but you may not need them. The cable car itself gives the feeling that you are in an old James Bond film - take the chance to do this run when you can as the old fashioned lift often doesn't run. When you exit the cable car you will see a simply incredible open expanse of terrain. Go immediately leftwards and traverse until reaching a steep couloir (Panei Couloir). Ski it all the way down and then traverse on the left to reach the Col d'Arp pass. This couloir is often shot with explosives but take care in any case with high temperature or important quantity of snow. From the pass descend the big valley (Arp valley). The run then follows a mixture of steep faces and open areas to more slow moving sections, which is why it is better to do a few days after a good snowfall. That way the more flat sections will have a few tracks on them, meaning that skiers and boarder alike don't have to worry too greatly about getting stuck. Even when there are existing tracks the area is so large that you can still find your own sparsely tracked line to enjoy. This run is about finding the balance between epic snow and manoeuvrable flats. When you reach the wood part of the descent start going leftwards and reach summer farm and few huts. Keep going down in the woods and after you've passed other 2 small houses locate a traverse leftwards in the woods. Follow it entirely until more open and skiable area that leads you to Dolonne village. Walk few minutes to join Dolonne Gondola Written by Angelica Sykes
This run is a wonderful off piste journey starting from the magnificent viewpoint of the Cresta d'Arp, overlooking the wild south side of Mont Blanc. It's the kind run that will take a half day at least. It's usually ideal in the morning as it faces south and east and gets early sun. Allow around 3-4 hours door to door. If you are a boarder take poles and be prepared to walk or boot pack. As a skier if you do have skins then that would be ideal to take them, but you may not need them. The cable car itself gives the feeling that you are in an old James Bond film - take the chance to do this run when you can as the old fashioned lift often doesn't run. When you exit the cable car you will see a simply incredible open expanse of terrain. Go immediately leftwards and traverse until reaching a steep couloir (Panei Couloir). Ski it all the way down and then traverse on the left to reach the Col d'Arp pass. This couloir is often shot with explosives but take care in any case with high temperature or important quantity of snow. From the pass descend the big valley (Arp valley). The run then follows a mixture of steep faces and open areas to more slow moving sections, which is why it is better to do a few days after a good snowfall. That way the more flat sections will have a few tracks on them, meaning that skiers and boarder alike don't have to worry too greatly about getting stuck. Even when there are existing tracks the area is so large that you can still find your own sparsely tracked line to enjoy. This run is about finding the balance between epic snow and manoeuvrable flats. When you reach the wood part of the descent start going leftwards and reach summer farm and few huts. Keep going down in the woods and after you've passed other 2 small houses locate a traverse leftwards in the woods. Follow it entirely until more open and skiable area that leads you to Dolonne village. Walk few minutes to join Dolonne Gondola Written by Angelica Sykes