Been up Galibier today (ski), will it be ready for the Giro?
gavinbay
Posts: 144
Have been out in Serre Chevalier since March 15th and have only done three or four ski tours (climbing up on skis), but no classic spring skiing to speak of, as we just have not had the right freeze / melt conditions. Have cycled Lautartet, Col du Montgenevre and some others but weather has been foul.
However the forecast for yesterday and today was looking good, sunny yesterday with temps dropping overnight and then a good freeze, that said had to be up early to be sure.
We left the apartment at 07:50 and by the time we drove past Pont D'Alpe that was rammed with people going up and then the parking where we park for Galibier was crazily mobbed, never seen it so busy, must have been because the forecast was so good for ski touring and there have not been that many good days, plus was a Sunday, and holidays for the Marseille region!
Anyway as I hoped, 90% of all the French feckwits merrily went up in the direction of Pic Blanc leaving my Mrs and I on our own. Just don't understand why, think they all want to bag a "summit" or something, and the descent back down from Pic Blanc having done it a couple of times is not that memorable.
Had to do a little navigation aiming for Col du Galibier at times to be sure of the route, even though this was the fourth trip up there on skis, just that there are a few gulleys, and if you're not careful you end up going down, only to have to climb back up, anyway all was perfect, at times a little hard on the hard icy snow on traverses, not quite crampons, but not far off!
Mrs didn't fancy the last steep section to the ridge (she did the same last time) so she stayed down whilst I skinned up to the ridge which then looks down on to the Col and below to the tunnel entrance and Henri Desgrange monument.
We then skied down to the tunnel and had a snack in the snowhole at the base of the monument, letting the sun just do some more work on the snow.
And we timed it to bloody perfection with a superb spring snow descent, if the snow started to become a little heavy you just skied a slightly different aspect / angle of slope to the sun, that made it all the more fun sussing the snow.
This has been a very good season for snow, and will be interesting to see how they clear the road for the Giro up Galabier on May 17th or 18th ?
Once back down and after lunch, though there was only one more thing to do, so go the bike out and cycled up to the Lautaret, though cramp was kicking in big time towards the end as I was joined by a Belgian !
And looking down on the monument and refuge / tunnel from well above the Col.
More images on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 45f553d89d
And for Strava fans GPS tracks etc of both of today's climbs
http://app.strava.com/activities/48720396
http://app.strava.com/activities/48754501
Happy Days
However the forecast for yesterday and today was looking good, sunny yesterday with temps dropping overnight and then a good freeze, that said had to be up early to be sure.
We left the apartment at 07:50 and by the time we drove past Pont D'Alpe that was rammed with people going up and then the parking where we park for Galibier was crazily mobbed, never seen it so busy, must have been because the forecast was so good for ski touring and there have not been that many good days, plus was a Sunday, and holidays for the Marseille region!
Anyway as I hoped, 90% of all the French feckwits merrily went up in the direction of Pic Blanc leaving my Mrs and I on our own. Just don't understand why, think they all want to bag a "summit" or something, and the descent back down from Pic Blanc having done it a couple of times is not that memorable.
Had to do a little navigation aiming for Col du Galibier at times to be sure of the route, even though this was the fourth trip up there on skis, just that there are a few gulleys, and if you're not careful you end up going down, only to have to climb back up, anyway all was perfect, at times a little hard on the hard icy snow on traverses, not quite crampons, but not far off!
Mrs didn't fancy the last steep section to the ridge (she did the same last time) so she stayed down whilst I skinned up to the ridge which then looks down on to the Col and below to the tunnel entrance and Henri Desgrange monument.
We then skied down to the tunnel and had a snack in the snowhole at the base of the monument, letting the sun just do some more work on the snow.
And we timed it to bloody perfection with a superb spring snow descent, if the snow started to become a little heavy you just skied a slightly different aspect / angle of slope to the sun, that made it all the more fun sussing the snow.
This has been a very good season for snow, and will be interesting to see how they clear the road for the Giro up Galabier on May 17th or 18th ?
Once back down and after lunch, though there was only one more thing to do, so go the bike out and cycled up to the Lautaret, though cramp was kicking in big time towards the end as I was joined by a Belgian !
And looking down on the monument and refuge / tunnel from well above the Col.
More images on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 45f553d89d
And for Strava fans GPS tracks etc of both of today's climbs
http://app.strava.com/activities/48720396
http://app.strava.com/activities/48754501
Happy Days
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Comments
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If Francesco Moser is winning on GC and the final mountain stage is bathed in sun-shine, you can be sure it'll be cancelled.When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0
