Alagna and Monte Rosa - a Freeski paradise

There is a reason why Andrea Gallo wrote a whole guidebook about the off-piste skiing in the Monte Rosa region. The most surprising thing about Gressoney and Alagna is that most people haven't yet found out about it. So maybe I should not write this post at all....

The name sounds like Alanya, the sun bathing city in Turkey, not exactly a place you relate to breathtaking off-piste skiing, easily accessible couloirs, impressive faces and powder that lasts even a sunny day.

In February, when the Dolomites was pretty much closed down due to a tremendous risque of avalanches, heavy snowfalls and tricky weather, Stephanie Churlet and I decided to check out the skiing in Alagna and Gressoney in the Aosta region, Italy.

Stephanie about to enter one of many fantastic couloirs we skied (©Johannes Strobel)

Alagna and Gressonney are actually two neighbor valleys, connected with ski lifts and cabins over the almost 3000 m high Salati pass. In the 13th century, the Walser people, a German population, descended from the north into the Italian valleys south of Monte Rosa, the second tallest peak in the alps. They settled in the Valsesia and Gressoney valleys and the region has kept its germanic heritage. You recognize German words on signs and many locals speak both German and Italian.

Skiing straight into Alagna, time to get a tasty coffee!

Stephanie and I were keen on skiing couloirs and challenge the angles. We wanted adventure and also to ski some of the classical lines, many mentioned in the Polvere Rosa 3 freeride guidebook.

I really enjoy teaming up with Stephanie. Not only is she a good friend of mine, but the former member of the French national team of Alpine Skiing, marks her way down the mountain! In search for adventure, we share many equal ambitions and most important, the mutual trust in each other. That is something so important when you go for the more advanced ski lines.

Pink ladies! (©Johannes Strobel)

We are planning the next run! (photos by Johannes Strobel)

We stayed at Residence Dei Walser in Gressoney-la-Trinité and woke up to beautiful skies the first day. The snow was in perfect condition and it felt like being in the perfect place just in the right time. I gazed up and realized that we were surrounded by a mekka of adventure skiing possibilities. What a place!

The rope comes in handy for several runs (Photo: Johannes Strobel)

The ski resort Gressonney and Alagna connect at the Salati pass. From here, your options to find an exciting way down the mountain are many. Some couloirs starts just outside the cabins, and with few steep-skiers in the area, they stay in condition long time.

During our visit, we had the chance to explore the area, ski several of the nearby couloirs and get a proper blooded tooth. What surprised me the most was that we were pretty much alone, even on sunny days. This is a pure rarity compared to the other side of the border....

Stephanie exiting the Canale Zube

 

One of the Salati couloirs (Photo by Stephanie)

La Malfatta 
We were recommended to ski the "Malfatta", said to be perhaps the most beautiful off pist ski run in the whole area. Together with the photographer Johannes Strobel we started by skiing a nice couloir, that lead down to the Malfatta. It turned out that the couloir we had skied, was a line rarely skied and NOT parts of the Malfatta itself. The guides we met in the actual La Malfatta had never seen any one ski our line (which was a huge surprise to us, but later confirmed that of course it had been skied).

The Pink Ladies couloir! (surely has another name) but can be skied to enter the Malfatta start instead of following the skitracks seen underneath

The photographer Johannes Strobel entering the couloir

 

The real entrance to La Malfatta (photo Johannes Strobel)

Stephanie checking the Malfatta anchors

The real Malfatta usually starts with a rappel some 20-30 meters to avoid a narrow section with rocks. As we stood waiting for our turn behind the guided groups, we realized that La Malfatta was pretty much the equivalence to the Vallee Blanche in Chamonix. The place where the guides take their clients for a full day out. At the moment it felt like being in a tourist trap with too much people everywhere...we had to wait for 1h for the rapell.

Better to have fun while waiting... (©Johannes Strobel)

But of course, coming to Alagna and Gressonney without skiing the classic Malfatta would be a pity. It turned out that snow was really nice further down and by traversing right we found our happiness and un touched snow.
On a ridge, we made our photographer happy too!

Stephanie taking the ridge in full action  (©Johannes Strobel)

I'm enjoying those magical powder moments  (©Johannes Strobel)

 See more of Johannes' beautiful pictures at johannesstrobel.com/

Punta Vittoria
The greatest experience we had was when skiing the impressive north east face of Punta Vittoria.
The Punta Vittoria stood high on our list of objectives. Well-mentioned in the Polvere Rosa guide book, it is one of the best, yet most extreme ski lines in the area.

Punta Vittoria North East face

A section of 60º steep snow, rock and a very exposed traverse leads down to a couloir that ends in a big open section of the face. The lower section is described as "what makes life worth living" according to the Polvere Rosa, but to get here is an adventure in itself.

Punta Vittoria is one of these runs where you need to put together all the mountain experience you have in order to enter the challenge, and to get away from it with a good memory.

Arriving on top of the face

We had woken up to sunshine after a light snowfall the night before. Coming out of the Indren, there was not one single track over the Borsh glacier leading to the top of the Punta Vittoria mountain face. We skinned over the glacier and were once again surprised to be alone.

The Borsh glacier, all ours!

Stephanie contemplating about the cornice to pass

Looking down over the respect giving slopes creates emotions, especially this day. The whole face felt virgin and no trace of previous descents offered route finding hints. For Stephanie and me, as a team, we both felt that this would be like a kind of examination in the school of steep skiing.
We both knew that ahead of us waited the big moment when everything we have learned through out the years had to be performed perfectly. There were no rooms for mistakes. It sure was a special moment.

Rappelling into the adventure

The snow looked somewhat sceptical at first sight. You just know that when doing something like this, you can't fail. We took a big portion of time to evaluate the situation, discuss the options, our capabilities, the rules for the game and to find a rappel over the cornice. All by wondering, what would snow actually feel like down there?

I rapped first, jumping the snow to see how it behaved. It felt much better than I had dared to hope from above. After some testing and digging, Stephanie rappelled down to me.

Steph gets the edges in!

We were standing on a tiny snow ledge that I had cut out with my axe. On the 60º slope where the perception of the world starts to tilt, with an impressive exposure underneath us, we agreed upon giving the adventure our dedication and pulled down the rope.

Stephanie making way, side stepping the traverse

Carefully we passed the traverse, not taking any extra risque to break a layer underneath. The snow was changing under our skis and it felt wonderful to reach the entrance to the lower part of the face.

One by one we work together

Jippiey, THIS is our reward! Entrance to the lower section.

Under us we had a fantastic section about 500 vertical meters around 45º of knee-height powder. A dream to ski! And we made the first tracks. Coming down to the glacier under us, we felt privileged and so happy! We shared a fantastic experience.

The entrance to the Punta Vittoria and it's upper traverse is a true filter for the next section of the face. We realized that we belonged to a quite small group of skiers who have made a visit here, and been allowed to enjoy the marvelous lower slope!

Stephanie getting those first turns!

My turn to feast, magical!

Sluff management?

The lower section journey seen from the bottom, simply great.

 (All pictures above by Stephanie and myself)

Here is a video from a team of 3 guys who skied the NE face of Punta Vittoria a year ago:





Our stay in Gressonney was eventually extended with an unexpectable night in the village of Alagna. We came down to Alagna just in time to miss the latest cabin back to the Salati pass... Hitch-hiking back to Gressonney is just out of the question, the valleys may seem close, but by road they are 5 hours apart!

It turned out to be a very nice evening and we met some sweet local people and skiers with whom we shared our stories, chatted and drank beer with until late.

Afterski in Alagna! (Photo by the bartender :-)!)

Pizza in Alagna is delicious and village is nice and cozy. We coincidencely met the Swedish skier and Alagna ambassador Mathias Eriksson who has been skiing in Alagna for the last 10 years. He,  and the other Scandinavian and Italian skiers we met this night, contributed in making the evening a nice happening!

In the morning, Stephanie and I took the first cabin up the mountain and came just in time not to get a parking ticket. And it was time to head back to Chamonix.
What a grand finale we had in Alagna!

Stephanie (©Johannes Strobel)

The whole Monterrosa area is simply a true playground for freeriders and even though popularity steadily increases, chances to find good snow and to get unforgettable experiences are big. However, when Wikipedia adresses Alagna as the Freeride world capital, I guess it won't take long until the crowds will come. (And yes, i should be ashamed too!)

Anyway, 
it's usually a distance between talking and walking!

Walking and talking and skiing :-) (©Johannes Strobel)

If you find yourself in Gressoney and Alagna, make sure you swap by the Monte Rosa guide office. Here you can book helicopter tours, find a competent guide to show you the best snow or just get some updates about the conditions.

Many tempting lines and initiaries in the Polverosa freeski guidebook are found in a serious mountain terrain and you should never underestimate that. Strong skills, knowledge, experience, and judgement about moving safe in steep alpine terrain are prerequisites. Use a guide if ever in doubt.

How I look forward to come back to this sweet skiing paradise!

Photo ©Johannes Strobel

Living our dreams!