Avoriaz & Portes du Soleil Off Piste Skiing

Off Piste Skiing in Avoriaz & the Portes du Soleil

As well as the really obvious stuff between the pistes, there�s plenty more off piste in Avoriaz and the Portes du Soleil within easy reach for just a little bit of effort.

PLEASE NOTE: YOU IGNORE SAFETY WARNINGS AND BARRIERS/ROPES AND UNDERTAKE OFF-PISTE SKIING/BOARDING AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT YOU TAKE A MOUNTAIN GUIDE WHEN HEADING OFF-PISTE. THE FOLLOWING IS NOT A SET OF DIRECTIONS OR INSTRUCTIONS.

Off Piste Skiing in Avoriaz

Avoriaz probably offers the biggest area for easy access off piste and this high altitude play area is easily reached from most villages in the Portes du Soleil. Once in Avoriaz take the Express Lac Intrets to the top of the Hauts Forts and descend towards the Secteur Chavanette using the Bleue du Lac, ensuring you explore the little stashes to either side of the piste. Follow the Aller Chavanette down through the tunnel and you�ll reach the foot of the Secteur Chavanette with a choice of two lifts to access the top; Express Choucas and Express du Fornet. The latter lift takes you up above the Canyon du Pschott Snowzone. This is a large un-pisted area characterised by multiple canyons, natural half pipes, cliff drops and kickers. It is one of the best areas to head for after a big dump of snow as the variety of terrain is immense and despite it sitting right in front of everyone on the lift does take some time during the day to become tracked out. The multiple lines down this area all converge on the aforementioned lifts making multiple runs easy. The Express Choucas provides access to similar terrain on the opposite side of the bowl and again the multiple lines drop you down to the two lifts at the bottom. The latter has less potential to run you down into a big cliff drop if you lose your bearing but is demanding none the less.

To finish off your day in the Secteur Chavanette take the Express du Fornet and head a little further afield to the Vall�e de la Manche. Watch out for the warning signs at the top indicating you are headed into a totally un-patrolled area and are therefore operating at your own risk. The traverse will be obvious, before dropping into the canyon du Pschott bare left and drop over the low saddle to enter the valley. This will give you access to a huge powder field with a huge drop affording plenty of chances to put in the powder eights or big GS style turns complete with rooster tails. Just keep on following the obvious valley route past the old chalet building and onwards to the head of the valley road. If there is sufficient base then it is possible to ski all the way back down to Morzine all though this does involve a little bit of poling. For anybody not up for that and any snowboarders then catch the new bus service back to town. Un-fortunately the latter has prompted an increase in the popularity of the valley but still it�s not one to miss.

Secteur Linderets sits adjacent to Avoriaz and the Fornet valley. Lower down this valley the drop under the Col de Bassachaux is accessed from the TS Chaux Fleurie. Drop straight under and to the left of the lift line along multiple lines passing through the trees and into the little, and some not so little, cliffs at the end of the run near the foot of the lift stations.

Higher up the Linderets valley, accessed via the Express Mossettes lift drop straight under the lift line for a long section of natural features where, drops ins, wall rides and lickers abound. The section is marked on the lift as La Frontali�re Snowzone but receives fairly light use as a function of its demanding nature. Alternatively drop down a little ways from the Mossettes lift station towards the Les Cases run and as soon as the fence runs out drop the edge and traverse back towards the lift line. This is a great big hump of mountain dropping all the way to the Les Cases blue for a return journey to the Express Mossettes lift. On the opposite side of the valley the TS Cubore lifts you up to the ridge line whereby you can traverse along as required before dropping down again to the Les Cases blue.

last updated 18-Feb-2008

Off Piste Skiing in Morzine

Morzine and the wider Portes du Soleil ski area abounds with easy lift accessed off piste. Above Morzine sit the Nyon and Chamossi�re ski peaks, the high points of the local ski area. These offer lift accessed off piste saving the necessity to hike for hours. Firstly Nyon reached via the TS de la Pointe, has a multitude of lines down the face of the mountain in between the pisted runs. It�s easy to venture as little or as far as your experience allows. To the far skiers right is the ridge line demarcating the Vall�e de la Manche, don�t go over the edge as you will very quickly find yourself on the valley floor and you will not have covered the distance on your skis! But don�t worry too much the edge is marked out with denser trees a little tight for skiing anyway. To skiers left the face of Nyon can be accessed cutting off the Aigle rouge piste at the first switchback and traversing to the weather station. This takes you over the bowls ridge line and allows you to drop down to the Chamossi�re valley on a variety of lines depending upon how far you traverse.

Secondly Chamossi�re accessed via the TS des T�tes express chair lift prior to the old school TS Chamossi�re has a perfect un-pisted bowl to skiers right. Take the traverse from the lift station over the small ridge above the avalanche cannon and drop into the bowl. Traverse as far as required and pick your line down emerging at the foot of the TS Chamossi�re lift for a repeat performance. The bowl does get tracked pretty quickly but it is a big area and you�ll be able to get multiple runs down before the snow loses its appeal. For those willing to hike a little a greater drop can be achieved by hiking along the ridge line above the Chamossi�re bowl and dropping in before the Pointe d�Angolon peak. This will gain you many vertical meters before you hit the lower traverse as described above. Due in no small part to the hike this upper bowl area remains untracked far longer than the easy access lower half. In fact the snow conditions will have deteriorated due to weather conditions far before it becomes overly tracked.

The Arbis red from Chamossi�re offers a number of off piste options to both the right and left of the piste as does the drop down the black Creux run. For the former the run to the skiers� right offers the chance to traverse along the ridge line separating the red and black runs and ultimately drops out near where the Blanchots red and blue Choucas join by the drag lift. Take the latter and you return to the bottom of the TS Chamossi�re for another run or alternatively drop down to the Grand Pre on the Choucas and move on to Les Gets or head for home.

last updated 18-Feb-2008

Off Piste Skiing in Les Gets

Les Gets� best area for off piste is the Chavannes bowl sitting under the peaks of Le Ranfoilly and La Rosta. The five lifts servicing this area offers multiple off piste tracks between the abundance of red, blue and black runs in the bowl. The off piste options are clear from the lift but the area is big and does take a little while to become fully tracked out. Once the more open spaces have been used up you�ll need to go exploring in the trees but don�t worry as there is little chance of getting too lost, all routes lead back to the lifts.

Descend off the Ranfoilly peak drop into the small bowl to the skiers� right before you get as far as joining the blue Gentiane piste. The bowl funnels tighter between the trees but offers multiple lines eventually depositing you on the Tetras red run and onward to the Choucas leading to the Grand Pre for a retour Morzine.

last updated 18-Feb-2008