Self-sufficient snowshoeing raid (Vercors)

Duration : 6 days

France, Northern Alps, Southern Alps

Level : demanding, each participant pulls a pulka

from 795 € / p. from 5 to 8 persons

Description

I invite you to come and experience a Nordic expedition-style adventure, snowshoeing and pulling a pulka, in the Vercors High Plateaus Conservation Area.

This way of travelling and carrying allows you to experience six days of total immersion in this highly preserved massif, and to taste the exhilarating experience of self-sufficient roaming in the wilderness in winter.

I also offer throughout the winter and early spring:

Program

D1: Arrival in Die.
Welcome at Die station at 4pm. Check-in at the hotel, preparation of specific equipment and personal belongings check.
Night at the hotel.

D2: Die - Beure plateau - Pré Peyret or Pison hut.
Transfer to the Beure plateau. This first day gives us a chance to familiarize ourselves with the pulka and its specific equipment. We soon enter the Vercors Highlands Conservation Area. The panoramic views over this entirely protected area are fantastic, allowing us to make out a large part of our itinerary. We continue on to the Pré Peyret or Pison huts. We arrive early enough to discover some of the most emblematic sites in the southern Vercors.
Overnight in a non-private hut (depending on visitor numbers, we may have to sleep in a tent or continue on to find a free hut).
Walking time: 4 hours, positive altitude difference: 250 meters, negative altitude difference: 200 meters.

D3: Pré Peyret or Pison hut - Chaumailloux sheepfold.
We continue our raid through the Vercors Highlands Conservation Area. We continue to the eastern edge of the Vercors to reach the Chaumailloux sheepfold and take full advantage of the best views of Mont Aiguille.
Overnight in the unguarded refuge.
Walking time: 4 hours, D+: 250m, D-: 200m.

D4: Chaumailloux sheepfold - Tête Chevalière (1951m) - Chaumailloux sheepfold.
We take advantage of the comfort of the Chaumailloux sheepfold to stay an extra night and do a loop hike without the pulkas. The crests of Tête Chevalière offer us exceptional panoramic views of the Vercors and Trièves, a perfect opportunity to discover this summit and the valleys that flow from it.
Overnight in the unguarded refuge.
Walking time: 5 and a half hours, D+: 550m, D-: 550m.

D5: Chaumailloux sheepfold - Tussac hut.
We leave Chaumailloux, a site strongly marked by the resistance on the Vercors, to reach the southern end of the plateau where a few bearded vultures have recently been introduced. We pass the Jardin du Roy and then, skirting the cliffs of the Cirque d'Archiane, arrive at the bergeries de Tussac.
Overnight in a private hut.
Walking time: 5 and a half hours, D+: 150m, D-: 250m.

D6: Tussac hut - Combeau valley.
A new departure into the vastness of the high plateaus. Depending on weather conditions, we climb either to the Croix du Lautaret or to the summit of Montagnette, overlooking the Combeau valley. We take the Pas de la Coche down to this marvellous valley, where we finish our trek.
Separation at 5pm at Die station.
Walking time: 6 hours, D+: 350m, D-: 700m.

This pulka tour is totally dependent on snow conditions. If conditions are poor at the time of departure, I may have to modify the itinerary, postpone it to a later date or cancel it. In the latter case, I can also offer you a similar raid in another mountain range. In the event of unfavorable conditions, I will keep you informed in good time, and you will receive a full refund in the event of cancellation on our part.

The price includes

Supervision by the mountain leader.
Hotel accommodation on D1.
Accommodation in hut opened to the public on D2 (non-private).
Accommodation in private cabins and huts from D3 to D5 (private dormitories).
Catering during the entire raid.
Transfer to the Beure plateau on D2.
Transfer to Die train station on last day.
Loan of snowshoes and hiking poles if necessary.
Loan of one pulka per person.

The price does not include

Transport to and from Die, about 1 hour and 15 minutes drive from Valence and 2 hours from Grenoble.
Drinks.
Repatriation/cancellation insurance.
Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".

It is customary (but not mandatory), depending on your satisfaction at the end of your stay, to tip your guide.

Accommodation

D1: hotel, where we enjoy the comfort of a hot shower, a cooked meal and a warm welcome from our hosts.
D2: non-private hut (Pré Peyret or Pison hut). We share the hut with other hikers, with no certainty as to the space available (which is why we also provide tents to guarantee our autonomy). Very rustic comfort.
D3 to D5: nights in private refuges and huts (with our own reserved places), without supervision. We have to heat the place (wood stove) and prepare our meals (dinner, breakfast and picnic for the next day).
For 4 evenings, we have no running water, no toilet and even less shower... We have to melt snow. Everyone has to pitch in to ensure optimum comfort.
Depending on weather and snow conditions, I may have to modify the planned stages and accommodation. In the latter case, nights may be spent in non-private cabins equivalent to those described above (the transport of tents guarantees our autonomy should the non-private cabins be full).

Next departures :

No scheduled departure, but you can contact me to book your dates.