Turncarver
A Photo Journal
V2_2505151625
Day 4: Velan Hut to Valsorey Hut
| Trip Date: | 04/21/2016 |
|---|---|
| Weather: | Sunny and warm; some wind late in the day |
| Comments: | The original plan for this day was to climb to the summit of Mt Velon then make our way to Valsorey Hut. I decided to turn back at 10,300 feet to save energy for the remaining days, which looked challenging and more interesting; that turned out to be a mistake as the weather forced a change in plans on the last 2 days. |
| Location | Travel Mode | Ending Elevation (ft) | Elevation Change (ft) | Time of Day | Distance | Time this Leg | Cum Trip Time | Observations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velan Hut | Start | 8,667.0 ft | 6:20 AM | |||||
| Skin to the base of the Col de la Gouille | Skin | 10,113.0 ft | 1,446.0 ft | 7:56 AM | 1.70 mi | 1:36 | 1:36 | Moderate grade with some kick turns |
| Climb to the top of the Col de la Gouille | Boots & Crampons, Roped | 10,364.0 ft | 251.0 ft | 8:47 AM | 0.06 mi | 0:51 | 2:27 | Rock & snow using boot crampons; fixed chains; running belay |
| Climb down the Col de la Gouille | Boots & Crampons, Roped | 10,124.0 ft | -240.0 ft | 9:57 AM | 0.09 mi | 1:10 | 3:37 | Snow using boot crampons; belayed by guide |
| Skin onto the Glacier de Valsorey | Skin | 10,391.0 ft | 267.0 ft | 10:22 AM | 0.30 mi | 0:25 | 4:02 | Skin to turn-around spot on Valsorey Glacier |
| Ski down the Glacier de Valsorey to the valley floor | Ski | 7,887.0 ft | -2,504.0 ft | 12:00 PM | 2.70 mi | 1:38 | 5:40 | Crusty snow; some firm snow; skate/walk on valley floor |
| Skin up to the Valsorey Hut | Skin | 9,948.0 ft | 2,061.0 ft | 2:34 PM | 2.00 mi | 2:34 | 8:14 | Kick turns - a bit of a slog |
Travel times in this table include, breaks, transitions, etc
| Max Elevation: | 10,391 ft |
|---|---|
| Net Elevation Gain: | 1,281 ft |
| Total Ascent: | 4,025 ft |
| Total Descent: | -2,744 ft | Total Miles: | 6.8 mi | Total Duration: | 8:14 |
Map (click on image to enlarge / zoom to fit small screens)
Elevation Profile
Valsorey Hut (click on image to enlarge / zoom to fit small screens)
