UKC

Heading to Queyras in February for a hut to hut ski tour weather permitting.

Been having a look at the 1:25,000 IGN Map and various websites to get an idea for an itinerary.

Doesn't seem to be any guide books available?

Hoping to avoid having to take ropes/harness/climbing equipment

Thought we could do:

Ceilliac - St Veran - Blanche Refuge - Agnel Refuge (tour of Pain des Sucre) - then to Ristolas with taxi back to car.

Anybody have any advice re. books/route info?
Will it be possible without a rope?
Will it be possible just using the IGN map?

We are not going to hire a guide. So please don't suggest this as an option. We have suitable experience.

Any advice welcome, also if anyone is interested in joining in and has suitable experience we are heading down 16-23rd Feb and will have space for two in the car.

Cheers, Tom

I have just seen this thread which answers a lot of questions

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=534519

In reply to tommytuffa:

Most of what I'd write has already been said on the other thread, but given reasonable conditions your route would be OK although St Veran to the Refuge Blanche wouldn't be much of a day (its a XC ski trail)unless you took in a peak on route (maybe Pointe des Sagnes Longues ?)

In reply to tommytuffa: Have a good trip, its a really nice area the Queyras.

In reply to tommytuffa:

toponeige do an excellent guide to the area which uses what i would say is the best technical rating for touring so far, shashasingi or some such name, any way the jist is if you can ski off piste red steepnes easily and get down a black off piste steepnes you ski at roughly 2.3 /3.1 which coincides exactly with the IGN ski routes

ie a blue ski route is easy, say 2.3 and the dashed bits are around the 3.1+ area,

also queyras is very nice, quite mellow, easy to avoid the avy slopes in that region too.

have fun,

also try the ski rando website .fr?

In reply to PROJECT_MANAGER:

guess you mean this ?
http://www.volopress.net/volo/spip.php?article626

In reply to Doug:

yep that would be the best, also full of colour photos so even though its in french you still know where you are going!

matched with the IGN map you certainly wont need a guide if you have the skills to monitor snow pack,

bon ski!

In reply to PROJECT_MANAGER:

I know the Toponeige are more complete but I find the Olizane guides easier to use/ a better read
e.g.
http://www.olizane.ch/article.php?IDrecord=105