The Bec des Rosses

The Bec des Rosses is more often seen from below than from above; the “no man’s land” of Verbier; the promised land. One wide face streaked with crazy looking lines, the other best discovered from La Chaux or Mont Gelé, while hoping to catch a glimpse of the few brightly coloured apocalyptic freeriders who are brave enough to give it a go.

At 3,223 m, it’s certainly not the Himalayas, and yet… crowning the Glacier de La Chaux, its triangular peak feels a bit like the Alpine version of Everest: intimidating to say the least. The approach isn’t too difficult. There’s no lift, but the Col des Gentianes cable car isn’t too far away. The eastern side reveals itself soon enough, composed of scree and cumbersome rocks in the summer months, and a collection of other skiers’ tracks in the winter months. It’s one hell of a mountain!

You move from one pile of rocks to the next highest pile of rocks, and before you know it you’ve reached the summit, which promises 360° views of the Valais Alps. Below, the mountain face unfolds in rocky jolts of chasms and vertical drops. The air is thin, and this is when the adrenaline starts to kick in.

A mountain of superlatives
Which line to choose? The classic Dog Leg Couloir? Or perhaps the Central Couloir, which drops off on the wide, horizontal Hollywood Cliff? Or maybe the right side of the face, which (falsely) appears less perilous? Whatever you choose, this mountain is a constant challenge of dead ends, blind jumps, and invisible landings, always combined with the potential of unseen treacherous rocks that lurk beneath the snow. While the pros (seem to) launch themselves into the abyss without a second thought, others overthink it three times over. The truth is, there’s no shame to be had when facing “The Bec.” Not everyone is Xavier De Le Rue or Aurélien Ducroz, just a few of the multi-winners (in snowboard and ski) of the revered Xtreme Verbier, which returns to the mountain face each March to close out the season of the annual Freeride World Tour.

On the Bec des Rosses every descent is unique. Here, more so than anywhere else, nature has the final say and the conditions are always fluctuating. And whether you take it from the summit or begin at a lower start gate, the 40-60° degree steepness is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. On occasion, the event has been cancelled because of poor weather conditions (like in 2023), but that only serves to reinforce the legend of this great, high-altitude mountain: a challenge to be conquered.

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