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Verbier freeride country
The Freeride World Tour has made the dizzying runs of the Bec des Rosses famous around the globe. Attracting riders of all descriptions, Verbier offers them a liberating combination of powdery snow, steep slopes and tricky ravines.
There is more to Verbier than Les 4 Vallées ski area and its 410 kilometres of marked runs. The resort is also a paradise for freeriders, thanks to a beguiling collection of untouched peaks with spurs that stretch up into the sky and snowy slopes that tumble invitingly downwards. As if that were not enough, a fair few of the most beautiful runs are within relatively easy ski-lift access. We bring you a selection of the best. After picking up the requisite safety equipment from the DVA Park at La Chaux and taking the precaution of hiring a guide, novice freeriders can get a feel for the terrain next to the Creublet corridor. Easily reached from Les Attelas, it’s a run that guarantees excitement and plentiful snow.
The cradle of freeride
Taking things up a level, in both physical and technical terms, is Mont Gelé, nicknamed “Lhotse” for its resemblance to the Himalayan pyramid. Freeride came to Bagnes in 1966, following the opening of the gondola lift (which has recently been rebuilt). The term itself hadn’t been coined back then though – people only spoke about off-piste skiing.
Reached from Les Attelas, the 3,023m summit gives way to around 50 corridors, the choice of which depends on the conditions at the time. Two of them are marked out but not groomed – one tumbling down the southern face towards La Chaux and the other on the eastern side, in the direction of Tortin. Stretching for four kilometres and boasting an elevation drop of 828 metres, the second of these runs is easy on the eye with its majestic views and features long stretches of adrenaline-pumping moguls. The run links up near the end with the “yellow” piste that runs down from the Col des Gentianes. Whisper it quietly, but it is said to be the longest mogul field in Europe. Another enticing alternative from Les Gentianes is to ski or board down the famous Stairway to Heaven. It might be an arduous 15-minute climb, but the reward is a heavenly run down a long powdery corridor, snow conditions permitting of course.
Let the powder do the talking
Altogether more demanding in terms of technique, the Mont-Fort backside is one of Verbier’s classic freeride descents. After climbing to the highest point of the ski area (3,300m) to salute the Alps, take a very deep breath and then hold it all in as you traverse the exposed ridge offering access to the eastern side of the mountain. From that point on it’s a question of letting gravity take over. The two corridors that unfold before your eyes are steep to say the least – between 35° and 38°, shrinking your margin for error. Deliciously long, the run flattens out as it passes Cleuson Dam and comes to a gentle end at Siviez. Mission accomplished! Topping them all is the Bec des Rosses (3,222m), the ultimate in Bagnes freeride. The exclusive domain of the professionals, its endless runs stretch down slopes that are so steep you would be well advised to steer clear of them if your technique is anything less than perfect.
